Starting Med/Surg in 2 weeks. What to study up on beforehand!?

[LexannLay]

Hi!

I am a recent graduate and I start my first nursing job on a Med/Surg unit in 2 weeks!

what are some “must knows” before starting?? I’m not necessarily asking along the lines of “Don’t be afraid to ask questions” or “time management is key!”

I really am wanting to know what I can actually study to make myself slightly more confident and competent on the floor?

Things such as

-what common meds on a med/Surg unit

-technical skills- how to clean a trach, inserting IV, NG tube insertion, etc

I truly appreciate ANY tips/knowledge that you share with me!!! I am just so nervous!

[Emergent, RN]

I think you should relax and enjoy your time off. Then you'll be rested in order to fully apply yourself in 2 weeks.

[KrysyRN, BSN]

If you still have your Nursing Skills textbook, review the processes, including the videos on the textbook's website, for all of the tasks you've mentioned. You can also review YouTube videos.

If you still have your med-surg textbook, thoroughly review the section on diabetes, insulin, the diet, etc.

[CharleeFoxtrot, BSN, RN]

1 hour ago, Emergent said:

I think you should relax and enjoy your time off. Then you'll be rested in order to fully apply yourself in 2 weeks.

This is excellent advice. Rest the mind and body.

[JKL33]

On 11/28/2019 at 10:33 AM, LexannLay said:

I truly appreciate ANY tips/knowledge that you share with me!!! I am just so nervous!

You will benefit yourself the most by mentally and emotionally preparing to remain upbeat, positive and calm during the learning process, including if/when you encounter situations where your actions are reviewed or a different action is recommended.

I sincerely do not think it is a good use of your time or emotional energy to start up a nursing school review at this juncture. It is much more important that you focus on remaining calm so that you can be fully engaged no matter what you are learning.

Good luck! ??

[AlwaysLearning247, BSN]

You will learn everything during training. Hands on always makes it stick better. If there is a topic I am still unsure about, I research it. I enjoy watching YouTube videos on skills that I’m not 100% comfortable with and it really helps. Good luck!!

[Cowboyardee]

Option 1: rest, eat well, sleep well, see friends and family, get into a good frame of mind to start in a couple weeks, just as others have suggested.

Option 2: pick out some subject that interests you and, preferably, that relates to some aspect of the job you'll have and just start reading. Learn all about it, even if what you learn doesn't especially apply to your job.

Will this help you be any more prepared for your new gig in a couple weeks? Not really. But if you keep it up and make a habit of spending a little of your free time searching out info on work-related subjects, it starts to add up eventually. May as well start now.

Best wishes.