3 things you wish someone would have told you, that you had to find out on your own..

[OnlybyHisgraceRN]

The purpose of this thread is to pass "pearls of wisdom" to novice nurses, experienced nurses may learn something too. I'm not a new nurse, 3 years in but I can still use some pearls. I'll go first:

1. Always go with your gut instinct, if something does not seem right investigate and ask questions.

2. Never unspike a pressure bad without deflating it first. It will explode

3.Remember to clamp the line when unhooking lines... especially when running PRBC

4. Don't trust everyone that smiles in your face, however it is important to have atleast one work buddy to confide in.

Okay, that is four. Add as many as you like.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Never put that Dilaudid you intend to waste into your pocket thinking you will do it sometime before shift end. Unless you enjoy heading back up to work at 10 PM when you discover it still in there after you get home.

[Bigsister1956]

1-it's okay to cry2-it's okay to laugh3-it's okay to love

[jgr1001nurse]

1) Even if the dr is grumpy, ask clarification questions if you need to.

2) Don't stop learning. If you become stagnant, you become obsolete.

3) If a certain place offers you considerably more money than everywhere else, there is probably a reason and you may want to investigate further before accepting a position.

[dreameyes1]

#1 Not all your fellow co-workers and experienced Nurses mean you well.

#2 Yes it is ok to question even a Dr.order, because they may have overlooked something or the patient forgot to mention it to them.

#3 LABEL YOUR STETHOSCOPE !!!!!!IF SOMEONE BOOROWS IT BE SURE TO RETRIEVE IT WHEN THEY ARE DONE(I lost two good ones that way)

#4 FIND COMFORTABLE SHOES , YOUR FEET ,LEGS AND BACK WILL THANK YOU.

#5 REMEMBER...Even Nursing is Customer Service . that will go a long way.

[dreameyes1]

I agree with having several ink pens in your pocket and a good pair of scissors will help ,too.

Treating your aides with respect can make your life a lot easier, and remember most of your fellow nurses had to start somewhere eventhough they may have forgotten that.

[rlockd]

I am not sure I would like to think it might be laziness or not wanting to come out of an office :)

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

there is nothing stronger than a demented little old lady.

there is nothing stranger than a demented little old lady -- unless it's a pair of them. deal with them now, but make sure to laugh about them later.

if you don't know, look it up. if you have to ask, do so, but please don't just expect the experienced nurse to swoop in and fix things for you. ask in a manner that makes it clear you've already looked it up, and make sure you offer to help me catch up after i've dropped everything to help you.

doctors put on their pants one leg at a time. they aren't gods and they don't know everything. they're people, just like us. if you take the time to chat with them when you see them, it will do a great deal toward improving your interactions with them when you have to call them at 3 am for something you're not sure could have waited.

patients die, families get obnoxious, and the peg tube is always clogged when the most important med is due. it happens. chances are it's not your fault. if it is your fault, don't do whatever it was that you did to cause it again. (when giving metamucil through a peg tube, mix it really well with fruit juice, give it immediately and flush it really well.)

there is no shift so awful that it won't make a good story at some future date.

the most important characteristic of a successful nurse is a good sense of humor. laugh lots, laugh often. (and when your patient paints himself and his walls with feces, just think what a great story that will be!)

when things look so dire that you don't know whether to sh(it) or go blind, it's probably not that bad. but if it is, laugh about it later.

your more experienced colleagues have not forgotten what it's like to be new, but you have no idea what it's like to be responsible for your own assignment plus looking after a newbie or three.

[annlewis]

Never give a prn med to a pt with behavior prob without donning a face shield first ESP if you don't know the pt has a mouthful of chocolate pudding

[DutchRN09]

1. Be kind, it goes a long way.

2. Be polite, also goes a long way.

3. Organization helps lots.

4. Have a sense of humor, and don't take yourself too seriously.

5. Find some sense of enjoyment in your day, even if it is knowing it will end...

6. Pray...lots