NEEDED: Creative advice for a new grad

ellakate · Nov 28, 2009

How about this?

Dear friend,

Congratulations on becoming a graduate nurse. I know that your kind hands and compassionate heart will help all that you encounter. . .

Place to start

Katie5 · Nov 28, 2009

Speak from the heart...and the rest will come.

You can doodle the thoughts as they come in and put it all together later.

IHeartPeds87 · Nov 28, 2009

This has been done before but I really like the Dr.Seuss Book "Oh the places you'll go" for graduates....

Reigen · Nov 29, 2009

Today, I am writing a letter of congrats to my best friend who is graduating from the BSN nursing program.
So my question for all of your seasoned nurses is:
What would you say to prepare a new grad? What would you say to encourage and inspire a new grad? Any other advice or love to share regarding nursing?
Please please help me! I have pondered this topic for days now, and still have no idea where to start....

Here is part of my speech to a nursing graduate class I hope this will inspire you as you write to your friend.

We have probably all heard at one time or another that nursing is both a science and an art. That makes sense, but it's important to understand they are not two separate components to be applied in different situations. The combination of our scientific knowledge and our compassionate communication skills should guide us in every interaction.

You made it! You survived nursing school--All should be well, right? Once you're out of school and the reality of your chosen profession hits you, it can be quite overwhelming, no matter how thorough your schooling was.

So what can you do to survive (or better yet thrive) during your first year out there? Here are some tips to get you started:

Be patient with yourself. You're just starting out. Take time to learn and gain experience. Most seasoned nurses agree it takes a good year to become somewhat comfortable and two years to be able to handle most situations. Go easy on yourself and think about how far you've already come. Even the most competent nurse once started out exactly where you are now.

Focus on the positive. While it's human nature to dwell on the negative, if you focus on the positive, that will become your reality. At the end of each day, reflect on what you learned and on at least one good thing you did for someone. Write it down, look at it, and fall asleep with that thought in mind. Keep a positive journal of the times you made a difference or helped someone, including any nice things people say about you. Review it often.

Help others. It's never too soon to lend a helping hand to a coworker. You might even learn something in the process. Show your willingness to help, and others will do the same for you. Be sure to extend yourself to students and other new grads who follow you. Treat others as you wish to be treated.

Align yourself with positive, competent people. Experienced and friendly people are all around. Buddy up with those after whom you'd like to model yourself. A person doesn't have to have the same title as you for you to learn something from him or her. Many RNs have told me they learned everything they know from an experienced LPN.

Show some initiative. Don't wait for someone to tell you to do a procedure. Seek out opportunities to get the experience you need. If certain procedures aren't done with any frequency on your unit, talk to your preceptor, unit educator, or nurse manager about getting that experience elsewhere. If a certain procedure is going to be done on your unit, see if you can participate (or at least observe). Show your willingness to learn.

Build good relationships. Don't wait for others to come up to you. Introduce yourself to coworkers on all three shifts, to physicians, and to others. Have lunch with someone you don't know, and get to know him or her better. Learn others' names, and use them. Say good morning and good night to everyone. Become part of the team.

Keep learning. Use your drug reference guide, the Internet, policy and procedure manuals, and other resources. Ask questions, observe experienced people, and ask more questions. Remember-you have to do something for the first time only once. Then it starts to be old hat. Do your homework at the end of each day, and look up things that are new to you. Remember-this is phase two of your education.

Join professional associations. Become a member of your state nurses association and specialty association. These affiliations help you stay on the cutting edge, provide sources of support and help, offer educational programs, and give you a forum to share ideas, and so on. Don't stay isolated within your department and your facility. Become part of the greater whole, and develop close ties with your colleagues on state and national levels.

Track your progress. We all have a tendency to look at where we are now and where we still want to go. We lose sight of the progress we've already made and keep making. Consider starting a log. Record your accomplishments periodically, including any new procedures you do. Start with what you've already done, including getting through school ready to take the boards, and keep adding to it. Review it on a regular basis to see how far you've really come.

Manage your stress. Stress is not something to be tolerated; it should be managed. Everyone has stress in his or her life. As caregivers, we're particularly susceptible. Make time to socialize, engage in leisure activities and hobbies, exercise, meditate, and so on. That way, you'll have more to give your patients, your family, and yourself.

Stay focused, and keep moving forward. With the passage of time, you'll become more confident and comfortable in your new profession. You can do it! How do I know that? Because I was once right where you are now. Who knows? Maybe someday you'll be giving advice to new grads or writing a career advice column for nurses. I've come a long way since I got out of school almost 23 years ago, and you will, too. Hang in there. It's definitely worth it. You can do it. I know you can!