New grad on Ortho unit

Specialties Orthopaedic

Published

Hello. I am a new grad working on an Ortho/Neuro unit and I need help with organization and time management worksheets. If anyone has any helpful hints on what should be on a sheet or if anyone as a sheet that they could share I would greately appreciate it! Thanks

Hey! I'm a "new grad" (graduated May 2009) and am getting ready to start orientation for my first job on ortho/neuro. What are your thoughts on the unit? What things did you find to be easy? Difficult? What would you recommend I know going into it?? I really feel there's a lot that I don't remember from school, and it is really freaking me out! The fear of the unknown is also getting to me! I'm trying to just step back and celebrate the fact that I finally get to start practicing what I went to school for! It was a long time coming!

Hey! I'm a "new grad" (graduated May 2009) and am getting ready to start orientation for my first job on ortho/neuro. What are your thoughts on the unit? What things did you find to be easy? Difficult? What would you recommend I know going into it?? I really feel there's a lot that I don't remember from school, and it is really freaking me out! The fear of the unknown is also getting to me! I'm trying to just step back and celebrate the fact that I finally get to start practicing what I went to school for! It was a long time coming!

Good luck! Check your pm, I just sent you a few thoughts about getting started..

I could ask all of the same. I start on an orthopedics unit next month as a new grad. I'm already sweating about the math test I have to take. Any advice for preparation would be greatly appreciated.

Hi:

Any sage advice for a new grad nurse who is interviewing for an Ortho internship.....:nurse:

It would be great if you could share what you sent... I am in the same boat as the original poster.

Does anyone have advice? I start on an ortho unit in a few weeks as a new grad!

I work ortho!! One of the keys to ortho nursing is mobility. It is essential! Get your patients up moving as quick as possible. Always encourage commode or toilet use. Bedpans are forbidden on our unit! Bowel care has to always be on your mind! Ortho patients are not as mobile as usual and are often taking narcotics. Start bowel care early! Organization can be challenging at times. I always look at what "needs" to be done and prioritize from there. Drains need to come out, dressings need to be done, pain management and mobility are also essential.

It's important to know your hospitals policies and your doctors protocols. Do foleys and PCAs have to be D/Ced at a certain time? How often do you need vitals and I/O's? What sort of documentation do you need to do? For a lot of new grads the biggest time waster is going back and checking to make sure everything they were supposed to do it documented. Include a list of checkboxes so that once something is done and documented, you can cross it off and know it's done and not have to spend time going back to make sure you did things. It also helps remind you what you need to do before you walk into a patients room. A lot of the nurses I work with use stickers or index cards on their badges to remind themselves about our protocols.

Hey! I'm a "new grad" (graduated May 2009) and am getting ready to start orientation for my first job on ortho/neuro. What are your thoughts on the unit? What things did you find to be easy? Difficult? What would you recommend I know going into it?? I really feel there's a lot that I don't remember from school, and it is really freaking me out! The fear of the unknown is also getting to me! I'm trying to just step back and celebrate the fact that I finally get to start practicing what I went to school for! It was a long time coming!

I also graduated in May 2009 and next week I am starting my orientation to an ortho floor. Since nursing school I have been working in addictions and just need a change. I don't want to loose my skills and it would be nice to see a patient get better once in a while. Have you worked anywhere since graduating? Good luck to you. I know I am super excited!

Starting on a ortho/neuro unit in a few weeks. Also excited and nervous.

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