New Nurse Advice on Surviving the First Year

• Nursing school was grueling, but now it is time to celebrate the milestone of graduating and starting your career. 
• Being a new nurse can be scary as you are no longer doing clinicals with your preceptor, but on your own. 
• Author and LPN, Katy Luggar-Schmit shares advice from her career in order to help the new nurse! 

Beginning your new career as a nurse can seem intimidating but having the courage and jumping right in is the best way to start gaining valuable experience and get more comfortable with your new role as a nurse.  

I recently achieved the milestone of my eight-year anniversary as a nurse and I found myself reflecting on the beginning of my nursing career to where I am now. I cannot believe how quickly eight years has flown by and I would like to share some advice for the new nurse who may be feeling anxious about their new role.  

Beginning Your Role as a New Nurse

Slow and steady wins the race. 

Be Patient With Yourself

You are not expected to know everything; everyone has to start somewhere.  

Get To Know Your Co-Workers, Not Just Nursing Staff

It is important to maintain a friendly demeanor with everyone associated with the healthcare team. If you like your new position, you may be with this team for a long time, so the more rapport you can develop with them the more you will enjoy the team you work with.  

Introduce Yourself to the Doctors

Take initiative to introduce yourself to the physicians you will be working with. From my experience, physicians love to teach and are always delighted to answer questions you may have.  

Ask for Help

As previously stated, you are not expected to know everything. Your co workers would much rather have you ask questions and always put patient safety first rather than attempting to figure everything out yourself and put yourself at risk for making mistakes.

Ask For Feedback

Be willing to accept constructive criticism and work on the areas you could use improvement on. You will grow as a nurse and be a better nurse because of it. Being humble and watch and listen from experienced nurses. The knowledge you can gain from them is invaluable. 

Job Specific New Nurse Advice

Be Mindful of Shifts

Regardless of what shift you work, make sure you are getting enough sleep prior to your shift. You do not want to be overtired. Being a nurse requires a great deal of alertness and attention to detail. 

Have a Routine

There is always potential for emergencies or other random occurrences that may take you away from usual day to day duties; having a routine will make dealing with these incidents easier and make you feel more organized amid chaos. 

Accept Mistakes

I don’t know any nurse that has never made some kind of mistake; accepting that mistakes will happen is a part of the job. Learning from the mistake and focusing on improving as a nurse is what is most important.  

Take Breaks

I am the first to admit when I first started my nursing career, I would find myself trying to overachieve and miss breaks in order to stay on task or show my dedication.  

If you do this, you will tire more quickly and find yourself having less patience to deal with situations that may arise. Breaks are important to decompress and fuel your body with nutrients to continue your shift.  

Utilize Pocket Guides

Carrying a pocket reference guide related to the specialty you work in can be a great tool to utilize as a new nurse. In fact, even the most veteran nurses like to have pocket guides they can refer to ensure they are following best practices and providing the best nursing care possible. 

Take Care of Yourself

This will ensure you can properly help others.

Maintain Balance

Confession time again! As a new nurse I was guilty of taking on additional shifts and working overtime. At the time I thought this would spotlight my dedication to the work of nursing and although it did that it also burned me out quickly. Do not be afraid to say no to extra shifts and set boundaries to maintain a healthy work/life balance.  

Along with this, try not to take work home with you. As nurses we deal with many difficult and stressful situations, but it is important to get the support you need while you are on the job so that you can decompress when you are at home. 

Keep Up with Hobbies and Self-Care

On your off time it is important to maintain your hobbies and self-care activities you enjoy. Remember that nursing is only a part of who you are as a person. You do not have to make work your entire life and taking the time to continue the things you find joy in will keep your mindset healthy when you are back at work.  

Take the Vacations

Although it can be tempting for nurses to cash out their paid time off instead of taking their vacations, I would encourage you to take advantage of your employer-provided vacations throughout the year. Taking your vacation days or weeks is a part of maintaining a healthy work/life balance as mentioned above and an important aspect of maintaining your mental health. Depending on the shifts they work, many nurses may not get much time with their families and taking vacations is a great way to reconnect with your family and make memories. 

The Bottom Line for the New Nurse

In conclusion, beginning your new career a nurse is an exciting and life changing event. Nursing school is intense and to finally have the opportunity to use the skills you learned is very exhilarating. It can be difficult to not get caught up in the excitement and overextend yourself.  

The reason that nurses choose to enter the profession is individual to them; but at the heart of it is typically a desire to help other people. Due to nurse and other medical staff shortages, the pressure to overextend yourself is even higher. It is important though, to remember that you can more effectively help others when you ensure you are taken care of as well. I hope you find these tips helpful as you start your rewarding new career as a nurse! 

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