13 Tips for Surviving Your First Year as a Nurse

13 Tips for Surviving Your First Year as a Nurse If you’ve completed your training and you’re about to embark on your career as a full-fledged nurse, then you’ll likely feel a mix of emotions. On the one hand, you’re excited to get your new career underway. On the other hand, oh boy, just what have you let yourself in for? There’s no getting around the fact that the first year as a nurse can be tough. Or maybe it’s better to say WILL be tough. If you can make it through that inaugural year, then you’ll make it through anything. Below, we take a look at thirteen tips to ensure you’ll do just that. It’s How You Learn, Not What You Know If you thought you knew everything because you completed your training, then you’re going to be in for a surprise pretty quickly. Even the greatest medical professional in the world doesn’t know everything. You’re not supposed to! The important thing is to understand that you don’t have all the answers kicking around in your head. When you come up against a medical puzzle, then talk to people. There are no stupid questions, especially when it comes to another person’s health. The second you accept that you’re not going to know everything, you’ll A. be much more relaxed, and B. have adopted the right ‘learning’ attitude that all the best nurses have. Get To Know Your Colleagues In most workplaces, colleagues are the people that you interact with on work-related matters, and sometimes grab a beer with. When you’re a nurse, they’re less “colleagues,” more “extended family.” You’re going to be working very closely with your other nurses, and often in situations that are intense and relationship-bonding. Don’t wait until you’ve shared a dramatic moment together to become linked. Make an effort to get to know them from the beginning. You’re all on the same side, and should be there to build each other up when it’s needed. Bring Good Energy Everyone has bad days. You can’t always be in the greatest mood of your life, and there’ll also be times when your hospital and the people in it just get on your nerves. While it’s fine to complain every now and again, if you find that you’re forever using negative language, then it’ll be time to rethink your approach. It might be enjoyable for you to get everything that’s wrong off your chest, but think about the impact it’s having on your colleagues. No-one likes to be around people who are complaining all the time. Bring a positive mindset and energy to the place, and you’ll be a valued member of the team. If you’re struggling to be positive, then talk it out with someone outside of the workplace, and read up on some of the best ways to change your mindset for the better. Get Organized Between your shifts, your family, and your friends who might become something of strangers due to your business you’re not going to have much time in your life. As such, it’s imperative that you get yourself organized. If you’re well-prepared, then you’ll be able to start your shifts the right way. No-one likes to be rushing to get ready in the morning and only walking through the door just as their shift is beginning. If you make time in your schedule to deal with life’s admin tasks and the like, then you’ll always be one step ahead of whatever’s coming up next. Learn From the Bad Shifts No-one performs at the highest level all the time. Even the greatest athletes in the world have off days. And as a nurse, you’ll be the same. You could have twenty shifts where you get everything right, and then one can still pop up where nothing seems to go right, and during which you make mistakes. Don’t dwell on them. Everyone makes mistakes; it’s how you respond to them that counts. So learn from the errors you’ve made. Every error is an opportunity to learn! It’s crucial, too, that you don’t go too hard on yourself. Tell yourself the same thing you’d tell a friend if they make the same mistake. There’s no reason to be your own worst enemy. Look the Part Your appearance isn’t going to be the most important thing when you’re on the job, but there’s no getting around the fact that appearance and confidence are closely linked, and that confidence and performance are also closely linked. If you feel secure within yourself, you’ll be walking tall and talking with confidence. So take 5-10 minutes before your shift to ensure you’re happy with how you look. Also, remember that what we’re wearing can get us into the right ‘professional’ mindset we need to work well, so make sure you’re buying new hospital scrubs once your old ones have been worn out. You’ll look and feel the part. Comfortable Shoes And talking about what you’re going to be wearing, don’t forget your shoes! You’re going to spend more time than you would think possible on your feet, and if you don’t have shoes that you feel comfortable in, then you’re not going to last too long. They really can make a massive difference to your overall enjoyment of your shift. Treat Yourself Well You’re going to be dedicating your career to helping others; but don’t forget to help yourself. You’ll find that you’re able to work harder, longer, and better if you’re doing things like getting enough exercise and eating well. While you might not want to spend your free time doing these things, it’ll pay off. The key to doing things that you’d rather not do is to make them more fun. For example, cooking healthy meals will be no chore if you learn the cooking well. Exercise won’t look so intimidating if you do it with your friends. Time With the Family You’re going to quickly find that being a nurse is less a job, more a lifestyle. The needs and demands of the job will be with you all the time, and can, if you’re not careful, roll over to the time that you should be enjoying with your family. As such, it’s important to find ways to “switch off” from your shift. When you’re with your loved ones, don’t be thinking over the events of the past day. Set ten minutes aside at the end of each shift to “decompress” from the day. You can take the energy you get from the good shifts home with you; the bad ones should stay in the hospital. No good will come from taking them home with you. Find What You Need There’s no one way of doing things, or being a nurse. The trick is to find out what works for you, and do that. It might mean going for a run in the morning or spending an hour eating breakfast at a nearby joint before your shift. You’ll naturally fall into these things over time. Just listen to your body and your mind, and see what it’s telling you. If something seems off, then switch it out for something new instead. The best version of you will make for the best nurse! Review And Progress There’s always time for reflection when you’re a nurse. We don’t mean spending every evening vaguely reflecting on the day’s events; we mean actual, concentrated reflection. For example, every month you could perform some self-analysis, identifying the aspects of your job in which you’re excelling, and the aspects that you need to improve. If you’re not entirely sure what your strengths and weaknesses are, ask other people. Their answers will give you something to work on. By the time the next reflection session rolls around, you’ll have transferred one of your minus points to the plus side of the list. Give It Your All You’ll probably understand from your training that there’s little room for half measures when you’re a nurse. If you’re going to make nursing your job, then you need to be all in. As we said above, it ’s less a career, more a lifestyle that you’re taking on. But as with any other job, there’s no substitute for working hard! Give it your all, go the extra mile, and you’ll find that your efforts are rewarded with greater command and confidence in your role. Stay Positive Finally, remember that there’s no substitute for a positive mindset. It’s useful in whatever you’re doing in life, but especially so when you’re a nurse. You’re not always going to encounter things that make your heart sing, so you might need to do it yourself. You can focus on the good things in life, or focus on the bad things. Only one of them makes sense, however. Final Thoughts You’re going to go on an awesome journey as a nurse, one that is more different than similar to the one you envisioned. Try to enjoy it as much as you can! You’re making a positive difference in the world, after all, and that’s always a reason to be happy in your work.