Published Sep 5, 2011
neil890123
104 Posts
hi guys! hows it goin???
after 3 months looking for a job in a hospital i finally got one and im starting out this tuesday!! Im so nervous and dont know what i should really do when im there....Im a new grad and just passed my NCLEX last june.......
so can you guys give me some tips as to what i should do when im on the floor? what i should always remember or keep in mind? im assigned on medsurg.....what should i bring? how will i interact with the patients? im from the Philippines and i dont have experience in having a american patient...maybe 3 but thats it....
.what should i always keep in mind when dealing with patients?
thank you very much guys for the quick replies....greatly appreciated! thank you:D
weezyljm
31 Posts
Go prepared - Bring your stethoscope, a clipboard, multiple pens and yellow highlighters, and believe it or not - a "report sheet"... a form you make up that listsRoom Number/ Pt. Name/Race/Sex//Rxtimes/PRN Rx-Times/I&O/IVs/New Orders/Clinical Notes across the top of the page...leave enough room for you to write in this info as you get report...as you will need to be able to read your notes to give report. Make a master copy of it and then make multiple copies for future use. Use one form each shift. Good Luck! Just treat them like people, be caring, empathetic and above all professional.
hmmm a report sheet....its like and endorsement sheet right? the hospital has a copy of that right? in every nurse station? or does nurses here have to make something like that? btw weezyjm thanks for the tips..
I have no idea what an endorsement sheet is....and no - the hospital will not necessareily have a report sheet in a format you can use. You need to make up and bring your own or at the very minimum, a lined tablet (81/2" X 11") that you can use to write on. They will NOT have writing paper for you to use.
MrChicagoRN, RN
2,605 Posts
They might have a form, might not. We had a simple hand-made form with some lined boxes that we would photocopy when needed, but most folks just made something that worked for them. Plan to make your own unless told otherwise.
Bring a few sheets of paper, pad, pens, so you can take report; but orienting in a new hospital will probably initially entail orientation to the unit, policy & procedures, etc
Bookworm-ish
1 Post
Hey I'm from the Philippines too!!! :-) I got my BSN-RN degree here in the US. Yes, endorsements are like shift reports. Although with shift reports you have to be more precise in "handing over" your patient's statuses to the next nurse at the end of shifts. The night before my shift I usually make copies of this whole sheet of copy paper with the "essential infos" needed for shift reports...Pt initials/Age (F/M)RM#/DX/Attending physician. Then you can write BP/BG/PR/RR/Temp and more...then you can go system by system which includes the skin too! :-) Also, make room for any doctor's orders, lab changes, any specimen collection needed and so on and so forth...although these infos can be search through the patient's database for next nurse to read, it's still the best way to know that you really know your patient and what's going on with them :-) Good luck to you!!! I'm a new nurse too! I graduated in May 2011, took my boards in July and went on an Asian vacation last Aug and came back to the US, then look for jobs and now I'm excited to start my first job as an MS-ICU nurse this Sept. 12th...:-)
Wow good for you!! man your lucky cuz you already had your clinicals here in the US so you just need a little adjusting to the environment here.....yup i know what you mean about the shift reports....back when i was a student those shift reports where already premade for the nurses to get.....so i have to make one myself here.... no problem! :) thanks for the heads up guys....and Gudluck starting on your first job to...new grad and already assigned to ICU thats really cool....im assigned in MS-Telemetry and im not a master in reading ECG changes and such....never even had an experience with that also, so im reading up hoping it'll help me..... God bless and thank you again!
jl4321
17 Posts
Congratulations Neil890123 and Bookworm-ish!!! Neil, I also graduated from the Philippines and I'm having trouble with my resume. I was wondering how you constructed yours. I've also done research on google, the sticky notes about resume hints, monster.com, etc. and there are so many formats. I'm so confused because it's my first time to construct a resume and I have no work experience. My resume consisted of Summary, Education, Clinical Rotations, License/Certifications.
(1) Did you list all your clinical rotations and brief details of what you did in the specific area and the total hours??
Pleaseeeeee please help. I don't know how to send a private message to give you my email add. Thank you so much =)