Top 5 Do's Top 5 Dont's

Nurses General Nursing

Published

For a brand spankin' new RN:

What are your personal top 5 DOs?

What are your personal top 5 DONTs?

As far as being oriented, learning, and adjusting to real world nursing.

Please & Thanks! =)

Thank you so much! I want y'all to know I AM reading every single response and soaking it up.

Thanks! =)

Same here! This benefits anyone.

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Specializes in critical care.

Never trust anyone. Even the friendliest, most concerned about your welfare, "I want to be your bestest friend" co-worker can and will turn on you. I learned this the hard way unfortunately.

I just got this exact advice from a coworker. Very disappointing. I just don't understand a world like that, but I guess I need to prepare for it.

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Specializes in MICU.

DOs

1. Ask plenty of questions

2. Look everything up

3. Chart like you'd want to see it in a courtroom. Even if you have to stay over your shift. Don't do it for the pt or the hospital. Do it for yourself.

4. Know your scope of practice

5. This sounds catty but know who you can trust. If you ask someone for advice, make sure it's solid. Know who you can trust to delegate to.

DON'T

1. Rush through med administration, no matter how busy. It's not worth making an error.

2. Act overconfident.

3. Forget even the worst behaving, annoying patients still deserve good care.

4. Skip lunch.

5. Be shy to speak up if something's not right with a patient.

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I just got this exact advice from a coworker. Very disappointing. I just don't understand a world like that, but I guess I need to prepare for it.

I've received this advice in the past. It is unfortunate that this is the apparent reality. However being that I've been advised this more than once, I guess I need to prepare for it too.

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I just got this exact advice from a coworker. Very disappointing. I just don't understand a world like that, but I guess I need to prepare for it.

Sad but true. Wolves in sheep's clothing are everywhere and I have experienced this first hand. Normally I'd say trust can be earned but when it comes to profession and business these are just one of those territories you don't want to tread upon. You can only trust yourself! Everyone else, as nice and sincere as they may be, half the time just want your piece of the pie.

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I have to say, I'm loving this post! Definitely a good one to start up, OP! I am a newly licensed RN looking for jobs, so this was a great read :)

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I'm still prenursing and loving this. Thanks everyone!

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Specializes in MICU, SICU, CICU.

Do not hide under the desk when a coworker is being abused. There is strength in numbers. Wouldn't you want your coworkers to stand by you as witnesses when an unstable person is out of control?

Dont be one of those creeps who says "I didn't hear anything."

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Specializes in Hospice / Psych / RNAC.
Help coworkers as you would have them help you.

Never stop learning.

Don't administer a drug without knowing why it was ordered

and please for the love of all that's holy..,.if you don't know or are unfamiliar with the drug's dosage and what it's being given for; look it up. Just because it says 10 mg doesn't mean that it couldn't be a super huge over dose. Also, if you're giving more than one pill find out why. If you have 4 pills/tabs, etc... for a single dose to any other number over, than you definitely need to look into it. One more thing...the multiple vial dosage bottles that still persist to linger about; look real good at mg/per what ever. That goes for vials as well.

Try not to burn bridges...like others have said; it will come back to bite :yes:

Don't forget to have fun!

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Do:

1)Always check your pockets before leaving the unit- you don't want to go home w/ a med/syringe/keys or whatever.

2) Realize that things in the real world are not always done the way we we taught in nursing school, and that doesn't they're being done wrong.

Don't:

1) Complain about having to work holidays- we all have to do it.

2) Don't stay up too late messing around on the internet when you have to be @ work @ O' Dark Thirty- like I'm doing right now. :)

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

Loving everyone's comments! :up:

To add:

DO make sure you hone your own practice; make sure you learn the most out of every experience, reflect and re-tool, and become better;

DON'T get into the habit or sucked into controversial people or subjects;

DO remain objective-it will help with the points above and ANYTHING and EVERYTHING you may and will run into in this business; having the right attitude of objectivity will help you continue to understand your practice, continue learning at your practice, and help interact effectively as a leader of your practice and help create longevity in this business. :yes:

And make sure you have a work-life balance, leave work at work and be able to enjoy YOU!

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Although im a pre-nursing student reading these comments made my day

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