Newly Licensed Nurse seeking Career Advice!

[jayyr_lim]

Hi everyone at allnurses! This is my first post on here and I'd first like to start off by saying thank God I found out about this website. :)

I'm currently a Newly Licensed LVN, but I've been out of school for about a year and 3 months now. I've recently passed my NCLEX in September.

Today I had my first job interview at a Nursing Care Center and as nerve racking as it was, I got the job on the spot! But this is where I need help and advice from my fellow nurses. Since I have been out of school for quiet sometime now, my clinical and critical thinking skills are rusty and I feel like I don't even know where to start. There's this fear in the back of my head that I'll go into this job feeling clueless and as a result, lose the job. So that gives me quiet an amount of anxiety. And on top of that, I'm not even sure what to where for my orientation Do I already wear scrubs or semiformal business attire? I'm just all over the place right now.

Any tips that'll help me get through this stressful job process? Thanks in advanced allnurses!

[SquishyRN, BSN, RN]

Even if you had not been out of school for so long, trust me, you will feel clueless regardless. Most things you don't learn in school -- you will do the most learning on the job -- and your first year will have the steepest learning curve. Call and ask your employer what they want you to wear for your first day of orientation. Some places only do paperwork, others do paperwork in the beginning and start you on the floor for the rest of the day. As for floor orientation, be eager to learn, take lots of notes, ask lots of questions.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Ask your preceptor how she organizes/prioritizes her day.

[jayyr_lim]

Thank you for the help and support! It really eases my mind knowing that I wasn't the only one going through this. I appreciate all the help :)