Tips for nurses in their first year of nursing

Nurses New Nurse

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Please share any tips you might have for our new nurses. Hopefully, this will become a great resource of nursing tips from all of our experienced nurses from around the globe.

always wear a mask and goggles when doing trach care....the stuff that flies out of there during a cough is high powered. "Now here's spit in your eye"

Thanks for the tip, it is good to keep this in mind...... will remember this one :)

Specializes in ICU.

I found that if you have a keofeed NG tube to give meds down, if the crushed med clumps, you will most likely get it stuck in the tube, to avoid this headache, try mixing your med in thicket(if you are lucky enough to have some and it is not contraindicated for your patient), this will keep the med from clumping and keep it separated out enough to send it down that small tube!

Specializes in None...YET!.
Ever have an "I wish I was told this" moment? Well, we all do as nurses regarding school. Here are some things I wish they told me nursing school (and some I wish they had emphasized more)----and what I told another new BSN nurse in a different thread (and it would be the same advice I would give any new nurse/grad):

You have achieved a great thing, graduating and earning your degree (BSN, ADN , LPN or Diploma). Now, the REAL learning begins......

Don't ever pretend to know what you don't. Be a sponge---watch and listen to what is going on around you. Take mental notes. Find mentors and emulate their good habits. Take note of the bad habits and avoid those.

Listen to your patients; they know their bodies better than you do.

Have integrity----be honest with yourself and others.

Stay out of the gossip game/circle. It goes nowhere and brings down morale, including your own.

Be on time! EVERYtime. When you are late, so am I. And I don't like to be late!

Stay organized as possible. Keep up on your charting and tasks as they come up. Dont' save it all for "later"---there may not be time, "later".

Do it right the first time, even if there IS "no time". Believe me, there is no time to "Do it over", either.

Plan for the worst; hope for the best.

Be someone they can rely on---and rely on yourself!

Take good care of yourself; eat well, exercise. It's the only body you got and you are gonna need it. Nurture the self. Nurses have a tendency to martyr themselves and neglect their own needs. Don't be one of them; it's a fast superhighway to burn-out.

Nourish the mind. Plan on spending a LOT of time investing in your continuing education as a nurse. The world of nursing/medicine is changing faster everyday. You are going to have to make a conscious and concerted effort to "stay abreast". It's more work than you imagine right now.....plan on it.

Learn assertiveness if you have not already. Lots of good books and conferences/seminars exist. Learn early-on you no are NO ONE's doormat. Also, know there is a difference between "assertion" and "aggression".

Work hard, yes, but don't forget to PLAY hard too! Have hobbies you enjoy. Your life is NOT your work, and while being a nurse is part of who you are, it need not *define* you.

Believe in your self and good instincts. Sometimes, "instinct" is what lets us know something is amiss or wrong with our patients. Never ignore that gut instinct. It's very often right! BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!!!!!

After 8 years in nursing, these things are things I have learned the "hard way"; hopefully you don't have to.

Warm, hearty congratulations to you and all new grads here. I wish you all good things in your new careers.

I wanted to give you a big (((HUG))) after reading your post! It's very inspiring! Thanks!:1luvu:

Specializes in ICU, telemetry, LTAC.

I almost forgot: get a big lunchbox. And I mean a big one. You need room for one to three bottles of fluids, your lunch/dinner, and a couple of snacks. When it's busy and no time to leave the floor, you'll appreciate being able to not starve to death. Side effect is that it's probably easier on the budget than frequent cafeteria and vending machine visits.

the tips you gave were very helpful and practical especially for first timers like me . thanks a lot ! good job! ;)

ever have an "i wish i was told this" moment? well, we all do as nurses regarding school. here are some things i wish they told me nursing school (and some i wish they had emphasized more)----and what i told another new bsn nurse in a different thread (and it would be the same advice i would give any new nurse/grad):

you have achieved a great thing, graduating and earning your degree (bsn, adn , lpn or diploma). now, the real learning begins......

don't ever pretend to know what you don't. be a sponge---watch and listen to what is going on around you. take mental notes. find mentors and emulate their good habits. take note of the bad habits and avoid those.

listen to your patients; they know their bodies better than you do.

have integrity----be honest with yourself and others.

stay out of the gossip game/circle. it goes nowhere and brings down morale, including your own.

be on time! everytime. when you are late, so am i. and i don't like to be late!

stay organized as possible. keep up on your charting and tasks as they come up. dont' save it all for "later"---there may not be time, "later".

do it right the first time, even if there is "no time". believe me, there is no time to "do it over", either.

plan for the worst; hope for the best.

be someone they can rely on---and rely on yourself!

take good care of yourself; eat well, exercise. it's the only body you got and you are gonna need it. nurture the self. nurses have a tendency to martyr themselves and neglect their own needs. don't be one of them; it's a fast superhighway to burn-out.

nourish the mind. plan on spending a lot of time investing in your continuing education as a nurse. the world of nursing/medicine is changing faster everyday. you are going to have to make a conscious and concerted effort to "stay abreast". it's more work than you imagine right now.....plan on it.

learn assertiveness if you have not already. lots of good books and conferences/seminars exist. learn early-on you no are no one's doormat. also, know there is a difference between "assertion" and "aggression".

work hard, yes, but don't forget to play hard too! have hobbies you enjoy. your life is not your work, and while being a nurse is part of who you are, it need not *define* you.

believe in your self and good instincts. sometimes, "instinct" is what lets us know something is amiss or wrong with our patients. never ignore that gut instinct. it's very often right! believe in yourself!!!!!

after 8 years in nursing, these things are things i have learned the "hard way"; hopefully you don't have to.

warm, hearty congratulations to you and all new grads here. i wish you all good things in your new careers.

i have been a nurse for a year now and am going through a four week evaluation by my unit director for being assertive. i had two incidents were an experienced nurse told me the wrong information. one of the incidences was with a cardiac drip. if i would of listened to her, i would have killed my patient! well, i was pulled to my bosses office for this and as givin a warning because of my behavior. i stuck up for my self and after 25 minutes of telling this person all of the resources that i got my correct information. she still told me i was wrong. yeah, time to leave that department!:angryfire

I graduated from school in May 2006 and passed my NCLEX-RN in June. I started my new job towards the end of May 2006. We spent the first two weeks of our orientation in a classroom.

When I went to the floor, no one showed me where anything was, I had to figure it out myself. I really don't feel that I have received a good preceptorship or training. Maybe it is just me, that I am not sure.

I have worked at the hospital for almost 3 years, but not in the department that I am currently working in. Maybe they expect me to know more than I do about the facility.

I am really struggling with my new job. I was a good student. I was also a paramedic for several years. I am now at the point that I wonder if I have made a bad decision to be a nurse. I cry most nights after work. I hate it so far. I am staying over my shift sometimes for 2 hours to get my charting done. I am working on the medical/surgical unit of my hospital.

I can't seem to get everything done. I am in charge of sometimes 7 patients. It can even be up to 10 patients when I go to nights. I am absolutely overwhelmed with 6 patients.

How do you experienced nurses keep track of your patients? How do you set up your "brains"? I have so many papers. I have trouble keeping track of everyone.

My coworkers state that my assessments take too long. I just like to be thorough and talk to my patients.

It also takes forever for me to chart. We use computer charting. I have to get used to that program too.

When I state at work that I can't handle another patient, they simply say, "You have to!". They also say, "you have to get faster". I was also told by one of the charge nurses as I left one night, "When you come to nights and are here until 11AM charting, you arent going to want to come back even when you have too!".

Help. How can I try to survive this job? I have to remain within the company due to signing a contract to get money for school.

Specializes in Utilization Management.
I graduated from school in May 2006 and passed my NCLEX-RN in June. I started my new job towards the end of May 2006. We spent the first two weeks of our orientation in a classroom.

When I went to the floor, no one showed me where anything was, I had to figure it out myself. I really don't feel that I have received a good preceptorship or training. Maybe it is just me, that I am not sure.

I have worked at the hospital for almost 3 years, but not in the department that I am currently working in. Maybe they expect me to know more than I do about the facility.

I am really struggling with my new job. I was a good student. I was also a paramedic for several years. I am now at the point that I wonder if I have made a bad decision to be a nurse. I cry most nights after work. I hate it so far. I am staying over my shift sometimes for 2 hours to get my charting done. I am working on the medical/surgical unit of my hospital.

I can't seem to get everything done. I am in charge of sometimes 7 patients. It can even be up to 10 patients when I go to nights. I am absolutely overwhelmed with 6 patients.

How do you experienced nurses keep track of your patients? How do you set up your "brains"? I have so many papers. I have trouble keeping track of everyone.

My coworkers state that my assessments take too long. I just like to be thorough and talk to my patients.

It also takes forever for me to chart. We use computer charting. I have to get used to that program too.

When I state at work that I can't handle another patient, they simply say, "You have to!". They also say, "you have to get faster". I was also told by one of the charge nurses as I left one night, "When you come to nights and are here until 11AM charting, you arent going to want to come back even when you have too!".

Help. How can I try to survive this job? I have to remain within the company due to signing a contract to get money for school.

My goodness, you really got thrown to the wolves, didn't you? I truly sympathize.:o

There are a few things you can do to handle it, however. You need to become more time-oriented. Not to rush you through your assessments, just cut way back on the chit-chat with the patients. You should be able to do a thorough head-to-toe assessment in about 5 minutes.

You need to ask how others organize their papers. Watch how their papers look when you're in Report, and ask for tips. Some people use different colored pens, others highlight. I put my Report info on the Right side of the sheet and my assessment stuff on the left, with medication times at the bottom, so I can see it at a glance.

Most importantly for anyone who is struggling, you MUST keep a journal when you get home. Write down what you did RIGHT. What made you feel you did a good job as well as what you could have done differently. It'll help you sort things out.

Please know that the crying every night thing DOES get better as you gain experience and efficiency.

I am thinking that you didn't get enough orientation and that you don't get much support on your unit. Those are two very serious issues for the new grad. Please talk to your manager about those things and see if you can get more orientation and more support.

If not, I don't think any of us would argue that you have a good case for moving to a different unit. But please remember two things:

1. You'll have to get used to another unit, so you will essentially be starting over again. On a more supportive unit, that might be a good thing. So check it out before you leap.

2. No matter how awful you think you are, no matter how bad it is, you have learned some valuable things about that area of nursing that you will always carry with you. No one can take that away from you!

3. No financial obligation is worth your self-esteem or your sanity. If it's gotten that bad, you might talk to your EAP person for more in-depth counseling.

And please check back here and let us know how you're doing, ok? You have a lot of nurses here who have been through what you're going through and who care.

Hi everyone, I'm hoping for a little guidance. I graduated in May and took the NCLEX today. I haven't applied for a job anywhere yet but would really like to specialize in labor and delivery (the reason I went to nursing school). My problem is that I'm a little unsure if thats what I should be pursuing initially. I'm an EMT in NYC and I've been told by several instructors that I would do well in the ED and that is where I should begin my career. I do enjoy the trauma, but it's the everday sore throat, back ache, intox and abdominal pain that I'm sort of tired of. I really enjoyed my OR observation as well as my short time spent in the ICU. Not moved by pediatrics, orthopedics or psych. Med/Surg was ok but not crazy about it. I'll just get to the point. I want to make the most of my new grad orientation and get the experience that will help me the most. Sorry about the length of this post. Any input would be greatly much appreciated. Thnx.

hi

i'm feeling a lot like alluvme; i too graduated from rn school this past may (06') and waiting to take my nclex (very soon i hope); in our area we had a nursing fair for all soon to be nursing grads to come and meet with all the different dept mgrs etc. of all the local hospitals in our area and schedule interviews for whichever departments we were interested in.

i ended up interviewing for 5 different departments and was called and offered my choice of any one of the 5 i interviewed for. i was really surprised.

but…..instead of starting like all the other new grads i decided to wait and take some time off after nursing school and study for the nclex instead which i haven’t been quiet so faithful in doing.

the areas which i was offered a position in included areas such as (icu, micu, or, ed).

i have once again contacted hr and have pretty much well the same interviews coming up in the very near future.

only thing is; if i’m offered a position; i won’t receive as much and as intense of an orientation as new grads do; the new grad orientations is only offered once a year and is 12 wks long.

i do have healthcare experience but not in a hospital setting and i feel i really could’ve used this intense orientation; too late now………….

what i guess i’m trying to ask is………what do you recommend i do at this point?????

please help; any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated.

i don't have any interest in working med/surg or l&d.

i like psych but find it much too depressing.

please help; i really need your advice / input; after all; you’ve been there done that and i’m only just beginning; what areas other than med/surg would you recommend as a good starting point?

thanks in advance for all your assistance.

Hi SilvieNurse, we're in similar situations --graduation in May, studying for NCLEX, received a few job offers...I guess the one difference is I'm starting work sooner...Coming Monday. So I don't have much experience to share but I really do think a good new grad orientation/training is important, esp. when you want to start in critical/intensive/specialized units right away. Having a good solid training will serve as a great foundation for future. I don't know where you live, but in my area, there are lots of hospital that offer orientation more than once a year (once in June-July and once in Sept)...maybe you want to check other hospitals and see. If you can get into the Fall program (Sept), then you still have some time off...and time for studying.

Good Luck!

hi

i'm feeling a lot like alluvme; i too graduated from rn school this past may (06') and waiting to take my nclex (very soon i hope); in our area we had a nursing fair for all soon to be nursing grads to come and meet with all the different dept mgrs etc. of all the local hospitals in our area and schedule interviews for whichever departments we were interested in.

i ended up interviewing for 5 different departments and was called and offered my choice of any one of the 5 i interviewed for. i was really surprised.

but.....instead of starting like all the other new grads i decided to wait and take some time off after nursing school and study for the nclex instead which i haven't been quiet so faithful in doing.

the areas which i was offered a position in included areas such as (icu, micu, or, ed).

i have once again contacted hr and have pretty much well the same interviews coming up in the very near future.

only thing is; if i'm offered a position; i won't receive as much and as intense of an orientation as new grads do; the new grad orientations is only offered once a year and is 12 wks long.

i do have healthcare experience but not in a hospital setting and i feel i really could've used this intense orientation; too late now.............

what i guess i'm trying to ask is.........what do you recommend i do at this point?????

please help; any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated.

i don't have any interest in working med/surg or l&d.

i like psych but find it much too depressing.

please help; i really need your advice / input; after all; you've been there done that and i'm only just beginning; what areas other than med/surg would you recommend as a good starting point?

thanks in advance for all your assistance.

i'm a new grad that started one month after i graduated and on the day i got my lic. in retrospect, i wish i had taken a job at a hopsital with a great orientation program because the one i joined wasn't like that. at this point i have a horrible taste in my mouth regarding nursing, which is part regret for not going to the hospital with the orietation program versus the one i am at. bottom line, strong orientation programs are extremely important. i hope this helps. . . . .

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