so what is the best and worst advice u received as a nurse and/or student

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Hi, just curious to hear different responses from you new nurses and you seasoned nurses. Any advice for us student nurses as well? Thanks....

Specializes in LTC, Med-SURG,STICU.

Best advise: Never stop learning. There is something new to learn every day and the day there is not something new to learn is the day to get out of nursing.

Worst advise: I can not think of anything at this time. It has been a long day and my brain is only working at half speed.

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Specializes in cardiothoracic surgery.

Good advice: Never forget what it is like to be a student/new nurse.

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Specializes in Medical.

I forgot the two invaluable pieces of advice my (former nurse) mother gave me the night before I began my training:

1. You will never get used to sputum.

2. You will often think that someone who is alive is dead but you will never think someone who is dead is alive. Many has been the night shift when remembering that has helped - you always know when they really are dead (though the close to dead can sometimes be a little tricky)

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

Worst advice: Every nurse needs med-surg experience. Go where your interest lies. I had no interest in med-surg and am so glad I did not listen to the advice to start out there, as I know I would have been miserable.

Good advice: Never be afraid to ask a question or to ask for help.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
Keep your promises. If you say you will be back in 15 minutes..be back in fifteen minutes.

I used to give my stethoscope to my patients as another reminder to keep my time promise. I couldn't do anything without my stethoscope so it would motivate me to go back to their room. It was a silly way to defuse a tense situation and it was a very practical way to get me back to the room.

I feel that it's just not always possible to get back in a room right away. Sometimes other patients needs take priority.

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Best advice received as a student: "2 heads work better than 1" "knowledge is power"

Worst advice received as a student: "You have to memorize on the outline" "Do not read your book" - A tutor told me all of this.

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Specializes in Medical.

I tell patients that I will try to be back in 5 minutes but that may a nursing 5 minutes (anywhere up to half an hour) rather than a real 5 minutes. I would rather that than make a promise I know I may not be able to keep. Once I leave that room anything can happen that will delay my return. As long as a delay is acknowledged - I always apologise for keeping patients waiting - most people are fine. The ones who have a problem despite you recognising the delay will generally have an issue regardless.

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Specializes in Med-surg, medical review, primary care.

To not listen to prejudgments made by the nurse handing off a patient to you. It won't help you at all walking into a patient's room and already disliking them. They may not have gotten along with the nurse before you, but you may be the one who connects with the patient. So, go in and start off fresh new.

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Specializes in chemical dependency detox/psych.

So far...

Best: Try to learn something new every day...never stop.

Good: Use your pockets! (I swear, you would be amazed at the amount of supplies that I can cram in them.)

Worst: Don't go into nursing. [insert complaints] (This advice was given to me by a bunch of burned out ER nurses.--it was enough to scare me out of the field for 17 years.)

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

Of course its only food so its not the same, but still a worthwhile learning experience.

I think people can be nastier about food that pain meds ;)

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