I was just wondering, since I hope to be starting a new grad program in the very near future.....
What are the things that new grads do that really get under your skin?? Have there ever been times that a new grads judgement/critical thinking skills (or lack there of) have scared the pants off of you??
Just wondering...... :)
Just thought someone may want to vent on this one, I would love to hear it, since I want to avoid being one of those nurses like the plague
Specializes in Pain Management, RN experience was in ER.
Don't focus so much on charting, to-do list that you're not forgetting to see the patient and take care of them first. Dressing and tubing changes, charting, etc can WAIT! Teach yourself how to prioritize. I know new nurses don't want to feel behind so they are "doing" things that eventually need to be done... just not in the right order!
Always ask questions and don't let anyone intimidate you. A very small majority of nurses think that too many questions is irritating. Simply keep asking and always remember the nursing process and maslow's heirarchy of needs. Prioritize your patients needs in those two things. If you don't understand an order or your patients condition is worsening never hesitate to call the doctor no matter how rude they are. Simply state why you are calling and any pertinant assessment highlights to him or her. Any new graduate that is arrogant or acts omnipitant really friightens me. No one person knows everything.
They will judge our patients and their families and choices the moms have made. I'm a NICU nurse. No matter where you work or what 'flavor' nurse you become, remember this...you become who you are by your experiences, you get to where you are by choices you make, by the paths that present themselves in the road of your life. Unless you have walked with a person through their life, you have no idea of what they have been through, what they have seen, or why they act the way they do. Even all of us on here haven't had perfect lives, I'm very thankful that I am where I am, because I could have easily taken another path. Please don't judge your patients, you have no idea of why they are the who they are. They might be a big PITA to you, but they are going through one of the most stressful times in their life and they need a little control.
Don't be lazy, and don't act like you know it all. I know it's been said many times, but that's the thing the rest of us hate - when you act like you already know everything. You don't. There are nuances to things that you don't learn in nursing school. Like, if you work in a cardiac unit and typically you might hold a drug like Lopressor or Coreg (as you learned in school) for certain SBP parameters, but in reality you don't always do that because it depends on the individual patient. Ask the nurses you work with about those situations.
Nobody expects you to be anywhere near perfect, you just have to be willing to learn and easy to get along with.
I have been fortunate to work with some excellent new grads, unfortunately we have one now that has been a nightmare and it throws off the entire team. I'm never bothered by questions so ask away! What I am bothered by are new grads that think they know the right way to do things based on what they learned in school. I'm not knocking new knowledge but imo most of what we do is because it works so please keep an open mind and use the experienced nurses as a resource.
Were you ever a new grad or you skipped through it?
Been a nurse 3 years and I still vividly remember how it felt like so am not going to be quick to pick on new grads...they are learning!!!
I have seen nurses with years of experience do really unsafe things at work. And I have seen New grads who I would want to take care of me if I were sick.
Being a good nurse is individual not categorical.
You are very right... I just graduated in 2008 with BSN. No matter how fast a new nurse can learn, experienced nurses will always judge them because they're new. I had worked with veteran nurses who lost compassion about their profession.
I was in ER then, I triage patients with the best my knowledge and often get to be pushed around by these nurses that select patients for their assigned beds. I had to listen to them because they helped me with things I was not sure of doing but some nurses take advantage of that. Also saw lots of UN-sterile techniques that they do.
I believed that being a good preceptor nurse of grads, their future work ethics is in your hands. One preceptor should provide guidance and share knowledge. Do not put newbies on the spot, if so they will be discourage. Use you own judgment/ask if the grad is comfortable with what he/she is doing. Offer help!!!
But you don't have to listen to me, I'm just a novice nurse.
1. Don't be shy to ask questions no matter how many sighs and eye rolls you get. Like somebody said, a safe nurse is one that asks questions.
2. Don't be a "know-it-all"...be humble and learn.
I know these things are true--a new nurse should approach orientation as a learning experience--but you gotta admit that if you ask questions (not be a know-it-all) and you get the "sighs and eye rolls" in return, it doesn't make for a pleasant experience. I mean, as a family member of a patient, my very first question to a nurse one time elicited a sigh and an eye roll!!!
I guess if you're a new nurse, and you're concentrating on all these new things (including not killing a patient), having to deal with your preceptor's personality issues just seems a little bit much.
Hi, I am a student, and sometimes I struggle because there are some nurses at the hospital that refuse to teach us and I wonder why they do not want to teach us. I understand that there are many things we do not know and we may be clumsy when it comes to skills, but we have to start somewhere.....
Hi, I am a student, and sometimes I struggle because there are some nurses at the hospital that refuse to teach us and I wonder why they do not want to teach us. I understand that there are many things we do not know and we may be clumsy when it comes to skills, but we have to start somewhere.....
It is unfortunate but please remember that they are probably trying to do 2-nurses' work load and sometimes it is impossible to slow the pace down. Do not let that stop you from looking for a floor nurse that will be interested in helping you during clinicals because they are out there. I'm almost always willing to let someone trail me and observe if I'm too busy to actually assist them in doing a task.
Hi, I am a student, and sometimes I struggle because there are some nurses at the hospital that refuse to teach us and I wonder why they do not want to teach us. I understand that there are many things we do not know and we may be clumsy when it comes to skills, but we have to start somewhere.....
Whatever you see in the hospital/workplace, take in the positive things and out the negative. You will find someone who will teach you. Remember that every nurse was a student once. Get as much skills as you can and know that you will make mistakes like every nurse.
When I started working in the ER, I start IVs 2-3x in one patient. I kept telling myself that I will get better. A year later, even veteran nurses ask me for help to start IVs for them. Just always be honest to your patients and tell them what you are about to do and why you are doing it. Doing so, let them know that you know your stuff.
If the nurses in that hospital do not want to teach you, well at least you know where not to work at as a nurse.
)
NurseAdida
125 Posts
1. Don't be shy to ask questions no matter how many sighs and eye rolls you get. Like somebody said, a safe nurse is one that asks questions.
2. Don't be a "know-it-all"...be humble and learn.