Soon to be nurse considering leaving

JaxJax5423 · Jul 5, 2016

your feelings are very normal

1- try to find a new nurse residency position. they tend to support and guide you a little longer than most jobs

2- be nice and friendly, a team player. Offer to help move a bed or change linen....so when you need help starting that IV you are more likely to have help (USUALLY)

3- Get organized. Create or use a template for a nursing brain. That way you can organize your day and prioritize when things come up.

4- What are your interests, goals? Working in a hospital is very important as a new grad in my opinion. That's where you learn and get to practice all those skills you learned. From there, if you wish, you can go almost anywhere. If you start elsewhere and try to get in a hospital. ...well it can be challenging. they will no longer orient you as a new grad. they will expect you have some skill and experience.

5-it takes time, sometimes year(s) to get comfortable and actually learn to "like" your job as a new grad. In SOME cases. Not speaking for everyone.

Good luck.

NightNerd, MSN, RN · Jul 5, 2016

Knowing what you don't know is a huge asset in nursing; the humility keeps you safe! I can tell just from the way you write that you are thorough and intelligent, so I'm sure you will be great. :)

Things that helped me:

I feel like, as a new grad, it is more important to find a supportive learning environment than THE specialty for you at your first job. So when you're interviewing and doing share days, notice how people react to you as a new grad. Individuals vary, but overall, how does the unit feel? Will they extend your orientation by a week or two if you need a little more room to grow? If you know you're really into a certain area, of course it's preferable to find a job doing that, but so much of nursing is transferable once you learn the basics and can show you're teachable.

Try your best to figure things out, and tell your preceptor what you would like to do, but ultimately ask before doing anything you're unsure of. This is your time to get your feet under you, so it's okay! Veteran nurses still ask questions from time to time, so you can too.

Keep your textbooks out. It will help solidify what you didn't get to learn in nursing school if you go home and look up the new things you see.

The first few months are rough, but if you find a good unit with a welcoming culture, it really helps the transition. Good luck!

Guest957596 · Jul 6, 2016

Hi everyone!
I am very excited to be graduating in the spring from a BSN program, but I'm having some concerns about whether nursing is for me. I love taking care of patients and my clinicals at the hospital, but I am becoming very aware of how little I know and how easy it is to make a mistake with serious consequences. This gives me a lot of anxiety about graduating in the spring and being responsible for patients on my own, especially when considering how some orientations areally being cut shorter due to short staffing.
Any tips for new grads and how to find their niche in nursing? I have heard that the first year is more successful if you find an area that you do well in. Or just any tips in general for a soon to be nurse and how to adapt from nursing school to actually practicing?
Thanks!

You're going to make mistakes. You're human. Ask questions, learn from your mistakes.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Emmers4 · Jul 12, 2016

Thank you very much for the advice, I will take all of it to heart!

HeySis, BSN, RN · Jul 12, 2016

your feelings are very normal
1- try to find a new nurse residency position. they tend to support and guide you a little longer than most jobs
2- be nice and friendly, a team player. Offer to help move a bed or change linen....so when you need help starting that IV you are more likely to have help (USUALLY)
3- Get organized. Create or use a template for a nursing brain. That way you can organize your day and prioritize when things come up.
4- What are your interests, goals? Working in a hospital is very important as a new grad in my opinion. That's where you learn and get to practice all those skills you learned. From there, if you wish, you can go almost anywhere. If you start elsewhere and try to get in a hospital. ...well it can be challenging. they will no longer orient you as a new grad. they will expect you have some skill and experience.
5-it takes time, sometimes year(s) to get comfortable and actually learn to "like" your job as a new grad. In SOME cases. Not speaking for everyone.
Good luck.

This! Right Here!

And ask about a mentor. Our facility doesn't assign a mentor automatically, but you can request one. This is a resource person that you can go to after orientation is over. Just make sure you go with smart questions, which is in all how you ask.

"I've never done this before on my own, can I tell you how I would do it and you can let me know if I'm missing something?"

vs

"I've never done this before, will you teach me how to do it?"

They are both asking for help, but the first one is smart (it shows that you can look things up, and what you already know) the second one is asking them to be your instructor not mentor.

Also your mentor can be a resource for how to approach a difficult family or doctor.

If your facility doesn't have official mentors, you may still be able to ask your manager if there is someone you can approach or be able to develop that relationship yourself.

My first nursing job I actually had a nurse that graduated just a year ahead of me. She offered some advice when I first started and I took it. Once she saw I was willing to take advice she took me under her wing and I knew I could ask her anything. She remembered what it was like just starting. IF she didn't know the answer, we went and found out together. Twenty four years later, marriages and break ups, kids, and 2000 miles apart we are still friends that stay in touch. (it's not always a eat your young world).