advice for a new RN

CardiacKittyRN · Sep 25, 2014

I'm not an experienced nurse, I am only about 8 months in. But the best advice I can give you is ask questions!! If you're not sure about something, get your preceptor to could take a second look at the patient or ask her to explain how to do whatever task you need help with. Get a notebook to keep at work- print out policies on things that come up that you do, like giving blood, changing central lines, ACS, CHF, and pneumonia pathways (these are big at my hospital). Read them highlights the important things. This way you'll have a resource for when your on your own to look back over. Get a good brain sheet and develop a system for your shift.. I have my own little order I do things in and it really helps me prioritize and keep up with what needs to be done. And most importantly in my opionon - be a team player!!! Ask others if they need help.. If someone looks swamped and you have time, ask if you can do anything to help out. You'll appreciate when your swamped and these nurses will now return the favor! Hope these few tips help :)

alliecatrn10 · Sep 28, 2014

Asking questions is huge...typically other nurses will trust you much less if you aren't asking questions. There are many many things you can't possibly know till you start working and other nurses understand that. Most nurses love to help!

When I started I had a nurse that had me talk to her before calling the physician and we'd go over every intervention in place to fix the problem and make sure there was nothing else I could do except call the MD. That way I wouldn't make an unnecessary call and wind up getting yelled at. Very helpful!

Ask other nurses how they set up their brain and then pick and choose how you want to set up your own. It's helpful to see other examples.

I like to arrive 20min before report and get a quick idea of what is going on with my patients/write down their meds so I'm prepared to ask questions in report if needed

Take advantage of opportunities for putting in IVs and drawing labs. That will be an invaluable skill.

You don't have to necessarily make your own mistakes to learn. Learn from others and situations other nurses encounter! That can make up a huge part of your knowledge base!

Med surg becomes pretty routine after you get the hang of it! Lots of similar situations with the occasional new one thrown in there. It's a great place to learn!

FineAgain · Sep 29, 2014

I'm glad you feel that you don't know anything because trust me, you don't! That was said tongue in cheek but to emphasize that you are going to learn more in 6 months than you did all through school. You will also start to build on all that arcane knowledge you DID learn in school and it will come back to you in spurts. DO ask questions and make note of the answers. Perhaps my best piece of advice is to not ask the same things over and over, and not to keep asking different people the same questions looking for a different answer. good luck and I hope you love Med Surg nursing as much as I do!