Skillz....

Hello,

I am a newly graduated RN who just starting working at a psych facility. We don't perform any invasive procedures at my job. I am worried that I will lose my skills that I have learned in nursing school. Does anyone know of a good way to keep your skills fresh???

If you're a new graduate, you probably don't have many "skillz" to speak of. If you want to learn different things than what you're learning now, look for a different position. If your unit is part of a larger hospital (or system), you could also ask to cross-train.

Thank you and your right I don't have many skills just what I learned in school. I was just wondering if there were any kind of classes ect. out there. Thanks for your input

What kind of skills are you concerned that you're losing? Most you'll pick back up if you switch to another job. I haven't accessed a port in 3 years, for example, but I could easily pick the skill back up if I went back to a job that required that skill because it's something I did regularly for 3 years. At my last job, I hadn't placed an NG tube in 3 years and then one day I had to place one. I did it no problem. My job before this, I was a clinical liaison doing primarily education and care coordination. I didn't touch a stethoscope for 3 years. Now in my new job, I am doing nursing assessments on my patients again. I didn't forget how to listen to heart and lung sounds.

I don't understand it when people talk about being afraid of losing their skills. What skill are you referring to? There are many nursing skills. You will use some in one setting and a different set in other settings. You will be practiced at what you do often, that's true. But it's really not that difficult to pick up on things when needed. Honestly, I haven't inserted a catheter in a couple of years, but I am not afraid of "losing" that skill. I'm sure if I move from my job to another one that requires I do that regularly, I will pick it up again no problem. Will you be afraid of losing the skills you acquire as a psyche nurse when and if you move on to another setting? IMO, the most important part of nursing is using your brain to solve problems and get the proper care to the patients. Sometimes that will require tasks and sometimes it will require decision making and delegation, etc. Most nursing tasks you learn in school are not that difficult to learn or relearn. However, if you want to practice them regularly, you will have to find a job that uses them. Perhaps you could find a prn job that keeps your "skills" practiced.

In psych you'll learn a whole new set of skills on how to talk to people.