Is Med Surg hard?? New grad. starting soon- not looking forward to 12 hours!

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Hello! :[anb]: I have a few concerns and I need some advice/ encouragement. I LOVE nursing and I am so thrilled I have a job! :yeah::nurse: Just wanted to say that to start off! I am a fairly new grad. (never been on a hospital) and I am starting my first real RN job this week. It is on a busy Med Surg unit. I did very well in school (book wise), but have not had a lot of clinical experience. Knowledgw wise, I have it... DOING IT is another story. I have a lot to learn. I am Ok with that. My biggest concern is getting through the 12 HOUR SHIFT. :eek: My health is Ok, not the best. I have had 'dizzy' 'weak' like spells over the past few months. The docs. thought it was sugar related, BUT it seems worse around my period. I am close to 40, and perhaps my cycle is starting to change. I do get hot spells on occasion after the 'dizzy' spells. The only thing that really helps is laying down for a bit, but obviously I CANNOT do that on the floor. So, brain wise, intelligence wise, I can handle it, PHYSICALLY I AM NOT SURE, and I am scared. I have worked REALLY HARD for this. REALLY HARD. I don't want to fall out and fail. :bluecry1: I have a family to supprt too.

Anyway, how difficult is Med Surg? Is it pretty strenous? And how do you get through 3 twelve hour shifts in a row?? :o THANKS!!!

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Specializes in ER.

While I can't really provide insight on this, as I am just about to start my senior practicum and all other clinicals have been 8 hours or so, but did you not work 12 hour shifts for your senior practicum? For our senior practicum, we have to work 12 hour shifts with a preceptor and get a total of 172 hours. Just wondering :)

I have gotten lightheaded at clinicals before, though, as I am prone to low blood sugars, and I've found having a breakfast with good complex carbs mixed with protein really helps stabilize me for the day. Hope everything works out for you!

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I can't offer any practical real-world experience but I want to let you know I have issues with my bs if I don't eat properly (and sometimes when I do) and I have discovered recently that they are a lot more likely to occur if I am not properly hydrated - eg if I have been drinking nothing but coffee all morning after having a bowl of cereal for breakfast - that is a recipe for disaster for me. I can imagine how easy it will be to forget to drink water when you are slammed and learning a new job but try to remember to drink enough water and maybe that will help a little.

Congrats on the new job!

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Specializes in NICU.

I'd much rather 3 12 hour shifts than 5 8 hour shifts. I don't think I could ever see myself working 5 times a week at one place doing 8 hr shifts. Anyhoo, a lot of the time you don't do 3 in a row maybe you can talk to whoever does the scheduling so you can work every other day. Get lots of rest and eat well. Good luck and congrats on getting a job in this economy.

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I felt as if I am writing your post. Six mos back before I started my new job as new RN with no nursing experience, I was going thru same ques in my mind but today, I feel Med-surg is foundation of nursing. Everyday is new day and you shoould get support as new RN from your peers and facility. How long is your orientation and do you pick your own preceptor.

Wake up everyday while going to job saying to yourself " I will learn something new today, I will learn time mgmt from other nurses, even thou I learned billion times about 5 rights of med - this is the time to practice it all the time, I will avoid politics and my sincere work will speak for myself".

You passed NCLEX and came so far then you'll do good in real world too. Just rely on gut feeling-if u think somthing is wrong always ask :)

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Specializes in Developmental Disabilites,.

Good Luck with the job! I am a semi- new grad. I have about 6 mos experience on the floor. 12hrs are hard, but your body does adjust. I remember coming home so tired I could not do anything but now I sometimes go the gym after a shift. The big thing I found was not to do 3 in a row. I work 2 days, 1 day off then the last day. It has made a huge difference. I found that working every other day made it feel like I never had a true day off, as it takes about a day to recover. Good Luck!

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Specializes in LTC, OB, Mother Baby.

I have done 5 8 hour shifts and absolutely hated it!! You will get used to the 12 hour shifts, just try not to clock watch and wonder what you would be doing if you were home:)

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Specializes in Medical/Surgical/Maternal and Child.

Med/Surg is definitely not a piece of cake but it is a great place to start out after nursing school. I did a year of med/surg after I graduated and I did learn a great deal which has helped me throughout my nursing career. Just take it one day at a time and look at it as another learning experience.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

med-surg requires a lot of knowledge and experience, however there will be other nurses on the unit who will know what they are doing. be a sponge... soak up the info. Also, 12 hour shifts are very easy to get through if it is busy. time flys... make sure you take your breaks, eat properly. have water... and GOOD SHOES!! (im doing my med-surg rotation right now :) --in case you were wondering where im getting my info from :)

Breathe... youll be great!! :)

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Specializes in Home Care.

I'm a new LPN working weekend 12s in an LTC.

I also was apprehensive about working 12s and wondered how I'd ever get through them. The first few were difficult, my feet burned by the end of the second shift and I knew I wasn't drinking enough water.

Get yourself a pair of good shoes and add quality inserts if need be. Take a lunch bag and put plenty of quick wholesome snacks in it. And don't forget the water; I take 32 oz with me.

I like my weekend 12s, the time flies by and the next thing I know its Sunday night and I'm home lying on the couch.

I also found that with time my body adjusted to the long hours on my feet.

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Twelve hours shifts are for the young. I paid my dues and a nurse in her 50's is drained at the end of 12-13 hours. There are many older nurses who do 12's and more power to them. Yet, for me, 8 hours is best.

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Specializes in icu/er.

though i work icu/er settings, imo med/surg nsg is probably some of, if not the hardest nursing around.

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