Tips for New Nurses Entering the Workforce

Newly graduated nurses entering the workforce need a good mentor but they are also responsible for their success.

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Tips for New Nurses Entering the Workforce

Being a new nurse can be both exciting and terrifying. You've spent years learning how to become a nurse, but how do you put that into practice? Questions like "what if I make a mistake?” or "what if I'm not really cut out to do this 'nursing' thing?” may enter your mind.  Stop, take a breath, and remember you are a professional who has been getting ready for this moment; now is the time to gain experience, boost confidence, and show everyone who you are made of.

Here are some tips that can help in your new nursing role.

Be a Student

Even though you have graduated, you are still a student – a student with a nursing degree and a nursing license.  Nursing is about life-long learning, no matter how many years you have been practicing. This mindset is key to nursing and especially new nurses. With a mindset that is about learning rather than doing, not only will you be able to gain confidence, but you will also demonstrate your willingness to adapt.  It may not be the way you learned in school, but does it accomplish the same goal?  There are many ways to complete a task, and nursing school prepared you for one of those ways.

Be a Quiet Listener

Listening is a learned skill and sometimes a difficult skill to master.  "Listening well is the kind of skill that benefits from not just teaching but coaching — ongoing, specialized instruction from someone who knows your personal strengths, weaknesses, and most importantly, habits"1.  Listening is not just about hearing the words, it's also about receiving and processing the words, so you respond with confidence and understanding.  When listening, ask yourself these simple questions:

  • Did they share information that I didn't know? If yes, be ready to ask questions to ensure complete understanding.  If you are confident in the topic, listen to what they have to say – keeping in the student mindset – to pick up any tidbits to expand your own knowledge on the subject.
  • Do I need to respond? Responding is a sign of acknowledgment and can also help develop strong connections with your colleagues.

Be in the Moment

Let's face it, nurses are busy and can be distracted from the tasks at hand – even though we are excellent multi-taskers! Being in the moment is intentional: focusing on one thing at a time, paying attention to emotions you are feeling, and responding – not reacting. Make the best of the moment by letting the moment guide you.  What cues are you seeing from your patient? Should you hold their hand and let them cry? Should you let them be angry? How you respond at the moment shows compassion and demonstrates value to others.  Nursing is not just about knowledge and skills, it is about connecting with others and making them feel valued.  "Nurses have the opportunity to focus on empathy, ensuring that the patient feels valued, respected and comfortable with their care"2.

Be Willing

You are excited, you are eager, and you want to show what you've learned in school.  Hold on to that eagerness with confidence and caution.  Volunteer to help with an assignment, offer to help another nurse if they seem overwhelmed, and always be willing to say 'yes' when offered an opportunity to learn. Be willing to set aside your biases and be open to whatever this journey brings your way. However, don't be too willing to do something if that something doesn't seem right or that something is a skill you have not been trained to do – you know your abilities and limitations the best, so be willing but be honest.

Be Confident

To build confidence, plan and organize your work – be prepared. If you start by being prepared, you will feel less anxious and be able to stay calm when things don't go as planned – and we know they won't.  Whatever comes your way, be confident in your ability to manage the situation, and don't be afraid to ask for help. Celebrate the little successes: starting an IV on the first attempt, finding your way around the unit on your own, and completing your charting by the end of the shift.  You are mastering the art of nursing, and you need to celebrate ... you got this!

Be Yourself

You went into nursing to help people, not to be perfect.  Let the real you shine. You get scared, you get excited, you make mistakes, you get tired, you ask questions, and most importantly – you are human! There is no such thing as a perfect human, so don't try to be perfect.  Be the best YOU that people get to meet.

With the right mindset, awareness, and willingness, you will be well on your way to being the nurse you want to be and that your patients deserve ... well done!

References/Resources

1 How to Become a Better Listener: Harvard Business Publishing

2 5 Essential Skills for Compassionate Care in Nursing: Kirby Bates Associates

How to be more present: headspace

Build Confidence as a Nurse: 5 Things to Try on Your Next Shift: RNlessons

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Alicia Otto

About Alicia Otto

Alicia Otto has 29+ years in nursing with experience in hospital, ambulatory, leadership, and academics. Dedicated to helping the next generation of nurses succeed!

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Specializes in Family, Maternal-Child Health.

All good points.  So true about life-long learning.  When you really begin to practice you realize how much there is to learn, and how little you really know in the big picture.  So keep on asking the "whys" and "hows" and not be afraid to say "I don't know, but I'll look it up."  Know your resources...so you know right where to go when you need an answer quickly.

Always remember to keep in the forefront of your mind - "If that was me (or one of my family), how would I want to be treated." "What would I want that nurse or provider to say to me?"

Remember your patients are sick and have their own worries - they don't want to hear the dynamics of the unit, complaints about other staff members, being short-staffed....this can make them fearful about whether or not they are going to receive proper care.  Make a room check without focusing on doing a patient care task - instead take a moment to chat with your patient.

But most importantly compliment yourself each day on something you did well, or just felt good about.  For those things that were challenging, plan how you would improve on them the next time.

If you see a colleague do something you think is stellar - compliment them as well.  All to often nurses failure to pat each other on the back and say "well done."  

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Specializes in Nursing Leadership, Nursing Professor.

Great suggestions and comments.  I often ask my nursing students to keep the following in mind.  

If they are about to deliver care that they would not receive (or have their loved one receive) - don't delivery it!  If the care isn't something that you would receive, why should others?  As you pointed out, patients are with us to receive care, not to hear about the unit dynamics or be on the other end of "cutting corners" because we are understaffed.  We are all patients and will one day be receiving care ourselves.  

I completely agree about complimenting yourself and each other.  Nursing is stressful enough, we need to lift each other up!  

Thanks for sharing your insights.

Alicia

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Specializes in Medsurg.
PositiveEnergy said:

All good points.  So true about life-long learning.  When you really begin to practice you realize how much there is to learn, and how little you really know in the big picture.  So keep on asking the "whys" and "hows" and not be afraid to say "I don't know, but I'll look it up."  Know your resources...so you know right where to go when you need an answer quickly.

Always remember to keep in the forefront of your mind - "If that was me (or one of my family), how would I want to be treated." "What would I want that nurse or provider to say to me?"

Remember your patients are sick and have their own worries - they don't want to hear the dynamics of the unit, complaints about other staff members, being short-staffed....this can make them fearful about whether or not they are going to receive proper care.  Make a room check without focusing on doing a patient care task - instead take a moment to chat with your patient.

But most importantly compliment yourself each day on something you did well, or just felt good about.  For those things that were challenging, plan how you would improve on them the next time.

If you see a colleague do something you think is stellar - compliment them as well.  All to often nurses failure to pat each other on the back and say "well done."  

Amen

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