Aim - To identify any discrepancy between new graduate nurses' perceptions of their professional roles before they begin practice and what they experience at the initiation of their duties. Background - Turnover and attrition is a major issue within the nursing profession. Better understanding of new graduate perceptions will provide the opportunity to identify stressors that can be addressed to slow the rate of turnover. Method - A case study research design was selected for data collection from a population of newly licensed Registered Nurses at the initiation of professional responsibilities. Evaluation- Survey results were clustered thematically to look for common results among responses. Implications for Nursing - Identifying discrepancies between expectations and reality can guide nursing leadership and educators to create strategies to better prepare new nurses for practice, reduce stress and anxiety, and limit the amount of turnover and attrition.