A good start to my new job

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Today was my first shift with my preceptor. I have just under 6 months experience at a SNF/Rehab, but the hospital environment is way different. I wasn't sure what to expect from my preceptor, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Most of the day I observed the way she organized her day and the patients, but she was more than willing to let me dive right in with giving medications and changing out IV tubing and bags, especially since one patient had 6 different IV medications at one point during the day.

I don't know if it was just today but I was also surprised by the pace of the floor. It was busy but not overwhelming like at the SNF/Rehab. We weren't chained to a med cart all morning and she was able to chart her assessments in the room right after doing them.

The best part of the day was the "really tough stick" IV start that another nurse couldn't get. She asked my preceptor to try for her and my preceptor let me do it. Amazingly with my record for IV starts I was able to get it on the first stick! Tomorrow my preceptor wants me to take on more of the responsibility with our patient with all the IV fluids and q3h Dilaudid.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

That's great! I'm glad you're getting a good start.

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Nice to hear a good first day story !

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Update: I just finished my first week today. The first 2 days were great...as was most of today. I got my 2nd IV start (2/2...though to be fair a blind man could have gotten the stick I got today, the vein was right there even without doing anything to get it to pop up and the catheter slid right in for me, though it still leaked all over my gloves while I tried to attach the pig tail). Later in the day though I had to talk to the manager who hired me. I wasn't "in trouble" per se, but he did want to talk to me about overcoming my shyness or some such. He said he wanted me to be more aggressive. I'm still not really sure what he wants actually even after asking for clarification. It sounds like he wants me to change my personality which is going to be extremely hard to do. Apparently he's worried that my co-workers will think I'm not approachable.

Personally I think that is on them not on me. If they don't feel like they can come ask me for help or whatever then maybe he should look at their personalities. I'm friendly and cheerful with my patients, I ask my preceptor what she would like me to do (at least right now only 1 week into orientation...once I get a couple more shifts in then I'll know the routine and can let her know that I'll handle this task or that medication instead of asking just what she needs me to do), and I'm talking to my co-workers all the time, even if it's just a quick hi how's your day going in the hallway or while charting. So really I'm not sure what else I'm supposed to do at this point. It's not easy faking your whole personality for 12 1/2 hours :(

I just hope I can figure out what they want from me.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Update: I just finished my first week today. The first 2 days were great...as was most of today. I got my 2nd IV start (2/2...though to be fair a blind man could have gotten the stick I got today, the vein was right there even without doing anything to get it to pop up and the catheter slid right in for me, though it still leaked all over my gloves while I tried to attach the pig tail). Later in the day though I had to talk to the manager who hired me. I wasn't "in trouble" per se, but he did want to talk to me about overcoming my shyness or some such. He said he wanted me to be more aggressive. I'm still not really sure what he wants actually even after asking for clarification. It sounds like he wants me to change my personality which is going to be extremely hard to do. Apparently he's worried that my co-workers will think I'm not approachable.

Personally I think that is on them not on me. If they don't feel like they can come ask me for help or whatever then maybe he should look at their personalities. I'm friendly and cheerful with my patients, I ask my preceptor what she would like me to do (at least right now only 1 week into orientation...once I get a couple more shifts in then I'll know the routine and can let her know that I'll handle this task or that medication instead of asking just what she needs me to do), and I'm talking to my co-workers all the time, even if it's just a quick hi how's your day going in the hallway or while charting. So really I'm not sure what else I'm supposed to do at this point. It's not easy faking your whole personality for 12 1/2 hours :(

I just hope I can figure out what they want from me.

Most of us introverts learn to "fake our whole personality" for 12 hours -- some to a greater or lessor extent than others. I'm assuming, here, that you're an introvert and your colleagues tend to the extroverted side. I'm not sure your manager really wants you to be more aggressive -- he wants you to be more social. "Social" means simply chatting more with everyone, and it's a very difficult thing to do, especially when you're new, don't know anyone and cannot think of anything to say to them. It's really important, though. More new grads lose their jobs and their careers over failure to "fit in" than any other reason. If your colleagues LIKE you, they'll make an effort to help you, protect you, educate you and you can survive big errors with your career and your license intact. If they don't like you, they won't make the effort and a small error can derail your career. Your manager has actually given you a gift. Your coworkers don't think that you like them. If people don't think you like them, they won't like you. The good news is, to turn it around all you have to do is greet everyone as if you're so happy to see them, then ask some open ended question and LISTEN to them talk about themselves. There are whole threads about this, and most of the posters explain things better and have more concrete suggestions than me, so do a search for them. Good luck!
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I appreciate the advice. I'm just not sure what the problem is. I talk to everyone like I said, even if it's just to say hi. I can chat more, but then I might have time management problems. At this point after 3 shifts I still hardly know anyone enough for them to "dislike" me or for them to be able to think that I "dislike" them. Anyway, I'll see how next week goes. I only have 2 shifts on the floor as I'll have one day of classroom instruction/Computer Modules.

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Specializes in NICU, ER, OR.
Most of us introverts learn to "fake our whole personality" for 12 hours -- some to a greater or lessor extent than others. I'm assuming, here, that you're an introvert and your colleagues tend to the extroverted side. I'm not sure your manager really wants you to be more aggressive -- he wants you to be more social. "Social" means simply chatting more with everyone, and it's a very difficult thing to do, especially when you're new, don't know anyone and cannot think of anything to say to them. It's really important, though. More new grads lose their jobs and their careers over failure to "fit in" than any other reason. If your colleagues LIKE you, they'll make an effort to help you, protect you, educate you and you can survive big errors with your career and your license intact. If they don't like you, they won't make the effort and a small error can derail your career. Your manager has actually given you a gift. Your coworkers don't think that you like them. If people don't think you like them, they won't like you. The good news is, to turn it around all you have to do is greet everyone as if you're so happy to see them, then ask some open ended question and LISTEN to them talk about themselves. There are whole threads about this, and most of the posters explain things better and have more concrete suggestions than me, so do a search for them. Good luck!

Very true!!! I am an introvert, myself... but I fake it til I make it allll day @ work... and it DOES make all the difference... it actually could make you or break you!my managers always tell me " every body loves you, they say your so nice, and great to work with!"

Because I make an EFFORT to come across that way!!!

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What really gets me is that no one else makes the effort to talk to me. I apparently have to make all the effort and it reminds me of high school where I used to practically beg people to talk to me by joining in on every conversation whether I was wanted or not. Plus the manager seems to want me to be able to instantly know what my preceptor wants me to do even though I'm still learning the flow of the floor and what tasks even need to be done on each patient. If I make it to being independent it will be much easier as I can look at the computer if I need to for information and make better decisions. Sadly the job is not a great fit I'm afraid but I'll work on making myself whatever my manager wants me to be (not myself for sure) to make it work for now anyway. It's too bad as I have career aspirations but oh well I'll have to suck it up and move on.

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Specializes in Oncology.

I'm definitely on the shy side, at least until I get to know people, so learning how to be social was a hurdle for me. I've found keeping a mental database of small talk ideas/conversation ideas in my head helped. Ask about pets. If they say their dog hurt his leg, make a mental note to ask about dog's leg on your next shift together. If you aren't there on a day a staff meeting was held, ask what was discussed. If you come back and one of your long term patients is gone, ask what happened. Discuss sports, the weather, weekend plans, vacation plans, holiday plans.

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Specializes in NICU, ER, OR.
Update: I just finished my first week today. The first 2 days were great...as was most of today. I got my 2nd IV start (2/2...though to be fair a blind man could have gotten the stick I got today, the vein was right there even without doing anything to get it to pop up and the catheter slid right in for me, though it still leaked all over my gloves while I tried to attach the pig tail). Later in the day though I had to talk to the manager who hired me. I wasn't "in trouble" per se, but he did want to talk to me about overcoming my shyness or some such. He said he wanted me to be more aggressive. I'm still not really sure what he wants actually even after asking for clarification. It sounds like he wants me to change my personality which is going to be extremely hard to do. Apparently he's worried that my co-workers will think I'm not approachable.

Personally I think that is on them not on me. If they don't feel like they can come ask me for help or whatever then maybe he should look at their personalities. I'm friendly and cheerful with my patients, I ask my preceptor what she would like me to do (at least right now only 1 week into orientation...once I get a couple more shifts in then I'll know the routine and can let her know that I'll handle this task or that medication instead of asking just what she needs me to do), and I'm talking to my co-workers all the time, even if it's just a quick hi how's your day going in the hallway or while charting. So really I'm not sure what else I'm supposed to do at this point. It's not easy faking your whole personality for 12 1/2 hours :(

I just hope I can figure out what they want from me.

Maybe he means ( even if u must fake it like I do!) being more talkative, because I know when I'm new , I tend to be quiet , and then that in turn appears that you are not assertive, which you MUST be in this job... just a thought!!! I'm the same way, btw

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
What really gets me is that no one else makes the effort to talk to me. I apparently have to make all the effort and it reminds me of high school where I used to practically beg people to talk to me by joining in on every conversation whether I was wanted or not. Plus the manager seems to want me to be able to instantly know what my preceptor wants me to do even though I'm still learning the flow of the floor and what tasks even need to be done on each patient. If I make it to being independent it will be much easier as I can look at the computer if I need to for information and make better decisions. Sadly the job is not a great fit I'm afraid but I'll work on making myself whatever my manager wants me to be (not myself for sure) to make it work for now anyway. It's too bad as I have career aspirations but oh well I'll have to suck it up and move on.
You're the new person, so yes, you have to make the effort. The current staff members have been working together for months or years; it's up to you to fit into their workplace. It's not up to them -- they already fit in. I know this isn't what you wanted to hear, and it's not really "fair" -- but life isn't fair. I'm an introvert and every time I change jobs I have to go through the same thing. Probably why I've stayed in my current job for a dozen years. (OK, the pay and benefits are great, the manager is awesome, the patients are interesting and my colleagues are wonderful.) All you have to do is smile and look friendly to everyone you meet -- from the janitor to the medical staff to the pharmacist -- and ask them a question. Once you get them talking, you can ask follow-up questions or even just keep nodding and saying "Uh-huh." That's usually enough to convince an extrovert that you're a nice, friendly person and a great addition to the staff.
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