New Hire RN - PCU (Cardiac Floor)

[ColorfulStethoscope]

Hello All,

I recently graduate from Nursing school in May of this year. I took my NCLEX-RN on July 29th and was licensed on July 31st. I went on my first interview last week and was offered the position!

The floor is a PCU-Cardiac floor which also takes vents. I start orientation on Sept 8th and orientation is 10 weeks long, I was curious if anyone could give me some pointers about what to expect for this orientation and what I can look over this week to prepare for orientation.

Any tips and tricks are helpful and always welcome!

Thanks so much!

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

Congratulations!

I would advise you to enjoy your break. Be rested refreshed and energetic.

You have been offered a wonderful opportunity to learn skills that you can take with you anywhere in life.

Don't be the entitled overconfident new person. Be humble friendly and helpful to all.

Some basics to get down are cardiac rhythms and IV starts. You will get the rest in your orientation and preceptorship.

Do keep all of your paperwork organized in a binder.

Your personal reference binder will come in very handy when you are on your own.

[ColorfulStethoscope]

Thanks so much icurnmaggie! I have been trying to relax a bit, but I'm so nervous that I don't know anything and am going make a fool of myself. Everyone tells me this is a common feeling so I shouldn't worry, just be prepared to learn and then go home and review more. Everyone I know who is a nurse has told me that real nursing is so much different then school nursing..,. I am very excited for my first job and I'm willing to give it my all in order to be successful!

I already have a binder with tabs ready for Monday mornings orientation!

Thanks again! :)

[Biffbradford]

Vents on the floor? What will they think of next? I would review ABGs then. Perhaps basic vent settings. Trach suctioning technique. (OH, they have RTs - yeah, but you never know when you'll have to jump in the mix).

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

I like to tell new grads this is your fifth year of nursing school. I understand that after graduation and NCLEX the last thing you feel like doing is reading a nursing textbook but you have to make an effort to read up on anything that is new to you. Make little notes to look things up when you have the time. Being a Critical Care nurse means being a life long learner.

Also join AACN. There is a huge amount of reference material available on their website.

The AACN procedure manual is considered policy and procedure in many hospitals, know where to find it, get a copy if you can. Know exactly what is expected of you and what is the standard of care for every procedure by looking it up.

Attend regional Critical Care Conferences and any educational offering related to Critical Care, especially PCCN and CCRN review courses even if you don't have the clinical hours yet to take the exam.