Dear New Grad Nurse

Ruby Vee, BSN · Aug 9, 2015

I've been in the game for about 2 years now, so I'll throw in my advice:
1) Don't worry about not ending up where you want to be right out of the gate. There is a thing called an 'internal transfer' for a reason.
2) Sometimes, the grass IS greener, and you should take opportunities as they arise if it's better for your life at the time. I was offered one of my 'bucket list' jobs last year with only a year of hospital experience under my belt, and guess what? I took it and have no regrets. I learned SO much in my 2nd year of nursing.
3) Don't burn your bridges, the nursing world is very, very SMALL.
4) Find more experienced nurses who will take you under their wing. This does not just apply to your nursing career.

Be aware that transferring out of ICU 6 months after the end of your six month orientation WILL be burning a bridge. In fact, leaving after less than two years is often burning a bridge.

thmpr · Aug 9, 2015

Dogan, BSN, RN

"Make friends with everyone."

1) What Dogan said. Integrate. Being friendly, and treating everyone with respect is the most powerful thing you can do. Even if someone isn't being kind toward you, politeness is a virtue.

2) Get a mentor. do a new grad program/RN residency program

3) Journal. Title it with your real name/private. write in it after every shift, be sure to enter the date and time. always add details about significant events, and vent until you're done. don't bring it to work

4) Be a friendly fly on the wall. be the first one to work. listen to the last shift wrap...

5) Be prepared to take what you dish out. making fun of seasoned nurses is generally hostile territory; so get reasonably acquainted, then make fun of them.

6) Laugh at yourself. If you're not sure how, ask a seasoned nurse (coworker) to help you learn to laugh at yourself. don't ask you manager.

7) Never doubt that we want you to succeed

Mr. Murse · Aug 9, 2015

When I used to train on my old surgical floor, one of the most common things I'd see new nurses do is become overly task oriented. No doubt nursing can be very task oriented at times........distributing meds, charting, etc. But always remember you're taking care of the person in the room first and foremost, not the one on your computer screen. If your PCT says the person in room 12 is acting strangely or their vital trends look off, then your meds for room 14 will just have to be a few minutes late because you need to go see what's going on in 12. I got frustrated with a few newbies over things like that, where I'd have to be very direct and say "that can wait, this is more important".

calivianya, BSN, RN · Aug 9, 2015

Don't burn your bridges, the nursing world is very, very SMALL

This.

On a related vein - never complain in writing unless you have to. Especially don't do it on an exit interview. You may think you never need to work for that facility again while you're headed out the door, but life has a funny way of smacking you upside the head sometimes and you may end up wanting to work there again somewhere down the line - especially if the "greener pastures" you left for turned out to be less green than you thought.

If you complained about how you were treated on your exit interview survey, people are going to be able to find that in your file when you apply to work with the company again.

Farawyn · Aug 9, 2015

This.
On a related vein - never complain in writing unless you have to. Especially don't do it on an exit interview. You may think you never need to work for that facility again while you're headed out the door, but life has a funny way of smacking you upside the head sometimes and you may end up wanting to work there again somewhere down the line - especially if the "greener pastures" you left for turned out to be less green than you thought.
If you complained about how you were treated on your exit interview survey, people are going to be able to find that in your file when you apply to work with the company again.

Whooops....

tsm007 · Aug 9, 2015

Dogan, BSN, RN
"Make friends with everyone."
1) What Dogan said. Integrate. Being friendly, and treating everyone with respect is the most powerful thing you can do. Even if someone isn't being kind toward you, politeness is a virtue.
2) Get a mentor. do a new grad program/RN residency program
3) Journal. Title it with your real name/private. write in it after every shift, be sure to enter the date and time. always add details about significant events, and vent until you're done. don't bring it to work
4) Be a friendly fly on the wall. be the first one to work. listen to the last shift wrap...
5) Be prepared to take what you dish out. making fun of seasoned nurses is generally hostile territory; so get reasonably acquainted, then make fun of them.
6) Laugh at yourself. If you're not sure how, ask a seasoned nurse (coworker) to help you learn to laugh at yourself. don't ask you manager.
7) Never doubt that we want you to succeed

I agree with everything except number 7. I do think most nurses want to see you succeed, but unfortunately there are miserable, discontent people everywhere you go in life that build their pride on watching other people fail.

So with that, I'd add to my previous advice be nice to everyone when you first start. That's already been said, but also be careful making friends when you are first get started. Sometimes who you think is your friend is not and the person that you think won't have your back really does. Lay low, pay attention, and learn the lay of the land before you decide anything.

My husband taught me this trick and I've been using it when I first get to the floor. He says come up with a standard line "Super. How about yourself?", "Great. How are you doing?", etc for when people ask how you're doing. Don't answer in any type of negative response and while you're getting things figured out less is more. I was answering that with things like "Good, but..." Or "A little overwhelmed, but getting the hang of things" etc. I've realized that people are watching you're attitude and one those answers display insecurity and to some a negative attitude. I am sure others might disagree with me on this, but that's my newest strategy for getting to know the lay of the land of a new job.

Farawyn · Aug 9, 2015

I agree with everything except number 7. I do think most nurses want to see you succeed, but unfortunately there are miserable, discontent people everywhere you go in life that build their pride on watching other people fail.
So with that, I'd add to my previous advice be nice to everyone when you first start. That's already been said, but also be careful making friends when you are first get started. Sometimes who you think is your friend is not and the person that you think won't have your back really does. Lay low, pay attention, and learn the lay of the land before you decide anything.
My husband taught me this trick and I've been using it when I first get to the floor. He says come up with a standard line "Super. How about yourself?", "Great. How are you doing?", etc for when people ask how you're doing. Don't answer in any type of negative response and while you're getting things figured out less is more. I was answering that with things like "Good, but..." Or "A little overwhelmed, but getting the hang of things" etc. I've realized that people are watching you're attitude and one those answers display insecurity and to some a negative attitude. I am sure others might disagree with me on this, but that's my newest strategy for getting to know the lay of the land of a new job.

"Trust, but Verify" ?

NursesRmofun, ASN, RN · Aug 9, 2015

I don't have any advice for a new grad me going into nursing because I was in it for all the right reasons. When I look back, I did it all right. The only thing I'd do now is wish I had the energy I had back then..many years ago! ha

Edit to add....I did read one here that was good advice to the new grad me...NEVER burn a good bridge. I did burn a few. I initially tried not to burn any but I got a little anxious at some point, burned out...and I did burn some bridges I shouldn't have...though it all turned out okay.

NursesRmofun, ASN, RN · Aug 9, 2015

This.
On a related vein - never complain in writing unless you have to. Especially don't do it on an exit interview. You may think you never need to work for that facility again while you're headed out the door, but life has a funny way of smacking you upside the head sometimes and you may end up wanting to work there again somewhere down the line - especially if the "greener pastures" you left for turned out to be less green than you thought.
If you complained about how you were treated on your exit interview survey, people are going to be able to find that in your file when you apply to work with the company again.

Okay....this is a good one. That IS one thing that someone did warn me of, and I did listen for a while...but I should have listened *longer*. lol

Farawyn · Aug 9, 2015

Okay....this is a good one. That IS one thing that someone did warn me of, and I did listen for a while...but I should have listened *longer*. lol

Here's another. Find a mentor. Find a whole gaggle of mentors!

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Aug 9, 2015

1.Take that hospital job, not the PDN job!

2. Get malpractice insurance!

3. Don't put off that bridge program!

NurslingNicole · Aug 9, 2015

Okay, since I am a new nurse and totally screwed up with my first job I feel perfectly qualified to give advice on what NOT to do and what *I* would do differently. (I have an interview coming up next week for a new job so writing this stuff down for myself as well!)
1. Watch how your preceptor does everything - especially assessments, med passes, and giving report. Guess what? How he/she does assessments and giving report is likely how they will expect YOU to do it.
2. To follow up with number 1, do a complete assessment! Even if you think other nurses are skipping things in their assessments don't YOU do it. First, they may really not be skipping things you just might not have noticed how they did it. Second, even if they are skipping things they will likely notice that YOU skipped something. They may think that they have enough experience to know what things can be skipped and you do not. And third, they may think you are incompetent if you left something out or if you go out of order. I didn't do my assessments literally head to toe because I got nervous and wound up jumping around too much. Don't do that!
3. Don't worry as much about IV starts, catheters, NG tubes and other "skills". You will be cut slack for not being as experienced with that, but you will be cut no slack for not doing a proper assessment or screwing up a med pass.
4. Be careful with your questions. I know lots of people say ask lots of questions, but that hasn't held completely true for me. Think hard on your question. Is it a question you can answer yourself? Instead of asking the answer ask for the resource to find the answer? If it's an pharmacology/physiology/etc question do you need to know the answer *right* now to do your job? Do you need to ask your preceptor? If the answer is no, write it down, and look it up later when you get home! You will likely be doing a lot of that!!!
5. Balance getting second opinions with being afraid to make decisions. This is probably the area I have struggled the most with. Your preceptor will find this super annoying if you can't make any decisions without him/her.
6. Don't start on a specialty floor! There are hospitals where this might not be a problem, but safer bet is not going there first. One, you really need time to build those basic skills. And two, others may not agree with me here, but there are definitely nurses on specialty floors that feel you have to earn the right to work there. Working with co-workers with that attitude is extremely difficult especially for a new nurse that is still working on building confidence. I absolutely would not do that one again!
7. Finally push yourself to keep trying even when it's really hard and you want to throw in the towel. The first year is hard and I'm barely getting started!

I'm saving this post for later when I'm a new grad. Thanks!