Veteran Nurses : advise please

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Hello, I am an RN on the Cardiac Step down unit. I am in my mid 40's

but I have only been a nurse a little over a year. I see nurses every day who only "get through the shift" and have no real clue of the bigger picture. I also work with some who have questions out of thin air that are digging into the meat of the problem and I am just awed by it. These veterans know just what to look for.

I understand that experience is the best teacher. I just want some advice on how to get where I am doing more than just getting through my shift. I have looked for books online, journals etc. I am not great with all the mechanics of why things work the way they do. but I am trying to look at my patient as a whole. Any advice?

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Pick up a PCCN review book and study for that test. What's your patient population? Is it truly a cardiac step down or is it a mix? The PCCN review book is a good start for you to review all the systems and put 2 and 2 together.

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My floor does get some overflow but it's mainly step down patients. Thank you for your advice!

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Specializes in CVICU.

I like to watch Med Cram videos on YouTube. If you are on a step-down unit I would even ask to go watch a CABG or valve replacement. Maybe even shadow a cath lab nurse to see a few heart caths, PPM insertions, EPS, TAVRs, etc.

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Specializes in Cardiac Cath Lab, Cardiac Surgery, Post Op/PACU..

Literally look things up in the moment. Utilize your resources. Don't know what a "floating elephant trunk" on a Aortic repair is. Ask the surgeon or use Dr. Google. I literally look everything up if I am unsure of what it is. I do this as I chart in the moment. Often times I will print something out in it and keep it in a folder to read later. There is no "real" book or journal to read just a lot of time and curiosity.

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Specializes in CICU, Telemetry.

Look things up, ask questions or write them down if you don't have time or anyone to ask when they come up.

Just keep looking things up and getting experience. In that setting it will take a good year or so before you're truly doing much more than getting by. There are a lot of pieces to put together. There's no way to magically learn it all in a week.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency Department, Informatics.

As a nurse of almost 30 years, the best advice I can give you is to continue learning everything about your patients. Ask questions, look up diagnosis, keep your medication book on hand at all times!

I also subscribed to journals that was in my specialty. How are you doing now? I see you wrote this about 6 months ago.

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