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Articles: New Nurse Survival
The Do's (and Don'ts) of Getting your Busy Manager's Attention
As many nurses are aware, managers are extremely busy people with a lot of pressing responsibilities that often keep them away from staff. Rather than write off your manager as a "lost cause for help", it is best to pick and choose which issues to pursue when trying to get their coveted attention. Here's a list of recommendations to help you make the right decision.
Working a double shift is pretty common for many nurses. Some nurses choose to work a double, while others are mandated to do so. For those who choose to do a double, review the following guidelines to ensure you are making the right choice.
Throw Out the Old, Ring in the New: Establishing New Habits
All of us have habits that we need to change or discard prior to taking on a new role in life, such as becoming a nurse. If you need to change a counterproductive habit, here is a 10-step method to help you throw out the old and bring in the new!
Five Financial Health Resolutions to Start the New Year
Sandra Richman, Principal of Finanswer, LLC, an organization dedicated to helping individuals, couples and small businesses make intelligent financial decisions, shares her words of wisdom to help nurses bring in the New Year with a resolution for financial health.
"I'm too Busy to be Understood—Read my Mind!"
When you communicate, is it customary for you to literally whiz by your colleagues, ask a question and then not listen to their response? Perhaps your words run together, your pace so quick that the person to whom you asked the question might stop in their tracks and wonder, "What did she just ask me to do?" Sound familiar? Busyness, while real and compelling, can also be used as an excuse for a lack of clear and respectful communication. Here are five easy steps to help you go from an impolite to respectful communicator.
Mistakes: Turn Them Into Learning Opportunities!
New nurses make mistakes; it is part of the learning process. Mistakes come in all shapes and sizes; and, of course, it is best to avoid making mistakes that can do harm to a patient. The most important thing a new nurse can do is to allow each mistake to become an opportunity for learning, so you don’t make the same mistake twice!
Being the new nurse on the unit is quite a learning experience. With attention focused on learning policies and procedures, it is also important to take the time to build solid relationships with the men and women who know all of the short-cuts—experienced nurses. Here are four steps to maximize your success at building new relationships.
Eleventh Commandment: Thou Shall Not Abandon a Problem!
We all know that problems are a normal part of life; when working in a busy medical facility, problem solving is part of daily life, and if you choose to avoid or abandon a problem, it can become an annoying, recurring issue. Here is a 6-step problem- solving model to come to the rescue.
A Recipe for Success: 12 Recommendations from a Seasoned Nurse to Help a New Nurse Succeed
Maureen Dugan, RN, in Med-Surge, works at a busy teaching hospital. She has been training new nurses for many years. Her experience gives her the perfect perspective to give some well-needed advice to help a new nurse succeed and even thrive on the floor.
Retention is the Name Of The Game: The Nurse's Role in Getting Some Job Satisfaction
If your choice is to pursue a career in nursing, here are some strategies to build your level of satisfaction in an imperfect clinical environment.
Stages of Adaptation: From New Grad to Savvy Nurse
We can expect the stages of adaptation, or a similar process, to accompany new nurses as they acclimate to their role as clinicians. Learn the four stages of adaptation—Excitement, Overwhelm, Recovery, and Commitment—and the strategies for response.
STOP! Turn the Green Light to Red on Verbal Abuse
Tales of abusive communication abound in many a medical facility. Disrespectful communication may feel inevitable, but it doesn't have to be. There are ways to stop the behavior, and you would be doing yourself and others a favor when you create a plan to intervene. Here is a list of recommendations to turn the green light of verbal abuse into a red light.