New Grad Nurse Advice!

[NurseHay]

Hi everyone! I'm new to this site and hope I'm doing this right, but I just need some advice. I start my first ever nursing job at Baylor in Dallas on June 27, 2022. I'm seriously having so much anxiety about it I feel like I can barely breath haha. 

 

So my question is... what are some essential things that any nurse needs to know. I feel a lot less anxious when I feel more prepared, so thats what I'm trying to do. As for "essential things," I'm meaning like actual facts like an example of what I'm meaning is how we need to know that you never give potassium IV push, not just advice for new grads. If this even makes sense... haha.

 

Experienced nurses, PLEASE HELP! LOL

 

[gere7404, BSN, RN]

Congrats on the new job.
You should know what normal values of vitals and labs are, and you should be able to interpret basic telemetry (like, recognize what rhythms will kill your patient).

A lot of what you need to know will depend on your department’s specialty, and your preceptor should fill you in. 

[mmarlene93]

Hi,

Typically when you start as a new graduate nurse at a hospital you will get an orientation to your unit.  During this time, try to absorb as much of the information that is provided to you by your preceptor.  The best advice I can give you is to take a little notepad where you write down helpful tips that you pick up during your first weeks and months.  Going in with an understanding of nursing basics such as lab values, ECG interpretation, and a refresher of the material associated with the unit you will be working in will make the transition much smoother.  For example, I started as a new grad in the Neuro ICU so I reviewed the Neuro section of my critical care book before beginning.