What I wish I had known...

WYDiceDancer · Jun 26, 2009

about nursing school? the only thing that most of the instuctors want to hear is "yes ma'am, no ma'am, i don't know ma'am and i'd love to learn that from you ma'am". if you find a really good, caring instructor, take them for ever course that you can and let them know how much you appreciate them.

about nclex? don't cram the night before. if you didn't learn it in the last 1/2/4 years, one more night isn't going to help. a good nights sleep will serve you much better.

about getting that first job? you won't stay long. and don't beat yourself up if you discover that you don't like your "chosen specialty". you may love kids, but not everyone is cut out to take care of sick kids.

about knowing when to "move on"? when you plan every waking minute how to tell your boss to go to hell, better start looking for a change.

about time management? get your "boring" thing done early in the shift, you never know what will come down the pike 15 minutes before shift change.

about medication administration? everyone makes med errors, just own up to yours and learn from it.

about iv therapy? can't get in that peripheral line? ask for help, don't keep digging and making your patient miserable.

about patient assessment? do it the same way every time and you won't forget anything, and start with the feet because they are the least seen item and usually "missed" by others.

about critical thinking? remember all those care plans? they were not just an exercise in frustration.

about work-life balance? everyone needs a certain amount of "couch time", you are not the only one that can pick up the extra shifts.

about stress relief? get a dog, walk that dog, love that dog, stress reduction without medication.

about safety? you only have one back, and if you lose that, you can't pay your bills.

about documentation? if it's worth reporting on, it's worth documenting.

about knowing your limits? we all have them, it's not a character fault.

about doctors? most are good, few are bad, all have a bigger ego.

about self care? refer to "stress relief", i haven't had more than a headcold in years because of that one.

about conflict resolution? good question, let me know when you figure out how to make everyone happy all the time.

about management? working nights and weekends has it's perks. :lol2:

about "customer" service? press-ganey scores are (fill in your own 4 letter word here).

about ancillary support? they can make or break you shift. make sure the cna's love you or you will be most unhappy.

about patients? "house" is right, everybody lies. part of your job is to sift through their bs so they can receive appropriate care.

about families? most need to be sent to their rooms without their supper.

about the b.o.n.? do what you can to avoid them.

about getting involved in nurse forward organizations? do it if you want, but i don't see any advantage to it.

about anything that you would like to have known!!!! just because the coffee is free doesn't mean it's worth drinking. keep a "no refridgeration needed" lunch in your locker, you never know if your food will be left alone in the fridge. keep up on your ceu's, it's no fun having to cram them all in the last week. even if you are "well" take a "sick" day every 3 or 4 months, mental health is at least as important as physical health.

chicookie, BSN, RN · Jun 26, 2009

I'm a new nurse but this is what I learned so far:

about NURSING SCHOOL? I miss those days and if I actually not stressed over it so much I would have had a easier time. Besides I remember nothing about the test or anything else. At least it gave me a chance to have a social life...

about NCLEX? I took it twice and the first time I was so nervous that I misread half the questions. I learned that just cause I took it twice and failing it doesn't make you any less of a nurse. Giving up makes you less of a nurse. (actually giving up makes you not a nurse. )

about GETTING THAT FIRST JOB? it was exciting, frustrating, and it still makes me cry. But the important thing is that it gets easier! Just take it a day at a time. Like my preceptor told me: Every day you don't kill a person is a good day.

about TIME MANAGEMENT? Paper and pen are your best friends. If you write everything down then you will be ok. You won't forget anything. And like nursing in general it gets better as time goes on.

about CLINICAL PRACTICE? So far I got, do your best and be careful.

about MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION? Take it one at time. Thoroughly read labels! Our IV medication come with administration times, so even if the med is the same, the bag is wrong if the time is on there wrong.

about IV THERAPY? Don't let anyone touch your IV machine.

about PATIENT ASSESSMENT? a lot can be done by just talking with your patient. LOOK at your patient. Its already happen that at glance I can tell something is wrong.

about CRITICAL THINKING? it takes a while to get. Like switching gears but once you get that light bulb moment, you get alot of light bulb moments. I am still in the light bulb moments stage...

about WORK-LIFE BALANCE? still trying to figure it out. I have one week that its work work work. Then one that is fun fun fun. Also just because they offer OT time doesn't mean you take it. Don't give up your life for your job. Its not worth it.

about STRESS RELIEF? if you don't you are going to get IBS like me.

about SAFETY? Safety 1st. Or else you might end up worse then your patient.

about DOCUMENTATION? If its not written it wasn't done.

about KNOWING YOUR LIMITS? Learn your limits early because if you don't, you will make yourself sick and you will hate life.

about DOCTORS? if they are mean, stand up to them and they will live you alone. They know me enough now that if I don't talk to them then I don't need them. But when I do, then I need them. It might not be important but it is to me. Plus they know that I would ask everyone else before I ask them.

about SELF CARE? DO IT! If not you will end up sick and broken and in the unemployment line.

about CONFLICT RESOLUTION? Turn the other cheek. I always think to myself if I die tomorrow, will this really matter? No, then smile and go away.

about MANAGEMENT? They are strange people.....and they don't listen.

about "CUSTOMER" SERVICE? People are horrible to work with. but if you let them push you around. Then they will push you around. Smiling does wonders with an angry person too.

about ANCILLARY SUPPORT? Treat them with respect and they will treat you with respect.

about PATIENTS? They can't help that they are sick. its not their fault. (and some are really stupid.)

about FAMILIES? They can be worse then patients. Or they can make your shift.

about GETTING INVOLVED IN NURSE FORWARD ORGANIZATIONS? I am too busy to get involved at the moment.......

and what I wished I knew when I got in. It will make you feel like crap at the beginning, it will change your personalty, heck it might even make you hate people and life, but don't let it get to you. No matter what happens you are you and you will get there. Never give up!

Medic/Nurse, BSN, RN · Jul 5, 2009

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hey all you great nurses out there - !!!
please take some time to share some of your hard-earned wisdom.
i think that most "new grads" start out the same way. excited, blessed, relieved (out of school! whew!) and terrified. after we get a little experience we often look back and are amazed at just how far we have come on our journey to become the best clinicians we can. caring for and taking care of others is monumental undertaking - we are responsible for the lives of others. i have accepted that i will never know enough - but, i do work to learn more every day from every experience. it is important to remember where we started and value where we stand.
i know that i recall being so scared it was a wonder that any patient survived under my care. grace at it's finest.
so - what have we learned??
about nursing school?
about nclex?
about getting that first job?
* i think it can be tough for new grads. all experience is useful and it may be difficult to get the "dream" on your 1st position. your dream may be ______ but choose a couple more areas for safeties. the main thing is get a job, work hard, learn a bunch and be dependable.
about knowing when to "move on"?
* when you are dreading going to work. it is always my first sign. feeling mad all shift because of some clowns and you are the one that won't have funny consequences. if you get a better (or dream) opportunity.
about time management?
* to me this was the toughest part. i have several "system" notes and i tend to do "the same things, the same way" and it let's you get good at what you are doing and can save you time later (one of those 2 minute here rules that costs you over 30 mins on the other end).
more to come!!
thanks everyone.
great stuff!!!
about clinical practice?
about medication administration?
about iv therapy?
about patient assessment?
about critical thinking?
about work-life balance?
about stress relief?
about safety?
about documentation?
about knowing your limits?
about doctors?
about self care?
about conflict resolution?
about management?
about "customer" service?
about ancillary support?
about patients?
about families?
about the b.o.n.?
about getting involved in nurse forward organizations?
about anything that you would like to have known!!!!
the sky is the limit! share what you have learned and pay forward the benefit of experience. i'm betting that there is a lot of knowledge to share. i don't have to make a mistake to learn the lesson from it - i can learn if you share "your" mistake with me. likewise, i can celebrate the victory of another - and feel great that i may be able to triumph as well!
care to share? there is always someone grateful to learn!
practice safe!!!
:hpygrp: :hpygrp: :hpygrp:

please add your experiences and wisdom!!!

practice safe!