10 major things an old grad should know

shay · Mar 18, 2002

Okee dokee...here's my list....

1. Hearing about some of the wild stuff they did 'back in the old days' is quite fun to hear, as long as it's not done as part of a 'back in MY day, we did it THUS and such way!' crotchety diatribe. Just as all of the 'old' ways of doing things in medicine are not always scary and archaic, the 'new' ways of doing things are not always silly and are worth learning sometimes.

2. Any tips you have to show me how to make my job easier are good....please share them. Even if it's just where the best place is to order take-out.

3. Don't scare the students....even if they grate your nerves. :)

4. Don't scare the new orientees.....even if they grate your nerves. :)

5. Show us pictures of yourself in nursing school or as a new grad...we really get a kick out of it and it brings it home that you were once a 'new' nurse too.

mattsmom81 · Mar 19, 2002

OK, OK, maybe this ol' nurse seems like just another pain in the orifice sometimes to (some) new grads.....even 'scaring' them (or boring them) with my stories.....I learned so much from stories of my mentors. Look for a moment how docs train their medical students and residents.....do young nurses REALLY have it so tough after all??

Also ask yourself why this kind of thread doesn't occur on medical BB's? Just an interesting thought.

We can joke about this stuff and it's fine to lighten up, but bottom line I don't want to see a new grad (nurse OR doc) harm a patient.

We have a great responsibility and mustn't take it lightly.....There's always a few bad apples in any group; let's try to see the big picture here and resist this endless stroking of brand-new-nurse egos. (and this isn't a new grad slam..please hear what I'm saying, OK?) Thankyouverymuch!

micro, RN · Mar 19, 2002

life is too serious to be so serious....................all the time.........

yes, it is an awesome responsibility..............to teach our new nurses.............

not our(at least not mine-----I don't accept it) to intimidate or scare them...............what like, they just get out of school and we are chasing them out the door.............

I don't want to see anyone hurt a patient intentionally or unintentionally......old, new, grey, white, black, purple or pink.........

yes, knowledge of some atrocious mistakes made give all and yes, students time to pause and remember the 6 R's.............

yes, scare tactics are also used in medical school........but there is also support, mentorship and not quite so much indigestion with the cannibal diets that we nurses seem to have........

just micro expressing her opinion,

that is all,

good day'

Dplear · Mar 19, 2002

Rule : All bleeding eventually does stop....either on its own or no more blood to legt to bleed out.....

Rule 2: Nurses are ALWAYS right.

Rule 3: if nurse is wrong see rule 2

rule 4: see rule 2.....and on and on

Dave

live4today, RN · Mar 19, 2002

If you are the "seasoned nurse", remember that you were once the "new grad". Don't try to clean their ears out all in one day. Your ears were pretty wet once upon a time, too. :)

If you are the "new grad", remember that one day...Lord willing...you'll be the "seasoned nurse", and that's when you'll get to eat every word and thought by which you judged those who were "the seasoned nurses" in your "new grad" days. :chuckle

RoaminHankRN · Mar 19, 2002

Someone here has some issues.

Micro brings up a good point. MD's while they my bicker amongst each other, there is a level of respect for one another that you don't see with nursing.

When at the bedside it should be all business and to be professional. But you need time and a place to let your hair down. Life is way too short to be serious 24/7.

If your a new grad, you have a responsibility be humble at first and learn...

If your a seasoned RN, you have a responsibility to be grateful for those that walked the path from which you once came and to take them under your wings... Remember one day you'll be on the call light!!

Brownms46 · Mar 19, 2002

Originally posted by fergus51
That's great mattsmom! But the serenity prayer for nurses I heard was God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to be able to hide the bodies of the doctors that pushed me too far today somewhere where they won't be found...:)

:roll :roll :roll

Too funny..:roll

mir4777 · Mar 20, 2002

I'm a sophomore and I was just wondering what you wish someone had told you in nursing school.

live4today, RN · Mar 20, 2002

Since I started nursing school in my early thirties, and already had a lot of college behind me before I started the nursing program, there really wasn't anything that I wish someone would have told me that hadn't already been said. I found being older upon my return to school made a huge difference in how well I handled being a student, and how well I performed as a student.

I have regrets for not pursuing med school as a few of my nursing instructors suggested I do, but my first spouse was a very nonsupportive spouse, so I sacrificed things I wish I had done for myself because of his disposition. Now, THAT'S my biggest regret!

Listen to your own heart, do what you feel passionate about doing even if no one else is "feeling it" with you! Don't ever let someone else steal your thunder! Be all you can be, all you know you can be, and all you want to be! Just do it! :kiss

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Mar 20, 2002

Use your critical thinking skills all the time

If you or a loved one is a patient pay attention, it will improve your practice when you get back to work

Sometimes the little things mean so much they become the big things. Know when to put them at the top of your list and when to ignore them until they go away.

Never work for a for profit hospital, their priorities will not be patient health or caring nurses.

Suspend judgement of any very old or very new nurse so long as they are trying their best and keeping their patients at the top of their priorities. Help them out as much as you can.

EVERYONE will have a meltdown at work at some point (including docs, secretaries, supervisors, EVERYONE) just get through it as a team, and know that your day will come. *do unto others....etc*

micro, RN · Mar 20, 2002

all micro can say here is ditto, ditto, ditto,ditto.............

renee, well said.

roaminhank.thx

canoehead...........very eloquent.........and i add to the team.....housekeepers.......those that without we would be without so much...............

browns--------------and have you heard the other part of that one

smiling takes only this many muscles, but it only takes 4 to .........hehehehehehehehehehe

and all.

lol

eldernurse · Mar 20, 2002

I wish someone had told me that caring for sick people is HARD. I wish someone had prepared me for death.

I found it easy to care for people but I thought we were supposed to save them. As an oncology nurse my job was to help them accept the inevitable when the time came.

There really isn't anything I would have understood as a student that I would see in quite the same way now.