Advice For The New Nurse Entering Med-Surg

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Sep 12, 2004

This thread has had a great start and would love to see more contributions ... students and new nurses - here is your opportunity to ask some of the questions that might be on your mind.

westminster · Sep 14, 2004

Thanks for alll the great info !!

I am starting on a Med /Surgical ward on Monday having been out of Nursing for 10 years !!!

I used to be a fairly competent nurse before that but now my skills are a bit rusty to say the least !!!

I am having nightmares about giving injections, starting IVs etc and am hoping that "everything will eventually come back to me !!!"

Have been given a 6 week orientation so hopefully won't be dropped in it straight away !!

I loved nursing before and hope that I will get to love it again ! :uhoh3:

Here is your chance to give some advice and counsel to new RN's and LPN's entering their first clinical job as a nurse. What advice would you give them?
I am going to make this a sticky so that it is always available on the top of the forum for our newer nurses to see right from the start. Looking forward to seeing some of the great advice that our experienced nurses can lend to the newer nurses ..... :balloons:

stnurse83 · Sep 17, 2004

How is this position in a hospital? Do people get tired of it quick and what do they do on a normal day to day basis? I know you need a diploma or associates to work in this field. Thats all I Know about it. :rolleyes:

littlefeet · Oct 8, 2004

I am in my last month of my final practicum. I always thought that I would start out on a med/surg ward to really learn everything I need to know. I have been offered a job in the ER as this is where my last rotation has been. I would like to ask veteran nurses if this is a good move or if I should turn this down and go work on a med/surg floor for a year or two first?

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Oct 8, 2004

Heck no,, if you like ER, ,and they are willing to hire a new grad in go for it. I know quite a few people who went to the ER right out of school. ICU or PICU, OB and some others are a different story. They maybe should have some med/surg backround before.

MZachry · Oct 9, 2004

I plan on going into Med-Surg. I have read that this is like pre-op and post-op care, as well as other issues. Is this right?

I was born with a cleft-lip & palate, and have had 18 surgeries. So, any area around pre-op/post-op is very interesting to me.

For now, I am just going for my ADN, but plan on continuing on for my BSN after employment. So, eventually, I may want to be an OR nurse, or Nurse Anesthetist.

Thank you for starting this Med-Surg area. I hope it will help me, not only to keep focused while in school, but also to have somewhere to go for support after employment!

cbreezen482 · Oct 19, 2004

something else that I didn't see mentioned (which doesn't mean it wasn't listed, but workin 7p-7a in the dark is takin a toll on my eyes! hehe) but...

Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself...to your co-workers, Docs, etc. Everyone knows that there's always at least one of those "I'm-the-all-knowing-super-nurse-and-I-will-question-EVERYTHING-you-do!" more than likely working on your unit. Be confident in your abilities and don't take their crap! You didn't go through 2+ years of Nursing school to be talked down too!

And as for Doc's......I've come to the conclusion that they really do appreciate us. They're just too dang hard headed to let us know that!

SarasotaRN2b · Oct 31, 2004

4) The best way to encourage some patients to get up and pee is to wave a catheter under their nose and tell them: "If you don't 'go' within the next hour, I'm going to have to put this in".
:)

This one I loved!!!!

luvin it · Oct 31, 2004

I know that we all see the humor in the foley statement and I have heard it actually used by more than one nurse. I see it as a hostile threat and wonder if it is exactually "theraputic". In a way it's like (to me) saying to a child "if you do such & such I will do balh, blah, blah." Do you like when a pt or family says "if the Dr.s, hospital's, nurse's don't do what I want then I'll"....fill in any threat.

I'm no angel, but, if we want fairness and respect then, that is what we need to exhibit to our pt.'s.

nursing04 · Nov 6, 2004

Hello everyone. I've read the posts on this section which are very helpful. I begin my very first nursing job this week on a medical surgical telemetry unit. I wanted to know if anyone can give me any specific advice in terms of orientation and for my first month. I will have a preceptor for about 2-3 months and will get tele certified. I'm excited and nervous. Thanks!

Ginger1 · Dec 12, 2004

Can anyone give me information on an RN job with Baptist on a Med Surg floor. I am a new graduate with less than 4 mos experience and would like to relocate to the Knoxville area from Germantown.

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Dec 12, 2004

Can anyone give me information on an RN job with Baptist on a Med Surg floor. I am a new graduate with less than 4 mos experience and would like to relocate to the Knoxville area from Germantown.

You might want to post this question on the Tenn. Forum for a better response. Good luck.