New Grads;
Don't go into this job thinking it is an easy way to make money. This job is hard work, sometimes both mentally and physically. You can also enter into a toxic environment. Even I, after 30 years of nursing, recently accepted a job and ended up in a toxic and judgemental environment with other nurses. My preceptor abandoned me on my first day and then made up a story to tell the manager and the physicians that landed me in an investigation. They ended up paying me back pay and compensation but it is not an experience I hope to repeat.
I hope this does not happen to you, but if it does, or even if you get bad vibes from your preceptor go to your educator or manager and ask for someone else. The best places to go are units that have a mentorship program, not just preceptor pay. Expect to work hard, and study. School is only the beginning of learning; nursing learning is a lifelong task. I will say you will get out of the profession what you put into it. If you work hard and show compassion and empathy for your patients, you will reap the rewards.
Good Luck,
Jan
Be open to trying new areas, even ones you don't think you are interested in. You can't know what you don't know and you might surprise yourself.
Develop yourself, don't wait on others. Things change fast in this field and if you want to attain a level of confidence and competence, you have to choose to educate yourself continually and to go above and beyond what's average.
Look for ways you can be better and make things around you better. Anyone can complain about what's not right, but try to be a part of the solution.
You can do amazing things with the right team in the right environment! No matter how difficult things are, you will love working with great people! Find them, be one.
On the other hand, do not be afraid to leave a toxic environment or to stand up for yourself. Nursing is not an easy field to be in right now; if you feel yourself getting burned out or demoralized, do what it takes to restore yourself. You might be treated like you are expendable or exploited, but there is only one you and you deserve to enjoy your life so do what you have to do to have quality of life.
You do not belong to anyone's bottom line but your own. Know when it's time to take a break or walk away and have the courage to do it.
You worked hard for your license. And if you don't feel safe working in your environment, leave, period, non-negotiable.
1) If you don't have your BSN, get back in school and get it. Having a BSN opens doors for you that having an ADN plus years of experience cannot.
2) Make it a point to read industry publications regularly to stay up to date on changes.
3) Try to spend time working in various roles...L&D, ER, Peds, OR, clinic, etc.
4) If the opportunity presents itself to learn about case management DO NOT pass it up.
5) Try to remember that being "the new kid" always comes with its share of not-so-nice "stuff", including experienced nurses treating you like a clueless pain-in-the-butt. It's not fair that nurses tend to "eat their young", but it does happen and you will have to deal with it....just be prepared.
6) Make sure that you take good care of yourself, both physically and mentally. Being a "giver" is a great thing, but if you don't give to YOURSELF as well, it will take a negative toll on you.
Keep learning, never stop! Always look for an opportunity to continue education or gain a new certification. Whether you are being compensated for the education you gain or not, it pays leaps and bounds when you help a patient in teaching them something that can mean the difference in saving their life or simply making their thyroid work better due to taking their medication properly. ALWAYS LEARN NEW THINGS!
Stand up for what is right. Advocate for the Patients and know sometimes doing the right thing is tough, but integrity is important.
Be a sponge, find the best nurses, dr, nurses aides, housekeeper, clerk and learn What makes them successful. There is value in all people. Treat other with the respect they deserve. Be the change you want to see.
Nursing is a hard position. There are laughs and tears, disrespect and fears. But mistakes are human, but 7 rights and 3 checks means follow the rules. If you are tired or not sure always ask somebody.
First learn the basics. Start with some hospital nursing. Then find your niche. It may take you several fits and starts before you fall into the nursing area that suits your personality. When you find it, you will be happy to spend the rest of your career in this area. And keep learning. Medicine and nursing changes on a daily basis. Ask questions, be bold, be a leader. I just finished a long and happy 47 year nursing career. I started as a new nurse in the emergency room, and went back to ED nursing several times. I spent time in an ICU, home health, and post-surgical nursing floor. But I found my true nursing "love" in the poison center where I spent 35 years as a Certified Specialist in Poison Information, in several poison centers around the country as I moved. When you have found your niche, you will know it. But throughout, just enjoy your nursing career. It is a worthwhile endeavor.
After 40 plus years of nursing I have learned .....Nursing is forever changing...learn to perservere, its a wonderful character trait to have...every career has challenges. Be involved in making your work environment better! Embrace the friendships and comorodary with your team. You can make lifelong friends!
First and foremost, read all the articles you can to stay up on new EBP. Learning never stops. Try new areas to grow, even if it's just to float. Most importantly, work life balance. Your family comes first. Nursing is a career, a job. Family time never comes back when your kids are young. Mental health and physical health are equally important. Lastly, know your worth. Be aggressive negotiating pay and benefits. The shortages we will continue to face places job opportunities in our favor. Also, keep a journal of the best worst saddest funniest pts you come across.
Buy some comfortable shoes that take care of your feet. Invest in yourself buy some comfortable scrubs that you like. And absolutely please remember that your gonna wipe some ass just like everyone else. Delegation is cool but sometimes/most of the time you don’t have that help so your gonna get your hands dirty…oh and practice not having strange facial expressions
DON'T DO MED/SURG! Every nursing professor tells you to do this for a year. It's bull! Do what you want!! If you want to be in the NICU, find a NICU job. You will never regret going after the job you are passionate about. You will learn more and do better that way. I wish I'd done this. I got trapped in meg/surg and its a huge regret I have.
Get your Bachelor's Degree as soon as you can. Don't wait as it gets harder to do as you get older. Don't be afraid to change jobs if you are not happy where you are at.
You will only really learn how to do things with experience. It’s ok to not know everything, and always ask questions when you don’t.
Don’t burn yourself out working a ton of overtime. Take a week off every three months once you get your PTO built up. Once you burn yourself out it’s hard to recover.
Run
Being a nurse for the passed 30 years ,I have seen nursing changed a lot. Patient admitted to the hospital has a lot of co-morbidities in general therefore they demand a lot more care due to acuity. Patient ratio is horrible, and a lot of intense documentation . And with staffing shortage hospital administrators are stretching out nurses and does not consider patient safety. Their expectations from nurses are getting higher and higher but not enough support and compensation. We feel that we are being exploited and not being treated as human beings . We are on our feet more than 12 hours each day and could barely take our lunch break. At the end of the day it gets emotionally , physically and mentally draining. I fear in the future a lot of nurses will quit their profession and will do something different. It is discouraging to see how nurses are being treated nowadays . Healthcare is turning into a money making industry .
Don't stop studying. Don't be afraid to ask questions from older, experienced nurses.
Don’t be too rough on yourself. Do not tolerate toxic people. Help other nurses and aides if you have down time.
As soon as you are able to, pick a specialty you think you will like abd work to get into it. Grow your knowledge and become experts in it. Then when you turn around and get a higher degree, you can become a leader over what you love. I have found that new nurses kind of get lost that first year because they have not found their love, and get stuck doing something they do not like, which is miserable. So figure out your interests and work towards nurturing it. You will like being a nurse doing it that way.
It may sound frustrating due to delay on landing on your first job. But just be aware that thats normal for most people. When you do, pls, pay attention to facility instructions & policies (Not nursing school I was thought this or that). Being polite and professional is every good nurse’s backbone. Continue to learn and improve in your nursing skills because nursing is a lifelong learning. Finally, take advantage to further your education & career. All the best!!! 😊
As nurses, we generally people at their worse. Try to remember this and provide your patients and their families grace and compassion.
To the new grad, pick your area first you want to go into and work toward your goal. No it’s not easy, but if you pursue you passion it’ll be worth it. Oh, and remember continue your education because when your older the floor may be too much for you.
When you are frustrated and you are feeling overwhelmed. Take a breath and remember why you became a nurse. Never forget your WHY. It is the reason you are in this profession. ❤️
Be open minded and be willing to offer help to your colleagues without them asking. Be your best.
Let new employer know u have a vacation scheduled for 6 months from then in interview - you’ll be ready for it
Be kind to your body- don’t put a 300lb person into trendelenberg and think u can pull them up by yourself
I work in a pain management office- we see more nurses than anything else!
Don’t go a whole shift and then think- i didn’t drink anything all day!!
Take lunch- Take breaks- youre a human too!!
There is a whole hospital full of amazing jobs
Get two years of med-surg in then find a specialty that you love. If your not happy find a different position. I have lived in 5 states and done all types if nursing. It’s an amazing career
I know right now things are tuff with nursing shortages I promise it will get better
Enjoy you have world of nursing out there
Be happy or change jobs 37 years as a nurse I’m working as an IV nurse and I love it
Good luck
Don’t be so hard on yourself if you don’t know .
If you need help never be afraid to ask for help.
Go back to school and do something else run away from nursing!
People told me to apply to everything- I would tell myself not to do that. Recruiters don't need to see your application for multiple positions every day. Plus if you get multiple offers, it gets very hard to make decisions to decline or accept.
People told me to look at what other new grads were doing and follow them- I would tell myself not to. Not everything that works for them will work for you. Everyone has unique situations.
People told me stay with my first job at least a year. But I am a military spouse and it was so difficult to to do that. I wish I could tell my new grad self not to be so hard on myself, that opportunities will come about, and I can find work again.
DO NOT DO MED SURG!!!! Go into ER, or ICU, or cardiac specialty. Avoid med surg !!!!!!!
Observe, ask questions, and be open to instruction. Volunteer for whatever you can. Learn any new skills you can. Be a sponge. Also - stand up for yourself, and be an advocate for your patients!
s an RN for over 38 years, I would advise you to understand your role and state practice standards, abide by them at all times, and be in it for all the right reasons. The landscape of nursing has changed significantly, and the patients as well.
Don't let that nurse with 2 years of experience bully you and make you feel "small" just because you're a new grad. They themselves are still "brand new" in the vast world of nursing!
Always advocate for yourself in pay and position! Always work for better knowledge of whatever field you are in. Get advanced degrees and certification when you can for free from whom you work for. Consider offers from docs that like your work, you can make a lot more money working privately for a doctor as an assistant that respects you.
Above all, advocate for your patients. Give input that may change their plan of care and life!
Stay positive, you have a very important role in a persons care. Love your job or change it!
Don't pigeonhole yourself. Expose yourself to a variety of patients, diagnoses and co-workers. Allow yourself to learn and make less than good judgement calls while you are still being guided by a mentor/preceptor. The more exposure you have the better nurse you will be and, you will be an asset to any medical setting.
Keep up with research and up to date materials. Join a nurse group, associations.
Be passionate, always advocate for your patients, be a team player, make a difference, treat others the way you want to be treated, and be the change you want to see in healthcare. To be a great nurse just CARE.
Change your career, I came up in 1984 as a Psych. Tech. and finished RN school in 1991. No time for bed side care. All about the computer. Plus I was a Diploma Graduate. Best training in the World, Big County/General on State St. All hands-on, no computer
skills training. No wearing masks. Looking at people when talking able to see them speak. All about NP and or PhD RN. Your upper
grad. RNs are duds. I am out of the RN world. Due to injuries as a Psychiatric RN and LPT for 35 years.
I recommend starting at the local State and county level and pull 25 or 30 years. Stay away from the VA. Unless you are prior military.
Start your nursing career on a medical surgical floor. You will get lots and lots of skills and you can then make a decision on a specialized area. Medical Surgical is the core of nursing. I hope this helps.
Never act like you know everything. I have been a nurse for 25 yrs and I still learn things everyday. Never be afraid to ask for help or ask a question. Respect others and they will respect you. Always be ready to try new things and do not get stuck knowing only the basic things adventure out.
Mildred Daniel, LVN 25 yrs
Probably all of the above including make sure to do self care Best Wishes 2ya
Develop a thick skin and be prepared for unexpected potential pettiness of coworkers. Time and time again, through over two decades of nursing, I have myself bexperienced or witnessed nurses turning on other nurses. In particular, new nurses who are new to the department. Even if they are very experienced nurses, but are new hires. It's shocking how ugly some people can be to other coworkers. Be prepared to weather through this if you experience it. Stick it out and eventually you will be accepted and one of the gang. Hopefully, you never have to experience this, but it's wise to be mentally and emotionally prepared and not to wonder what you are saying or doing wrong. It's basically childish hazing from others and you can survive it. Don't give up or let any bullies win by quitting a job. It helps to know that it's not just you ... It happens to many nurses, usually at least once in their career if they have worked for a few different places.
Trust your gut! Nursing is a field in which knowledge is developed experientially over time. That does not mean it takes a long time it requires an attentive mind and use of critical thinking in everyday practice. This often results in a “knowing” that is hard to quantify but no less real. There are studies confirming this. Our medical director gives a talk to residents and new fellows in which he highlights a study that stated the number one predictive correlate for a patient having a status decline was a nurse expressing a concern in the previous 12 hours. In my experience this is very true. The important thing to learn is how to express your concerns to medical providers in ways that make sense to them, often best supported by data showing a change from baseline. A simple tool for new grads to learn is the use of SBAR formatted communication. Google it- there is a lot of info out there. EMRs often have the ability to graph vital signs, etc that can be helpful.
Take a deep breath. You will be an amazing person who will be helping those in need at the most critical times of their lives. We know new grads don't know everything but you are open to learning and growing. You are going to be the next generation to carryon our beautiful profession. Welcome!
Start in need /surg at a local hospital to build up your assessment skills. Then if you want, transfer within that hospital to a specialty.
Consider Human Resources ...or not.
This is the department and the people who make and enforce the rules, define job descriptions, and they decide who gets terminated.
Not exactly team players. Definately not the nurse to hold your hand when bad news is delivered.
They work for the organization.They rarely know the people on the chopping block. And they make high salaries and are more apt to get bonuses
1. Whenever an opportunity to learn something pertinent presents itself, take it. Learn as much as you can about everything connected to nursing, especially the psycho-social aspects (dealing with difficult people, effective communication, team-building).
2. If you haven't already mastered this skill, do so ASAP: learn how to separate your work life from your personal life....don't carry your personal problems around at work like an old suitcase, and vice/versa. Being able to compartmentalize things is a very valuable skill.
3. If you haven't already, look into a class on emotional intelligence. It will help you to maintain your composure even in the most negative circumstances.(Linked-In learning has several that are great).
4. Don't paint yourself into a corner career-wise. I made the mistake of staying exclusively in Long Term Care and Assisted Living, and now I wish that I had done at least a year of Med-Surg or another speciality...it would have opened up a lot more doors for me.
5. Never forget that the very thing that makes us such good nurses is also the thing that leaves us vulnerable to stress and burnout. Contrary to what we have been taught there are times when it is necessary to put ourselves first, tell other people/entities 'NO', and set boundaries. Those things don't make you a bad person; they make you a better nurse who will fare much better over the long haul.
Ellen FNP-MSN 19 years
Work in a place you had your preceptorship. Choose the one that is more organized, friendly, reasonable ratio, and advanced equipment. Advance your degree further and use the hospital's tuition reimbursement. It's always good to have an advanced degree early on in the event you decide you can no longer work on the floor. Always ask question when in doubt. Never try to solve things on your own.
Be strong
Don't be cocky and think you know it all, because it will only cause you pain . So many new nurses come to hospitals with attitude. It takes years of experience to get anywhere . Don't expect to get high wages. Always help, especially when the patients it the callbell . They are everyones responsbility . I have been a nurse for 33 years. Remember it is not an easy job and the pay is bad. Help your coworker and keep your phone in your locker .
Get out of nursing
Have good behiver.
Don't do it!
