Experienced Nurses: #1 Piece Advice to new graduate that wants to learn?

[Aubrianna]

During my clinicals and my Internship in the ICU and CSU. I met seasoned nurses of 20 and 30 years and I got the most amazing knowledge from them. I felt like I had this special set of encyclopedias that there was only one copy of. You cannot replace that kind of knowledge and education.

So, think for a minute and if you have two or three go for it.

What is the MOST IMPORTANT pieces of advice, information, knowledge, practice, anything that you think we newbies that do not think we know it all need to know?

My favorites are the tips of the trade that when you see them happen you go, oh man Im a ding dong.

For instance, my 30 year seasoned nursed showed me how to lower the IV bag to get the air out, dah, really, dah. I was like how did I not see that, never play with an IV again and air bubbles. HAHA.

The other one was with albumin, use a small gauge needle to vent the bottle. Again, what a mess saver ehhh.

So, what does everyone have for me.

[CVmursenary]

experience...

[Aubrianna]

Would you mind sharing some, I seem to be shy on it. They should do something like doctors and residencies do. A year is what everyone says it takes to begin to be comfortable in nursing. Why not have nursing residencies to solve this new graduate no experience thing. Plus, the preceptor should be compensated, no more of this nurses working for free stuff.

[bagladyrn, RN]

The best piece of advice I'd have would be to keep exactly the kind of attitude you have shown in your post - open to new advice and experiences.

You will be able to learn from everyone around you.

When you see an experienced nurse do something differently than you were taught, question "How does that work? rather than "That's not what I was taught". Be open to learning from everyone - a good cna can teach a new RN multitudes about direct patient care and if you show them respect will make your job much easier.

[Aubrianna]

The best piece of advice I'd have would be to keep exactly the kind of attitude you have shown in your post - open to new advice and experiences.

You will be able to learn from everyone around you.

When you see an experienced nurse do something differently than you were taught, question "How does that work? rather than "That's not what I was taught". Be open to learning from everyone - a good cna can teach a new RN multitudes about direct patient care and if you show them respect will make your job much easier.

Thanks, I have been having hard time finding a job but I am hopeful that I will get one eventually. I love learning, and all of what you said I picked up in my clinicals and soooo many nurses have said this same thing to me. It makes me happy that I am on the right track. It seems like I am at least the kind of nurse that will be accepted, and I have been thus far very well.

I have heard about that and doing things differently. I do not think any two people do anything the same. I am always looking to be more efficient, so I totally will keep an open mind about how people do things differently. That is a good one. Knowing me I would mesh a bunch of methods to create a more efficient method for me.

Thanks for the tip, good one I had not thought of.