new med surg nurse

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jul 21, 2017

Hi guys,
I just got job offer in med surg midnight shift.
I am starting as a new Nurse.. any advise?
My orientation is 12 weeks.. My unit max 5 patients and there is private room. Each hall has 10 patients. 2 Nursing assistants. I am anxious but excited to start my career.. I would love to transition ICU in near future..
Thank you!

Congratulations on your new job! Med/Surg is interesting and very challenging. You will learn so much and be exposed to a wide variety of disease processes and surgeries. How exciting!

I have so much advice, I'm not sure I can contain it in one measly post. So here are the highlights:

I hope your preceptors are competent, knowledgable nurses who are also skillful and talented teachers. Unfortunately there aren't enough of those paragons to go around, so you might get a lesser preceptor. In fact, odds are you will. You can still learn. Understand that precepting is a difficult and usually thankless job, and some people aren't as good at it as they could be -- or will be, given time. Even if you don't like the way your preceptor teaches or delivers feedback, extract the nugget of information that you need and use it to improve your practice.

Be friendly to everyone. If you're an introvert and this doesn't come naturally to you, I get it. It didn't to me, either. Fake it. Say hello to everyone -- the janitor mopping the floor, the DON stopping by to speak to your manager, the physician who has a reputation for being volitile, your charge nurse, the nurse sitting next to you in report. If they say hello first, that's great. If they don't, you say hello. Nursing is teamwork, and the only way to become part of a team is to BE part of the team. If you act as though you like them, people are more willing to like YOU.

Ask questions, but don't ask stupid questions. There's a big difference between "Mr. P needs a Foley -- Help!" and "Dr. PeeWater ordered a Foley for Mr. NoPeeum. I've read through the procedure and I've gathered the supplies on the list, but I've never done this before. Could we go over this before we go see Mr. NoPeeum?" There's a big difference between asking "Where would I find a list of the phone numbers we use most frequently?" and "What's the number for Blood Bank again?" Carry a small notebook in your pocket and write down the answers to questions you (or someone in your cohort) has asked. Writing it down helps you remember stuff, and you can look over your notebook every day after work.

I know you're through school, but you will have to study at home. You have to study every time you change jobs, especially if you've changed specialties. Even after 30 years of nursing, I had to study at home when I moved 3000 miles and started a job in the same specialty at a different hospital. Please don't be the new grad -- and there's one every year -- who refuses to study at home.

I'm sure others will have plenty of advice, too. Congratulations on your graduation, your licensure and your new job. I wish you the best!

hm1987 · Jul 23, 2017

Thank you so much for the advises!!

Actually I am very kind, down to earth.. I baked for my previous jobs.. I was able to get along with everyone.. I am very hard worker and I do ask a lot questions!!!! I am planning to write all the questions I asked to learn... I am fast learner but I get paranoid if the job isn't done correctly haha!!!!

i am excited for my new experience but nervous since I am tooo nice I feel sometimes it can work against me!!

Thank you again :)