Ah, the spring time. The smell of fresh flowers, the warmth of the sun hitting your face, and the sound of…terrified nursing students who are about to graduate in May and start big scary new grad nurse jobs. I’ve been there, and it is one of the hardest transitions I went through both mentally and physically (because hello night shift fatigue). Without further adieu, here are my top tips to survive (and dare I say thrive) during your first year as a new grad nurse.
New Grad Nurse Tip #1: New grad programs are your friend
Find (and start your career in) a new grad program if possible.
I will start with a disclaimer that this isn’t necessary, but it is helpful. If you have the right support at any job, you will do amazing. But I did find the extra classes, check-ins, trainings, and structure that were part of my new grad nurse residency to be quite helpful.
Obviously, getting started in a new grad program will not be the reality for everyone depending on location, availability, competition, etc etc. But a well established one can be a great asset as you start your career.
Another thing to note: If you think you might need more hand holding as a new nurse (like I did), a new grad program might ease you into the nursing profession a bit gentler. Conversely, some people just need a good preceptor and can fly by the seat of their pants. Only you know that about yourself.
Tip #2: Be open minded …
Both when finding a new grad job and during your career.
Before I even got to nursing school, all I wanted to do was work in the ICU. I set myself up to work there by getting experience through preceptorships and making connections with everyone I could. I offered to help every nurse and observe every procedure (which was great and I would highly recommend. See below). I was not at all open minded to the idea of starting my career anywhere else, which was extremely stressful when it came time to start my career as a new grad and realizing that only 2 new grads were going to be accepted into the ICU in my new grad program of choice.
If I had just been a little more open minded, I would’ve saved myself a lot of stress and anxiety. I have no regrets about where I started, and wholeheartedly believe you can and should start in a specialty if that is what your heart desires. All I’m saying is, it’s amazing to have your sights set on something, but it’s also ok to be open to the idea of starting in a different specialty, at a different hospital, or on a different shift if it means getting your foot in the door.
As a side note, IT IS OK IF YOU DON’T START IN YOUR DREAM UNIT, BUT DO NOT LET ANYONE TELL YOU YOU HAVE TO START IN MED SURG. You don’t have to start in med surg “to get experience” unless you want to start in med surg.
Tip #3: Make connections and find your people
You will need a solid set of people you can rely on both at home and at work. Now is as good of a time as any to note that your “tribe” can include a therapist. Starting a new career can be a huge life stressor, and there’s nothing wrong with seeking out a professional to help you navigate it!
And not all coworkers will be a part of your “tribe”. Allow me to explain…
Scenario: You come across Bertha who has been a nurse longer than you’ve been alive. She has a ton of experience and you have none. Figuring she probably knows way more than you do (she does), you ask her for help. She starts showing you how to do something, but it’s not how your preceptor showed you. You’ve never seen anyone else do it that way, and it kind of doesn’t make sense to you. But you don’t question it because, again, Bertha has been a nurse since you were in diapers. Right? Wrong.
Be wary of the “we’ve always done it this way” folks. More experience does not always = safer way of doing things. Sure, Bertha has experience, but has she looked at any of the evidence from the last 40 years? Perhaps, but perhaps not. (This is not to say to ignore the nurses who have been nurses forever. Quite the opposite. They are incredible resources, and they really know their stuff. Just make sure you’re always doing things in an evidence-based way, and taking note of those who say “we’ve always done it this way”, whether they are experienced or not).
Which brings me to my next point…
Tip #4: Observe, observe, observe
You will quickly learn who to ask for help and whose nursing care makes you terrified for nurses and families everywhere simply by observing.
You will pick up tips and tricks from every single person you observe. Choose who you ask questions to wisely, but continue to observe anything and everyone.
Ask different people if you can help with certain things or observe certain things. You can observe both procedures that you will eventually be responsible for as well as procedures that other licensed professionals are doing that you’ll never be expected (and are not licensed) to do. This is also a great way to get to know the physicians, nurse practitioners, respiratory and physical therapists, case managers, and all the other multidisciplinary team members that you will work with during your time at work.
And also…
Tip #5: Keep asking questions. Always.
You will never know everything. No nurse ever does, and if they claim to we can confidently say they’re full of crap and are probably quite overconfident. Again, Bertha isn’t necessarily someone you need to look up to.
BUT do keep asking questions. About everything. No question is stupid, and it is never worth risking someone’s life to pretend you know how to do something. See one, teach one, do one. Push yourself to ask the question and watch how it’s done, know it well enough that you can explain it to someone else, and then continue to practice your new skills!
I’ll also say that for me, my new grad anxiety was alleviated the more I learned. The more I learned, the more confident I was, and the less anxious I felt going to work everyday. It’s one of the reasons why I decided to get certified, which I would highly recommend if you feel like learning would help!
You are a new nurse. It is okay, important, and expected that you ask questions.
Tip #6: Figure out how to manage your time …
in a way that works for YOU!
Figuring out how to manage your time will help you in every single nursing job you have for the rest of your career.
My biggest suggestion is to find a tool / nursing “brain” that works for you. I made about 5 different ones before I found one I liked. Each new version got me closer to being able to consolidate all of the information I wanted to remember – tasks to be completed, things to mention in report, and things to ask.
Tip #7: Set up your own night shift survival guide
If you’re like me, night shift is the worst thing you can imagine doing as you start your exciting new career as a nurse. While some people thrive while working nights, I personally can attest that staying up all night is not for all of us. Unfortunately, it is oftentimes (but not always) an inevitable part of the beginning of your career. Therefore, you have to figure out what night shift success looks like for you.
For me, keeping my sanity through those days involved black out curtains, white noise machines, heavy duty ear plugs, and stacking shifts so I could stay on the night shift schedule for at least a few days. It also meant waking up with enough time before each shift to work out and get my life together, simply because that made me feel like more a part of society and less like a groundhog who felt like she never saw the sun.
Tip #8: Fill your cup outside of work
It can be really challenging to separate your work from the rest of your life when you’re just starting your new grad nurse job. You’re learning a ton, you’re always trying to prove yourself, and you’re taking on an entirely new set of skills. You will learn more in your first few years a nurse than you did in all of nursing school.
Taking the time to decompress is an absolute must. You cannot pour from an empty cup, so take the time outside of work to do some self care. Your new grad nurse job is not your whole life. Travel, work out, get a massage, hang out with your loved ones. Do whatever it is that you need to to maintain a full cup!
Tip #9: Remember that everything is temporary
Feeling pretty stupid? It’s temporary, but you’re not and your feelings are totally normal. Feeling tired from night shift? It’s temporary (if you want it to be) and also very normal. Feeling like you made a mistake becoming a nurse and you have no idea what you want to do when you grow up? This can also be normal, but if it lasts a long time it’s okay to make a change. Everything in life is temporary. Jobs are no different.
If after getting through the first few months to years, you find yourself hating your job, your coworkers, your hospital system, your area of specialty, etc. etc. just know it is OKAY to make moves and do something different. It is okay to make a change.
My biggest new grad nurse tip: Your mental health is far more important than any job you will hold. Your first new grad nurse job does not have to be your forever job.
I hope this list gives you a good place to start, and I wish you the best of luck on your NCLEX if you haven’t taken it yet, and in your nursing career!
Remember that it is normal and human to have good days and bad days. Be kind to yourself and remember that you CAN do this, and it DOES get easier!
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