First Day

Nursing is a lifelong process, so never feel afraid to ask questions if you need some clarification.

If you're unsure on how to carry out a task, always ask somebody! Never be ashamed to admit that you don't know how to do something.

Your documentation and paperwork are of the utmost importance. After all, "If it wasn't charted, it didn't happen."

Walk in there with confidence, and display your confidence through your posture. Patients and coworkers can sense nervousness and uncertainty by looking at you and, unfortunately, they sometimes take advantage of the situation by being mean or pushy.

Good luck!

Relax, you know what you have to do.

Don't have a case of new graditisis (yes, you learnt how to do it in school, now you can see how it's done in the real world).

Just be polite. Watch the politics around you and don't step right in. It will take a while to feel the fit and if it's right for you.

But on the other hand if it feels hincky it is.

Good luck

Well I'm not that much more experienced than you, I've been working as a nurse for a month now woohoo!!! anyway be a sponge, soak up any and every info you can, I work nights so I actually skim through their policy and procedures manual!!! just to see how to do things the correct way, remember many of the experienced nurses have shortcuts, some which may not be healthy to practice, so since I'm new I do everything the right way as best as I can!! good luck and be very patient, huh! patience, something I dont have- LOL!! CONGRATS

My first day is tomorrow and I am so nervous..I hope they are kind to me, I made a change in career so this will be my first health related job, crosssing my finger, praying for the best!!!

Hi, I too am new to nursing. I have had 2 days orientation on med/surg. My question is what should I be expecting out of orientation? The first day I was given 2 patients and told if I had questions to ask but I thought it strange that I was pretty well on my own. My preceptor was very good at answering my questions and seeing if I needed any help tho. The second day I was given 2 patients and then a new admit. The paperwork was given to me and nobody explained anything. I was told I could do the admit and she would come in and watch to see if I needed any help. Nobody ever showed up during the whole process. After I got done doing the required paperwork, I found my preceptor (different one today) and ask her if I did it right, could she please look over the paperwork. She looked at the first page, got distracted and never came back to it. Is this normal orientation? I assumed that somebody would be with me for the 1st week or two and then I would gradually be on my own. This nurse never said a dozen words to me all day. I talked to another nurse that works there and she said you are pretty well on your own right from the beginning. She had 8 patients on her 6th day and said she was in tears almost daily the 1st year. Normal ratio is 8:1. What kind of orientation did you get? Are all hospitals like this. I am going in to talk to my supervisor about my concerns tomorrow but first I would like somebody with a little more experience than me (in a different hospital) to tell me what I should be expected to get in training.

Yes, you really should talk to the supervisor, I too am new and I work in LTC and my orientation was 5 days, but that is about standard for an LTC facility, but we're talking about med-surg here! much more hectic and much busier!! I went to a local hosp to apply for a med-surg position and the orientation was 8 wks!!. 2 days is simply not acceptable for a new grad, especially when your 2 days of orientation was so imcomplete and sketchy, 2 days is the shortest I've ever heard of!! you worked too hard for your license, you deserve a better orientation, talk to the supervisor, if things aren't changed, walk through the door!!!!!! p.s I had to leave a facility once cause the orientation was horrid, so your not alone if you do decide to make that choice!! anyway GOOD LUCK!!!