Any tips for newly hired new grad nurse?

PCnurse88 · Apr 17, 2014

Time tables / brain sheets. Write down everything you need to do for all your patients on one sheet of paper, along with times if it is time-sensitive (ie if you pt has 8am meds, write down 8a). Once you do it, cross it out so you know you finished everything. If you're on a stroke unit, learn/review how to do full neuro checks. And learn the policies on drug administration. I don't know if this is universal or not, but we can give meds in a 2-hr time frame - if meds are do at 8a, we can give them anywhere from 7a to 9a. A lot of the time patients will have meds at 8a and 9a, so we can give both those between 8 and 9 and be done with 2 med passes. Saves a lot of time.

Good luck!

llg, PhD, RN · Apr 17, 2014

Don't over-committ yourself either at work or in your personal life. The first year is tiring as well as stresful. You will be better off if you allow yourself plenty of time to rest and relax. Get lots of sleep. Get some fresh air and exercise. Eat healthy. Etc.

I have seen far too many new grads burn out by trying to do too many things during that first year -- get married, have a baby, go back to school, party until all hours of the morning on days off, travel on weekends off without any "rest days," etc. You need time to simply rest and relax in a way that truly gives your body and mind a chance to rest and recovery -- and loading your personal time with busy activities and a lot of distractions is not the same thing as rest, relaxation, and recovery. Yes, you need some fun and maybe even some excitement in your personal life -- but too much of that just drains you and doesn't give you the rest you need.

Find a healthy balance and take care of yourself.

mslovebug · Apr 17, 2014

Thanks for the advice. Ive been meaning to find a good brain sheet