March 31, 2022
Working as a nurse is a rewarding profession. You get to be a medical team member responsible for caring for sick and injured patients. This advice for new nursing grads will help you prepare for your first job as a nurse to make the most of what will hopefully be your first of many years and a successful career in nursing.
1. Prepare for Your First Shift
There's nothing quite like the feeling of a first nursing shift. Before you arrive, there are a few things you can do to feel prepared:
- Find super comfortable shoes. Nursing shifts are long, and you are on your feet much of the time, so comfortable shoes are one of the most important investments you can make.
- Start using military time. Healthcare providers use a 24-hour military time (rather than standard 12-hour am/pm). Start using military time in your everyday life, so you are familiar with it.
- Take a practice commute. Don't be late (or almost late) for nursing shifts. Figure out where you're going, where to park, how long it takes to walk to your hospital floor and any other extra time you need for things like clocking in or going to the restroom. Then add a buffer of 10 minutes to make sure you are always on time.
- Bring a small notebook. There's a lot to remember as a nurse, and even the things that might seem routine later will be overwhelming at first. A small notebook is a place to write it all down, so you don't forget something important.
2. Learn How to Manage Your Time Efficiently
Nurses have a lot of responsibilities, and in many hospitals and healthcare facilities, they must take on several duties throughout a shift. Juggling patient care, treatment administration, medications, ancillary tests, and paperwork are all part of the job of a new nurse. One of the best nursing advice is to learn to manage time efficiently. Efficient time management reduces stress while still ensuring you meet all the expectations of your supervisors, coworkers, and patients.
3. Prepare to Work Long Shifts
Nurses who work in a hospital or similar facility can expect to work long shifts. Most nursing schedules are 12-hour shifts, one day and one overnight. Shifts can be both physically and mentally taxing. Nurses can prepare by:
- Get plenty of rest, so you are mentally focused and physically capable of taking on a long shift.
- Bring nutritious food that provides energy and is quick to eat if you are too busy to take a complete meal break.
- Limit caffeine or other artificial stimulants lead to a major crash later, and so you won't need multiple bathroom trips when you're the only nurse on staff or one of just a small team.
4. Don't Neglect Your Physical and Mental Health
"Self-care" might seem like a bit of a buzzword, but in the nursing profession, it is essential. Many nurses get into the profession because they enjoy caring for other people, which is great, but it's also crucial to evaluate your mental and physical health. Make sure you are doing all you can to take care of yourself by finding the things that help you relax away from work—hobbies, meditation, exercise—and setting aside time in your schedule to do them.
5. Lean on Your Network of Coworkers, Supervisors, and Mentors
New nurses often experience anxiety and doubt about their abilities and readiness early in their careers. Coworkers and supervisors can help you through that because they have experienced the same things. Other nurses are one of your best resources to ask questions and discuss concerns or struggles. You can also look for nursing mentorship programs to find professionals outside your current workplace.
If you struggle with something, ask your supervisors to assign you to do it even more so you get to practice. Never be afraid to ask questions because it's better to feel vulnerable and get it right than to assume you know (or wing it) and get it wrong.
6. Always Put Patients and Families First
The main reason you got into nursing is to help patients. Listening to your patients and their families can help you provide the best care and make deep, meaningful connections. Think about how you would want someone to care for you or a family member, then go above and beyond to provide what they need.
7. Never Stop Learning
For most people, the "official" part of your nursing education is over when you graduate. Still, almost every nurse in the profession will tell you that nursing education is a lifelong journey. Your first year is the ideal time to develop a willingness to learn. You will be exposed to many situations that didn't come up during your formal education. These are ideal opportunities to become a better nurse.
There are also opportunities to learn outside clinical work by:
- Taking continuing medical education (CME) classes. Sometimes, your employer or state licensing board requires them, or you can take them voluntarily to gain more knowledge.
- Joining a professional nursing organization. State and national nurse networking organizations offer excellent information and resources for new nurses. Most have job boards, plus the opportunity to network locally and nationally and stay updated on important news and breakthroughs impacting patient care.
- Attend professional development conferences, webinars, and training. This is a great investment for any new nurse. Conferences and webinars can help you stay on top of changes in patient care to learn new and better ways to treat your patients. Or you can research by watching online videos and subscribing to nursing journals to review evidence-based literature.
- Pursuing specialty certifications. Nursing degrees provide a broad range of skills applicable to all types of healthcare facilities and medical specialties. If you want to get a job in a certain area, you can pursue specialty certifications that teach unique skills. For example, suppose you want to work in a NICU with newborns. In that case, you can get a certificate as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Neonatal Care (ACCNS-N) that provides additional training on the unique needs of neonatal patients.
Start your nursing career the right way
Check out more helpful tips and information to prepare for a successful career in nursing on the Scrubs & Beyond blog. Or you can join our online community to connect with other nursing professionals and find everything you need to succeed as a nurse on our website.