"Life is a journey, not a destination." - Aerosmith
One of the most exciting and hardest time in my nursing career was the summer of 2006 when I graduated from nursing school, passed the NCLEX, and set out to find a job as a nurse. I was glad to be done with school and ready to start the next phase of actually being a nurse. I was excited to FINALLY stop wearing the white pants and navy blue top that was required in nursing school and get some cute scrubs.
What I was not ready for was the transition that comes along with being a new grad nurse. And I am not alone. In a study, one in five new nurses leave their first job within a year. While there are systemic issues, it doesn't mean a new graduate cannot be successful and even thrive. Here are some tips to help with the transition from being a student to being a nurse.
Decide that you are not food.
Nurses eating their young has been a long-held belief in nursing. I sort of hate this generalization because I have worked with nurses of all ages and spent most of my first years as the youngest nurse on the floor. What I learned is that while the majority of the older nurses I worked with were tough, they had my back, and would be there for me. Did they expect me to work hard? Yes. Did they give me honest feedback if I did something stupid? Yes. Do I believe they made me a better nurse? Absolutely.
Instead of stressing about nurses bullying or "eating" you. Go in with the mindset that you are there to work hard and that you refuse to be food for anyone. Because no one can bully you without your permission.
Focus on your career goals instead of what you "should" do.
I see so many questions from new grads asking where they should start. It's an old belief that Med-Surg is where you should go to do your "time". If you want to do Med-Surg, go for it. BUT if you want to do something else, don't let this old belief stop you. I have friends who have started in literally every specialty from ICU to L&D to a Doctor's Office to Outpatient Oncology. They have enjoyed their careers and have been successful.
Stressing about where you should start your nursing career is a waste of mental energy. By focusing on your goals and what you want, you will be on the most direct path to get there. And here is the fun part, if you find that Med-Surg is actually a part of that journey, then you can always go back and work Med-Surg.
Be your best patient.
I polled the Facebook group Burnout Ward Community and one of the biggest pieces of advice they have is to put your and your well being first. This looks a little different for everyone but the key parts of this are self-preservation, self-love, and self-care. This means:
- Skipping going out with your friends to the bar so you can get up at 5AM for a 12-hour shift.
-Calling in with you are sick when you are under the weather.
-Saying no to working a double so you can go home and get a good night sleep.
-Asking someone to be your lunch buddy that can cover you so you can go to break and vice versa.
I like to think of this as being my best patient. If I am not taking care of myself, how can I expect my patients to listen to me or do the things they need to to take care of themselves. Whether you think of it as my oxygen mask first, etc. This is an important practice to always be in the mindset of paying it forward to your future self.
Enjoy the journey.
I look back at my time as a new nurse with a lot of love and pride. This may be one of the hardest transitions, but it made me tougher and I am a better nurse because of it. So enjoy the journey along the way.
I know there are a lot of horror stories out there about being a new grad. This doesn't need to be your story. If you are a new graduate struggling with the transition to being a nurse, let's talk. Sign up for your free consult today.
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