oznut13

Welcome to your nursing adventure! As a current student ready to graduate in December and over the "hump" of my core classes and clinicals, I can tell you it is one wild ride. I moved home (no rent), quit my night job (more time to study, not sleep), and have no children. I cannot imagine doing this program (accelerated) with a family. The hardest part for me, personally, was not being able to give it my best due to lack of time. Literally studying 10 hour days, on maybe 2 hours of sleep a night, at the hospital all the time trying to soak up experience and valuable tips from nurses, write my papers, and then read, read, and read. On top of that, studying for exams. It's crazy but so worth it. I have never had a feeling of such reward and accomplishment, even on bad days or even with non compliant patients, I know this is the place for me and that's what keeps me going. I know I am doing good work. My tips are similar to previous posts: -eat right!!!!! preplanned meals are really the only way to go. I have found some healthy choices that are always in my car that can heat up in the microwave (brown rice, some soups, etc. and this way I am never tempted to eat the goodies that flood the unit or let my sugar get too low. always pack bars and stash them everywhere- backpack, car, scrub pocket. take care of yourself and you will be much happier. -find something that is JUST YOURS (for example, I practice yoga everyday no matter how early or what I have to give up I give myself one hour of nothing but me time and it really pays off. When I can't make a class- I do it in my room, outside, anywhere that just me time with no distractions) -keep your friends and family informed. You will most likely "fall off the face of the earth" because you will be so busy and you will hear from your friends, "we never see you, etc. etc.". One thing that was really helpful to me was I started sending out mass text message to my select family and friends that I would regularly see throughout the month, but while in nursing school just didn't have time. It would always say something about how I was thinking of them, that I value them and I miss seeing them; that I am extremely busy but enjoying it and learning so much. I would include that when I get free time I would lvoe to be caught up on events in their lives and also, I would often add that I was sorry I couldn't make certain get togethers but I appreciate the invites and thoughtfulness because it makes me feel loved. This way your family and friends just don't "assume" you can't make it and start leaving you out. You may start to feel left out becaus eyou will be missing alot of events. Then, I still received invites, but they always understood when I couldn't make it. This really saved me phone calls and time spent explaining my situation (again) to every friend and gave me the space I needed while still communicating to my friends that I haven't forgotten about them and things that may be happening in their lives (new babies, family get togethers, graduations, etc.) -Lastly, don't be too hard on yourself. The important thing is that you are learning, not what grade you get on certain papers, etc. Surround yourself with other learners and you will do just fine. Good luck! Jacqui -

What usually happens is a clinical floor nurse shows great leadership skills and clinical expertise that the faculty decide to promote this nurse to a management type of role without any formal training. Obviously this causes a period of "learning" for the nurse to switch from a clinical bedside role to a management role. It can be even more difficult when floor nurses have never been introduced to topics like budgeting for the unit, hiring/firing, and measuring quality control. I currently have to write a paper about this topic and was hoping some people could help me. Basically, my group's topic is leadership transition for nurses and the benefits and/or weaknesses of training or lack of training to make this transition. My section of the paper is called an "action item" where by I have decided to find a few nurses in the community who have experienced this transition and give details about their own experiences, making the current trend by health care organizations known. I was hoping anyone could help me and qucikly answer a few questions for me (2-3 sentences at most, if that) and if you wouldn't mind me using your experiences in my paper?? Obviously it will be anonymous. I'm just looking to see what is the current trend of the nursing community regarding support or lack of for transitioning roles within the same organization. The questions basically are: 1. What type of health care organization are you employed? 2. What transitional role did you go from and into? 3. Was there a leadership or management training provided for you (maybe a pamphlet and no formal training, formal classes, or shadowing another manager prior to pormotion)? 4. if there was no formal training, what did you struggle with most (budgeting, staffing, audits, communication, repriimanding, etc?)? 5. If there was formal training, what do you think was left out of the training, if anything? 5. if there was or was not training invovled, what would you have liked to have been trained in now that you hold the leadership position, having hindsight? 6. Do you think this is an issue for nursing: promoting bedside nurses to leadership roles without training? If you fit the description and could breifly answer these questions I would be soooooo grateful. If you would like to answer them privately, my email is [email protected]. Thank You!

Basically, my group's topic is leadership transition for nurses and the benefits and/or weaknesses of training or lack of training to make this transition. What usually happens is a clinical floor nurse shows great leadership skills and clinical expertise that the faculty decide to promote this nurse to a management type of role without any formal training. Obviously this causes a period of "learning" for the nurse to switch from a clinical bedside role to a management role. It can be even more difficult when floor nurses have never been introduced to topics like budgeting for the unit, hiring/firing, and measuring quality control. My section of the paper is called an "action item" where by I have decided to find a few nurses in the community who have experienced this transition and give details about their own experiences, making the current trend by health care organizations known. I was hoping anyone could help me and qucikly answer a few questions for me (2-3 sentences at most, if that) and if you wouldn't mind me using your experiences in my paper?? Obviously it will be anonymous. I'm just looking to see what is the current trend of the nursing community regarding support or lack of for transitioning roles within the same organization. The questions basically are: 1. What type of health care organization are you employed? 2. What transitional role did you go from and into? 3. Was there a leadership or management training provided for you (maybe a pamphlet and no formal training, formal classes, or shadowing another manager prior to pormotion)? 4. if there was no formal training, what did you struggle with most (budgeting, staffing, audits, communication, repriimanding, etc?)? 5. If there was formal training, what do you think was left out of the training, if anything? 5. if there was or was not training invovled, what would you have liked to have been trained in now that you hold the leadership position, having hindsight? 6. Do you think this is an issue for nursing: promoting bedside nurses to leadership roles without training? If you fit the description and could breifly answer these questions I would be soooooo grateful. If you would like to answer them privately, my email is [email protected]. Thank You!