Advice for the new nurse entering Med-Surg

I am a new medsurg nurse and I really appreciate this thread!

Here is my advice (for whatever its worth )

1. Learn to be assertive. "No, you cannot go out to smoke because I just gave you a demerol push five minutes ago and you are on telemetry, and it is not safe for you to go out to smoke."

2. Prioritization and Organization are NECESSITIES.

3. Help your coworkers out when you can, they will return the favor.

4. Trust that little nagging feeling. (You ARE a nurse, they didn't give you your license on a fluke) I have had that feeling two times in a big way since I became a nurse. The first time I didn't follow through on it ("What do I know, I've only been a nurse since June...") and I have kicked myself ever since. The second time I acted on that little nagging feeling and I was VERY glad I did.

5. Keep in touch with friends from nsg school, find another nurse, someone in your field that you can talk to. I went through nursing school with four fabulous girls and we still talk. We talk about being overwhelmed and how much they don't tell you in school and how we are coping with it, things we love/hate about nursing. I still say that people who are not in nursing don't understand totally. I can tell my best friend about the terrible things I have experienced so far all day long (short staffing, bad docs, violent pt's, etc) and she will listen but she will tell you herself that she doesn't really GET what I am talking about. Find someone who you can talk to that KNOWS, somone whose BEEN THERE. Personally, I think that helps tremendously.

Stay strong, new nurses, we won't be new forever! (THANK GOD)