Objective To explore the complex associations between transition shock and self-regulatory fatigue among newly employed nurses using network analysis, to identify core and bridge nodes within the network, and to provide a scientific basis for developing targeted intervention strategies.Methods A convenience sample of 429 newly employed nurses from three tertiary hospitals in Sichuan Province was recruited for this cross-sectional study. Data were collected using a general information questionnaire, the Transition Shock Scale for Newly Employed Nurses, and the Self-Regulatory Fatigue Scale. A network analysis based on the regularized Gaussian Graphical Model was constructed to map the associations among the dimensions of the two variables. Results The scores of transition shock and self-regulatory fatigue among newly employed nurses were (83.37±18.21)、(44.55±9.82) respectively, with a significant positive correlation between them (r=0.456, P<0.05). Network analysis revealed that the emotional dimension ranked highest in strength, betweenness, and expected influence, identifying it as the core hub node；the sociocultural & developmental dimension had the highest closeness centrality and, together with the emotional dimension, were the nodes with the highest bridge strength (bridge strength=0.240); the psychological dimension and the cognitive dimension formed a secondary bridge pathway (bridge strength=0.137). Conclusion There is a complex link between transition shock and self-regulatory fatigue among new nurses, where emotion acts as the central hub and sociocultural/developmental factors function as rapid transmission points. As these factors bridge the two systems, interventions should prioritize emotional regulation and support for sociocultural adaptation.