Role transition

[pollywollywogs85]

in just a few more weeks, i will be graduating from nursing school. i am very excited about it but i have noticed that i have gotten quite comfortable in my student nurse role. for example, in clinical, i can always tell the patient "let me go get the nurse" if i am at a loss as what to do. however, around the start of the new year, i will be the nurse and it's kinda freaking me out. i am wondering how to successfully make the transition from student nurse to rn (besides for the state board exam;)).

[namaste_71]

Congratulations! You might want to ask if your employer (or potential employer) has a nurse internship/residency/mentoring program -- something beyond 2 weeks orientation on your unit of hire. Some hospitals even have new grad units, where they pair GNs with experienced preceptors. The time on the new grad unit can run 6-8 weeks (you'll strengthen your nursing, assessment and critical thinking skills, as well as get familiar with the overall hospital "culture), then you're transitioned to your unit-of-hire for additional training specific to your new job.

No matter what, ask for specifics about the kind of training new grads receive.

What state are you in?

[mama_d, BSN, RN]

Figure out who the nurses that you can rely on for help are. Talk with some of the newer nurses on the unit to find out who they went to for help. Ideally, you'll end up on a unit where teamwork is valued and you're not put down for being a new grad and making that transition. You should never feel like you're on your own without a resource to go to, regardless of if you've been on the floor for one week or thirty years.

Don't just say "I know" when your preceptor asks you about something...what you know from school and the way it's done on the floor may be two different (but similar) things. A better way IMO is "this is how I learned it in school...a, b, c....is that how it is here?" Shows you know how you learned it but gives your preceptor a way to explain to you a different way to do it without concern for feelings getting hurt.

Also, it may help you out if you ask your preceptor from the get go to go over with you at the end of each shift three things you did well and she/he feels comfortable with you handling by yourself and three things for you to work on. I've noticed that many of our preceptors on my unit don't have a way to comfortably tell their orientees what they need to work on. If you present a way from the beginning for them to do this, they'll be more apt to feel open to do so, and the positive reinforcement of what you're doing right will help to take any sting out of being told what you need to work on.

Your biggest issue is probably going to be time management, try to learn from the experienced nurses how they organize their "brain sheets" and use their tips to make your own that work for you.

Good luck in transitioning to a full fledged nurse, remember that the first year is the hardest but you'll have many who are rooting for you along the way.

[suzy253, RN]

You might also want to see if you can get the book "From Novice to Expert" by Patricia Brenner.