Barbara Arnoldussen - First Year Nurse: Wisdom, Warnings, and What I Wish Id Known My First 100 Days on the Job

WISDOM, WARNINGS, AND WHAT I WISH ID KNOWN

MY FIRST 100 DAYS ON THE JOB

Edited by Barbara Arnoldussen, RN, MBA Fourth Edition

This publication is designed to provide accurate information in regard to the subject matter covered as of its publication date, with the understanding that knowledge and best practice constantly evolve. The publisher is not engaged in rendering medical, legal, accounting, or other professional service. If medical or legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. This publication is not intended for use in clinical practice or the delivery of medical care. To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the Editors assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property arising out of or related to any use of the material contained in this book.

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ISBN-13: 978-1-5062-0892-3

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Dedicated to my mother, Barbara A. Rudolph, RN, my favorite new nurse.

I acknowledge the excellent editorial assistance of Helena Santini. The encouragement of my husband, Tom, and the support of my family and friends were critical to accomplishing this exciting project.

A heartfelt thanks to the hundreds of nurses across the country who shared their genuine feelings and solid advice to nurture new nurses. Great teamwork!

The publisher would like to thank Judie Hogan and Karen Lilyquist for their contributions to this project.

You are about to embark on the journey of a lifetime. You think that nursing school has prepared you for what lies ahead... until you begin your first job and are flooded with a huge patient load, more charting than you can finish, and multiple questions from family members, each requiring an immediate answer (that you dont have!). You need to get a handle on the situation and get oriented before you start to feel disoriented.

How can you calm the fast pace of your beating heart (or in professional diagnostic terms, your situational tachycardia)? Dont worry, this book is here to help. Its filled with quotes and advice from several hundred nurses who have been there and done that... and now want to make the journey easier for you.

Packed with everything from down-to-earth humor (Theres nothing like eating popcorn from an unused bedpan!) to frank insights about maintaining motivation on the job (Work with your heart. Every chance to learn, love, and be compassionate is a moment well spent) while including practical tips (A good pair of bandage scissors will last a lifetime), this book is designed to help you surviveand even thriveduring your first 100 days as a new nurse.

True to their mission of nurturing others, the nurses who contributed to this book want to help you up, over, and around the hurdles that they themselves faced. They want to make your beginning steps more confident so that you can stride with ease.

Welcome to the ranks.

Nursing school definitely did not prepare me for all the poop I cleaned up in my first hundred days as a nurse.

Intensive care unit nurse, Lynchburg, VA

Congratulations! You are about to make the worlds most rewarding profession not just your job but your career. It is a lifelong journey like no other.

On the pages that follow, the Voices of Experience will weigh in on why they became nurses. More likely than not, you will hear some of your thoughts echoed in theirs. In turn, you will be given a heads-up as they discuss some of the surprises that come with the territory. Even though the dream has finally come true, there are going to be difficult days. The best thing is to be prepared. So read on to find out just what those reasons for nursing are, and to learn about some of the challenges that await.

From one nurse to another, you should know a well-kept secret about nursingtheres a bigger gap than you think between nursing school and the real world. While youll find nursing to be a meaningful and worthwhile profession, every experienced nurse will tell you that youre in for some eye-opening surprises at the beginning... some good, some not.

Wondering what those surprises could be? In this chapter, seasoned nurses describe the surprises they found, so that youll step onto the job prepared for the unexpected.

Nothing was done like I was taught in school. Things are dictated by the Policy & Procedures manual created by the institution where youre workingso know your P&P!

OB-GYN nurse, St. Louis, MO

Simple things not learned in nursing school seemed complex and difficult until mastered. Every night when I came home from work I had to study about words, illnesses, and tests that I had never heard of.

Telemetry nurse, Kunkletown, PA

Because the material you learn in nursing school is so broad, if you are going into a focused area at your new job, it helps to relearn the material specific to that job before you start.

Neonatal intensive care unit nurse, Atlanta, GA

It was a lot more liberating than nursing schoolthere was more freedom to practice your knowledge in a real setting.

Emergency department nurse, Santa Clarita, CA

The first hundred days were scary, but a good opportunity to learn new things by being patient, asking lots of questions, and doing hands-on training.

OB-GYN nurse, Olathe, KS

I was really surprised at how much I didnt know. The best thing that I ever did was to accept my limited knowledge base and let the more experienced nurses guide me.

Pediatric nurse, Chicago, IL

I learned that you cant do everything by the book and you have to expect to make mistakes.

Intensive care unit nurse, Franklin, OH

Be ready to let go of the false belief that you must know everything in order to be a good nurse. It will all come together. The imposter syndrome, while rampant among new nurses, doesnt serve us well!

Geriatric nurse, Gaston, OR

My orientation was fast and furious.

Hospital staff nurse, Charleston, SC