New Grad Questions

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Hello Everyone,

I've been under a different kind of stressor recently. I am in my last month of the RN program. Graduating June 4th, woot woot!!! I am just worried of not performing as I should once I get a job.

My preceptorship is in a pre and post-op unit. I am a pro at inserting IV's now, haha. I'm just not confident in prioritizing and time management of 5 patients. I havent felt that I've been challenged enough during my clinical rotations. The days that I have been feel like they have been too few and far in between. I am an eager learner, upbeat and can take constructive criticism. My problem is in forgeting textbook things I have learned or something I havent been exposed to enough.

My question is what do you expect from a new grad on your unit? I'm hoping this feeling of uneasiness goes away. Any advice, suggestions, concerns??? Oh and another question, how many of you recommend Kaplan or any other NCLEX prep course?

Thank you all,

Esperanza

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Specializes in ICU/ER.

My advice to you is take it one step at a time.

1st and foremost, concentrate on passing boards. I did not use a review course simply because I did not have an extra 300.00 laying around. I prepared the old fashion way by doing thousand of practice questions out of the books I already owned. Saunders/Davis/Mosby etc. I had done so many questions that I knew driving up to take my boards I could not have possibly prepared any better. When the screen turned blue at #75 I knew in every fiber of my being that I passed. and I did, I did not go through the gut wrenching anxiety others have told me they did. I drove home smiling.

2) once you are an RN, everyone will know you are new, and no one is going to expect you to know everything. I learned more in my 1st 4months as an RN than I learned in 4 years of school.

3) Listen listen listen to you mentor nurses, your nurse supervisor and your peer nurses. They really do want to help you and they will.

4) if given the option, take the harder assignments /patients while you still have a mentor nurse you can count on for help. As once your off orientation, you do need to pull your own weight.

5) help every fellow nurse you can, if you have a moment help them with their patients. Not only will you learn more, you will get a good reputation of a hard worker and an eager learner, but the favor will come back to you ten fold.

Best of luck on a very exciting future!!! Now go prepare for Nclex!

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2) once you are an RN, everyone will know you are new, and no one is going to expect you to know everything.

Great advice racingmom! One correction. Some people, unfortunately, will seem to expect you to know everything, or at least expect you to know more than you do. Don't believe them. Do be open to feedback (listen, listen, listen as racingmom advises) but also do evaluate what you hear before deciding how to take the feedback. Some feedback isn't useful or constructive and is best ignored (eg if you come across an impatient colleague who rolls their eyes and huffs 'How did they let you graduate?' when you ask for assistance on something they think you should know already).

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Specializes in ICU/ER.

You are so right---nursing school in my mind barely scratches the surface of nursing. It is a shame that some people forget that!!!!

I have encountered the "dont know you?" or "Why would you do?" before.

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Specializes in med-surg, BICU.

i always tell ppl "you gotta take kaplan."

i did! i got 75 questions (as well as most of my study budies) and i was outta there! (and yes i did pass on that one and only try)

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Don't waste your money on Kaplan, I found it useless. The only thing worth using was the online portion of the study questions and you can get similar ones MUCH cheaper than Kaplan is offering them for!!!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych.

I recommend the Kaplan study guide that you can purchase for approx. $30 at your local bookstore. Their questions were more like the NCLEX than any of the other study guides. I also knew I passed after 75 questions, drove home smiling, and celebrated that evening.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Once you get through preceptorship and are out on your own you will learn quickly enough. It's like sink or swim! Do not be embarrassed to ask questions even if you think they are trivial. The most important lesson to learn is patient safety. Always check your 5 R's when giving medications. Speak them out loud to yourself if you have to. :nurse:

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My advice is to ASK, ASK, ASK when you're uncertain!! It can save your butt and your patient's! :nurse:

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Thank you all very much for the feedback. I need to come back to this website much more than I do, its so helpful! I guess I'm enjoying it much more now that I have a bit more flexibility with my schedule.

Taking it one step at a time...

Esperanza

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