Starting First Job..a few Qs?

[stuRN6]

Hi all! I just got hired for my first RN job on a med-surg floor. I am so nervous and excited! I have been out of school for over a year due to personal reasons. Now I am so scared that I have forgotten everything! Anyways, this might sound like a dumb question...but what should I bring with me to my first day of orientation? Should I bring books, etc.? Also, I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts about whether I should review material first like some common procedures, meds, etc. One friend of mine thought that I should just start slowly and that if I try to review everything I will just feel more overwhelmed. But I feel like I maybe should at least review some things. I mean it's been over a year since I have done any nursing at all! Thanks for any suggestions!

:)

[MIA-RN1, RN]

I think it depends on your orientation. My first day was a group of about 50 people, all new hires to the hospital but not all nurses. It coveredt hings like code of conduct, dress code etc. So if that is what your first day is going to be, just wear professional clothes and bring a pen.

I also had a few weeks of classroom orientation, which was directed towards nurses. We were a group of new grads, so it really reviewed the basics that we needed to know, as well as taught us how to insert IV's. Again, for that it was just a pen and a notebook to take notes.

When I (FINALLY) hit the floor, I brought my stethoscope, pens, small pad in my pocket for notes, money for lunch...thats about it. There is a drugbook on the floor and really, you won't have time (or necessarily need) to refer back to textbooks. (I sold all mine!)

I work maternity, so I also brought a folder with my notes from school which I keep in my medbook for reference. But I didn't need it then. Mostly I was shadowing, learning the routines and the paperwork.

I think that if you go for a few days, look to see what your patients are facing, and review as you go...you will be okay. Trying to reread and review everything you learned will be too overwhleming on top of all the new stuff you will learn. Its true when they say that school only gives you the basics, your real learning begins when you first hit the floor.

Good luck and congrats on the job!

[stuRN6]

Well my orientation is mostly on the floor. I am just going to hit the floor on my first day and then have a class once a week as far as I know. I am the only new grad orienting. It's a small community hospital that I don't think hires new grads very often. So I am assuming I am going to wear scrubs my first day. Thanks you for your suggestions CoopergrrlRN!!!

[Cardiac-RN]

take a pocket drug book with u to look up the things u don't remember from school as u encounter them, and a notepad to write down all the important things about the unit that u need to know- numbers, security codes, emergency codes etc.

review the nrs procedures for things like IV starts and IV med administration just to refamiliarize urself.

enjoy ur first day : )