Survival Tips for First Year Nurses

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2004

Always check the pt's allergies when giving a med you havn't given him before. Do this even if the pt has already been getting this med from other nurses.

There have been a couple of times in my career where there have been pts w/ itching and rashes, and no one knew why, they just kept giving Benedryl.

In one case, the pt had been getting a med that he was allergic to, for three days. In the other case, nurses kept giving Benedryl, Atarax, applying cortisone cream to a new admit. Couldn't figure out what was causing the itchy rash. Her chart said she was allergic to latex- and the pt had a latex foley in.

PJMommy · Apr 25, 2004

I'm on the job for 3 months and will add this: Get a little, pocket-sized notebook and WRITE IT DOWN! What all do I need to get to the bedside for a central line placement? Oh...it's all here in my little book!! What is RT's pager #? Right here in the little book.... Saves me from hunting down the info or asking the same question more than once.

PJMommy · Apr 25, 2004

I'm on the job for 3 months and will add this: Get a little, pocket-sized notebook and WRITE IT DOWN! What all do I need to get to the bedside for a central line placement? Oh...it's all here in my little book!! What is RT's pager #? Right here in the little book.... Saves me from hunting down the info or asking the same question more than once.

angel337, MSN, RN · Apr 25, 2004

as an ed nurse the best advice i can give is to always document any change in a pt's status followed by what doc you notified. i work with a nurse who almost got suspended for not doing that. the ed is so fast paced you can easily make a mistake if you don't pay attention. i don't care if a doc appears annoyed by me telling them something that may seem mediocre, it is my license, my patient. and also i don't agree with not suggesting something new to a seasoned nurse. sometimes experienced nurses like to know how to do things differently also. yes be humble, but you don't have to pretend you don't know something when you do just to make someone feel superior. it is not what you say or do but how you present it. be nice, be approachable and most importantly be willling to help others. :)

angel337, MSN, RN · Apr 25, 2004

as an ed nurse the best advice i can give is to always document any change in a pt's status followed by what doc you notified. i work with a nurse who almost got suspended for not doing that. the ed is so fast paced you can easily make a mistake if you don't pay attention. i don't care if a doc appears annoyed by me telling them something that may seem mediocre, it is my license, my patient. and also i don't agree with not suggesting something new to a seasoned nurse. sometimes experienced nurses like to know how to do things differently also. yes be humble, but you don't have to pretend you don't know something when you do just to make someone feel superior. it is not what you say or do but how you present it. be nice, be approachable and most importantly be willling to help others. :)

Tweety, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2004

Great advice here. The only thing I can add is be gentle with yourself at the end of the day. Know that there are going to be a lot of times when you feel disorganized, incompetent, and overwhelmed. You are going to ask the question "why did I ever become a nurse, I was better off a CNA" over and over. Realize that all of this is normal and a sign that you are on your way to a good and caring nurse.

Also, get ego out of the way. You don't have to know it all. :)

Tweety, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2004

Great advice here. The only thing I can add is be gentle with yourself at the end of the day. Know that there are going to be a lot of times when you feel disorganized, incompetent, and overwhelmed. You are going to ask the question "why did I ever become a nurse, I was better off a CNA" over and over. Realize that all of this is normal and a sign that you are on your way to a good and caring nurse.

Also, get ego out of the way. You don't have to know it all. :)

Supercalifragilistic · Apr 25, 2004

Great advice here. The only thing I can add is be gentle with yourself at the end of the day. Know that there are going to be a lot of times when you feel disorganized, incompetent, and overwhelmed. You are going to ask the question "why did I ever become a nurse, I was better off a CNA" over and over. Realize that all of this is normal and a sign that you are on your way to a good and caring nurse.
Also, get ego out of the way. You don't have to know it all. :)

thanks, tweety - needed to hear this one this morning! been at the job for 8 months now, going much better now than in the first few months --- but had "one of those nights" last night. felt like i left things pretty disorganized, and felt pretty incompetent by the end of the shift...nothing major, just little things that i should have been more on top of.

however i AM learning to be gentle with myself at the end of the day. thanks for the reminder...:)

Supercalifragilistic · Apr 25, 2004

Great advice here. The only thing I can add is be gentle with yourself at the end of the day. Know that there are going to be a lot of times when you feel disorganized, incompetent, and overwhelmed. You are going to ask the question "why did I ever become a nurse, I was better off a CNA" over and over. Realize that all of this is normal and a sign that you are on your way to a good and caring nurse.
Also, get ego out of the way. You don't have to know it all. :)

thanks, tweety - needed to hear this one this morning! been at the job for 8 months now, going much better now than in the first few months --- but had "one of those nights" last night. felt like i left things pretty disorganized, and felt pretty incompetent by the end of the shift...nothing major, just little things that i should have been more on top of.

however i AM learning to be gentle with myself at the end of the day. thanks for the reminder...:)

orrnlori, RN · Apr 25, 2004

Great advice here. The only thing I can add is be gentle with yourself at the end of the day. Know that there are going to be a lot of times when you feel disorganized, incompetent, and overwhelmed. You are going to ask the question "why did I ever become a nurse, I was better off a CNA" over and over. Realize that all of this is normal and a sign that you are on your way to a good and caring nurse.
Also, get ego out of the way. You don't have to know it all. :)

By the same token, if you find yourself in tears at the end of every shift, if you pray you'll wreck your car on the way to work so you don't have to go, THEN MOVE ON. I wouldn't be a nurse now if I'd stayed in the unit that made me so miserable as a new nurse.

orrnlori, RN · Apr 25, 2004

Great advice here. The only thing I can add is be gentle with yourself at the end of the day. Know that there are going to be a lot of times when you feel disorganized, incompetent, and overwhelmed. You are going to ask the question "why did I ever become a nurse, I was better off a CNA" over and over. Realize that all of this is normal and a sign that you are on your way to a good and caring nurse.
Also, get ego out of the way. You don't have to know it all. :)

By the same token, if you find yourself in tears at the end of every shift, if you pray you'll wreck your car on the way to work so you don't have to go, THEN MOVE ON. I wouldn't be a nurse now if I'd stayed in the unit that made me so miserable as a new nurse.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2004

thanks, tweety - needed to hear this one this morning! been at the job for 8 months now, going much better now than in the first few months --- but had "one of those nights" last night. felt like i left things pretty disorganized, and felt pretty incompetent by the end of the shift...nothing major, just little things that i should have been more on top of.
however i AM learning to be gentle with myself at the end of the day. thanks for the reminder...:)

Yep. I have to remind myself even today.