Studying?

[Maladroit, BSN, RN]

I am a new grad RN BSN on a Peds unit at a major Magnet teaching hospital and have been on the floor precepting for about a month now. When I have days off, I feel like I want to research, read up on, and learn about stuff I encountered at work, but then I also want the days off to just recoup. Anyone else have this issue? Of the immense knowledge deficit I feel I have, where should my priority lie? What do I study? I haven't been dangerous or completely naive while working, but am a perfectionist and want to do the best I can? Tips?

[Rose2013]

I'm pretty much always studying on my days off or listening to podcasts

[Maladroit, BSN, RN]

What do you study? Nursing podcasts?

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

As a nurse educator, this is very gratifying to hear! It takes work to develop expertise - you're doing it right.

There are resources that can make this easier. In my organization, we have access to an online Nursing Reference Center - an icon on every computer screen. It provides access to EBP guidelines as well as in-depth articles, pt teaching info, drug references, etc... for any sort of patient problem or diagnosis. Our nurses can also access from their home computers. If your organization doesn't have this type of system, you may want to start the ball rolling to obtain one. Talk to your education department and see if they can assist you.

[Flatlander]

My orientation was 12 hour shifts usually with at most a 20 minute break, often staying late to chart and arriving early to review patient assignments. With luck, I would find 8 hours in between to sleep. After three of these shifts in a row, and trying to absorb as much new information as possible during the shifts, I would arrive at the fourth day physically and mentally exhausted, needing just about as many days to recover. Not in any shape to study, though it surely would have benefited. (Does this sound familiar?)

I'm beginning to think that floor nurses are a different breed -- able to work around the clock at a lightning pace, staying physically strong and mentally sharp with no food, rest, or sleep. (Perhaps a slight exaggeration?)

Thanks for the topic... I'd like to know how others manage, too.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

I still buy books a few times a year and am always learning new things. When I have a (rare) down day, I loooove to sit out in my AirChair and watch the birds and the weather roll by...and I usually have a new book to read while I do it. Restful and satisfying to learn new stuff at the same time.