Advice for a new grad working in med-surg?

[Sweetme2]

Hi nurses!

I am a new grad who got a job on a med-surg surgical unit. I was told the orientation was going to be 6-8 weeks because it's a non-specialty floor. I'll be training on the day shift but my offer is for nights. I worked 6 years as a PCT in the float pool-almost a year in the ER. I am so nervous. I have no problem talking to patients, or at least I think so. But it's a different hospital so it's all new computer system, new blood sugar machines, new everything for me. I am so nervous and ridden with anxiety. I don't think I learned much in clinicals, but everyone says not to worry because I will learn the basics at work. I am very task oriented and get frazzled easily. Med-surg surgical floor- what can I expect? what's the order of things? how do I start my day? do I look at orders first on my computer and just complete all orders?

[TriciaJ, RN]

I suspect a lot of your questions will be answered during your orientation.  I hope you will be blessed with great preceptors.

If you learned one kind of glucometer and other equipment, you can learn how to use what's on your new unit.  In fact nursing is fraught with changes and always new things to learn.

My strong recommendation is to use a worksheet.  Keep it detailed and organized and it will keep you on track when everything else goes to hell in a hand basket.

I suspect you'll do great.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Quote

I am very task oriented and get frazzled easily

Being task oriented is a good thing.  I think we all are at first.  This will hopefully development into more of a forward looking and critical thinking view.   You're not just taking vital signs you're thinking "what does this mean?  What can it lead to?".  You're not just doing a dressing you're assessing and thinking about how it looks, etc.  Listen to your feelings and instincts.

Be prepared to be frazzled and develop some skills to be more flexible and go with the flow.  You start with a list of tasks then the charge nurse gives you an admission. You go in to pass some meds and the IV is infiltrated.  You need to chart and your patient fell.  On and on and on there is frustration after frustration that will leave you frazzled to a crisp if you let it.

Good luck and congrats!

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Congratulations @Sweetme2 RN!

I hope you will take our collective counsel to heart ?, meaning what you're feeling is completely normal and will pass.

This is what you've worked for, and now you're here! Take a deep breath and go on to be the best nurse you can be.

[Lynker, LPN]

Congrats!! What I've been doing for my new supervisor job is get a notepad and write all my notes on it, such as how to do this, how to do that etc. Then I put it into a cute new small notepad, that way I can throw out the big papers and keep the little notebook on me at all times. Then you can always look at your little notebook and find what you need! 

It's been working for me so far. I haven't worked on med-surg or anything like that, but I assure you it will help commit things to memory, and make sure you have it when you need it!

Good luck! ?

[ErinDel, ASN, BSN, RN]

To start off the shift, review labs on your patients, look at the MAR, look at last MD note. Get your brain sheet organized, know who your PCT will be for the day. Make a game plan with them. Try and stay on top of things from the beginning of your shift, if you need help always reach out to the charge or other coworkers. Stay hydrated if you can, do your best to get through the day. You can do this! Congrats and good luck.. Also, your med surg educator is always someone to reach out to for extra help with skills/procedures. Be aware of your hospitals policies. 

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

The first  thing you need to  is eyeball  your patients. Are they breathing, have they fallen on the floor?  Then set up your first med pass, and do a full assessment during that time.  Good luck.