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! 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. 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. 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?? THANKS!!!
Oh my gosh, you are going to LOVE 12 hour shifts. Only 3 days of week to work, 4 off... doesn't seem appealing than work 5 and only off two... I can NEVER EVER go back to 5 days a week, I am off more than I work, I have more time with my family and at home. Once your there for 8 hours, your day is shot to hell, might as well stay another 4 hours and get 4 days off!!!!
Now I'm 40 and have been doing this 15 years, it does get harder each year, not going to lie. Bluntly, those of us who are "older" need to find nursing jobs that don't negatively effect our health. Med surg will do you in, period. You'll maybe last a few years. Because the nursing market is tight in some areas, learn all you can, take every course offered through education to be well rounded, get a year in and start looking.
ONce hired in you can bid for jobs like short stay, interventional, special proceedures, GI lab, outpatient clinics, Stay away from ER and ICU... maybe mother baby or even NICU.... stressful but no 400lbs to turn every two hours (sry, I'm ER and ICU nurse so I know it's physically tough, avoid the two patient temptation)
there is so much out there for you, but you have to work your butt off this next year, and it may be the worst of your life, to move on to something that fits better with you that is offered through your hospital.
And never, ever, ever burn this first bridge. I wish you well.
2. Learn your resources. You can't memorize everything.
3. Learn who to go to.
4. Eat a good breakfast w/ protein, low glycemic. Drink lots of water. Avoid the coffee and donut, although treats during the shift are nice.
5. Try not to think about the time, the 12 hours. Just do the job. Quittin' time will come too fast.
6. Med surg will teach you how to manage time, how to work with docs, how to communicate w/ patients, families,
and where your resources are, not to mention lots of pathophysiology and drug info.
To me, it's been all about time management and how to work as a team. It will teach you how to get along w/ techs, RN's, managers, etc.
You've really got to learn all about that before you advance to ICU or wherever -- I truly believe that.
I've been doing it for 2 years and I'm so beyond ready to move up, but they've got me caught up in my SWEET part time dayshift schedule. I don't want to leave that, plus I like the staff. But life is long and there is always time to move to ICU.
I, too, was wondering about your clinicals while in school. You didn't have 12 hour clinicals? How much clinical experience did you get while in school?
I, too, was wondering about your clinicals while in school. You didn't have 12 hour clinicals? How much clinical experience did you get while in school?
Not all schools have 12 hour clinicals. The school I attended did not have them; however I did do 12 hour shifts during my preceptorship during my last semester. Not all schools are the same, nor do all med/surg units have 12 hour shifts for their nurses. The nurses on our med/surg unit all work 8's.
Funny, I was thinking the same thing a little over a week ago. My first couple of 12s were okay, but I learned a few things quick.
Good shoes, breakfast, stay away from donuts and whatnots. I also get hypoglycemic at times, so I keep candy in my pocket. I know it's bad, but I've only had to reach for a couple of times. I keep them for emergencies, not because I like them. When I feel the dizzy spell coming on, I eat one. Try to take a little break every now and then, eat something if you need to. As my preceptor tells me, only when you take care of yourself can you take care of your patients.
Look forward to little things. Say I'll take a break at around 11...(will I get to? Maybe not, but it's nice to look forward to that) When that comes around, look forward to lunch, then your afternoon break. Before you know it, it'll be time to give shift report and go home.
I survived my first three 12 hour shifts, and you will too. Take it one day at a time, and you will find your second and third days gets easier as you get to know the same patients and their habits better.
Clinicals are different for every school. When I was in school ours were about 7 hours long per clinical day, so...far cry from the 12 hours or 8 hours shift.
With 20 patients in the LTC; my 12 hours is timed by med passes, wound care and charting. Some days it feels like 12 hours isn't enough time to get everything done. My shift is time managed not by looking forward to quitting time but by what is demanded of my time at a certain hour. Then throw in the monkey wrench of something going wrong and I really do run short on time.
12 hours running my butt off and being behind sure beats sitting behind a computer day in and day out for 40 hours a week with nobody to talk to.
LOL.... funny I've never heard anyone describe their med/surg unit as slow! Don't worry about those 12 hours shifts, you will be so busy the time will fly right by. And I agree with the others, it is harder at first and gets better. Drink, pee, and take snakes you can eat that don't take preparation. Good luck with the new job
I used to love working 12 hour shifts. Because I would work 3 days. That's when I was a CNA in hospitals, ICU. Your body gets used to it. When I was with registry, still in hospitals, I could work up to 5 days straight, 12 hour shifts. That got a little hard. I could call off if I felt tired as long as it was early enough. Good luck and enjoy those 12 hour shifts, but enjoy those 4 days off even more:)
I have been an RN for 2 years, I'll be 48 yrs. old this mo. Your situation seems so similar to mine. I worked as a nurse intern/extern at a hospital 1-2 days a month for about a yr. before I graduated. I learned how to do accuchecks very well, put in one foley, never started an IV, and never really even learned how to be a nurse aid, much less a nurse.
If you have the heart, and were smart enough to pass the boards, the rest will come. SO SCARY! I KNOW!
Everyone told me, give your a yr. to feel "kind of" confident. I think this is true in a way; not to discourage you but to make you realize that this is "normal". So true though.
Don't compare yourself to any other new nurses (some are all talk and **** it takes awhile to get to know who's real or not)
You'll learn who you can go to with questions and who to avoid. I always told everyone that I was a new RN so that they wouldn't assume that I should know something already based on my age. (different with pt. and families though, they may not feel confident with someone that is not experienced), then it's as simple as saying, I'm not sure, let me check into that.
When it comes to 12 hr. shifts on a med. surg. floor, usually goes by faster than you would think. Takes awhile to get used to but you have to keep in the back of your mind that you have 4 days off out of 7!
Hang in there! I LOVE my job now! Love the 12 hr. shift vs. 8 hr. Still a stessful job, some days suck! But in the long run, so rewarding!
First of all, congrats! Finding a job as a new grad is a challenge enough in this job market!
I am a new grad as well. I have worked as a tech in Med/Surg, and will be an RN on a Med/Surg floor as well. Like you, when I first started working 12 hr shifts at work, I was really worried about how I would tolerate it! I went from waitressing and bartending (6-8 hr shifts) to 3+ 12 hour shifts in a row, very different from what I was used to! Your body will adjust! My first piece of advice is to invest in a good pair of shoes! What you wear on your feet can make a big difference. Also carry snacks with you to work, and make time for yourself to eat. I like to eat a granola bar as I'm charting within the first couple of hours of my shift. And drink plenty of water.
Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.
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!
Coffee and breakfast cereal is a sure-fire recipe for major low blood sugar at about 10 am for me. Shaking, anxious, weakness, etc. Ugh. I will have to remember to hydrate better next time!
Coffee and breakfast cereal is a sure-fire recipe for major low blood sugar at about 10 am for me. Shaking, anxious, weakness, etc. Ugh. I will have to remember to hydrate better next time!
Drinking coffee always lowers my bg to way lower than I need it to be. Anytime I mention that, everyone looks at me like I'm crazy so I'm glad to see it isn't just me!
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. 
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. 
I have a family to supprt too. 
THANKS!!!
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Zookeeper3
1,361 Posts
Oh my gosh, you are going to LOVE 12 hour shifts. Only 3 days of week to work, 4 off... doesn't seem appealing than work 5 and only off two... I can NEVER EVER go back to 5 days a week, I am off more than I work, I have more time with my family and at home. Once your there for 8 hours, your day is shot to hell, might as well stay another 4 hours and get 4 days off!!!!
Now I'm 40 and have been doing this 15 years, it does get harder each year, not going to lie. Bluntly, those of us who are "older" need to find nursing jobs that don't negatively effect our health. Med surg will do you in, period. You'll maybe last a few years. Because the nursing market is tight in some areas, learn all you can, take every course offered through education to be well rounded, get a year in and start looking.
ONce hired in you can bid for jobs like short stay, interventional, special proceedures, GI lab, outpatient clinics, Stay away from ER and ICU... maybe mother baby or even NICU.... stressful but no 400lbs to turn every two hours (sry, I'm ER and ICU nurse so I know it's physically tough, avoid the two patient temptation)
there is so much out there for you, but you have to work your butt off this next year, and it may be the worst of your life, to move on to something that fits better with you that is offered through your hospital.
And never, ever, ever burn this first bridge. I wish you well.