Tips For Starting A New Nursing Career

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Few things are as exciting as starting a new job – especially when you work in a rewarding field like nursing. At the same time, however, feelings of doubt or trepidation when launching a new career are quite common. Take a look at Service Care Solutions for nursing roles. To ensure that you are successful in your new position, take advantage of the knowledge and experience of the existing nursing staff. Nurses who have been working at the facility for a long time can help you avoid mistakes while at the same time making it easier for you to acclimate to your new position.

#1. Learn As Much As You Can During The Orientation Process

Few things are as exciting as starting a new job – especially when you work in a rewarding field like nursing. At the same time, however, feelings of doubt or trepidation when launching a new career are quite common. Take a look at Service Care Solutions for nursing roles. To ensure that you are successful in your new position, take advantage of the knowledge and experience of the existing nursing staff. Nurses who have been working at the facility for a long time can help you avoid mistakes while at the same time making it easier for you to acclimate to your new position.

#2. Get The Most Out Of Your Mentor

The primary reason why new nurses are assigned mentors is so that they can learn from their real-world knowledge and experience. If you are having trouble connecting with your mentor, consider asking to be assigned to someone new. Even after the formal mentoring process winds down, you can still find unofficial mentors on your own. Employed by Dominican College, Nancy DiDona EdD, RNC, advises connecting with experienced nurses who are willing to help you find your footing in your new position.

#3. Avoid Getting Involved In Workplace Drama

When you are just getting started in your new position, you may be tempted to engage in gossip or to take sides in disagreements. Avoid this temptation at all costs. Always act professionally. If disagreements or conflicts do occur, try to handle them as diplomatically as possible without getting mired in the drama yourself.

#4. Focus On Building Bonds With Your Coworkers

One way to make your job easier and more rewarding is by developing strong bonds with your coworkers. As a staff nurse at the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses, Patricia McLaughlin, MSN, advises socializing with the people you work with. That doesn't necessarily mean hanging out with them outside of work hours. However, you should ask about their lives or learn as much as you can about them. Getting to know the other nurses on the staff will usually make your initial days on the job a lot less stressful and overwhelming.

#5. Be Willing To Learn

Any time you are unsure of something, don't hesitate to ask. Not only can this benefit you but it also can give the person you are asking a new perspective. For instance, they may decide to present certain information differently in the future if the way they are currently doing it is unclear. In some cases, questions can also keep errors from occurring. For instance, Patricia McLaughlin remembers a time when a question asked by one of her coworkers kept her from making a mistake with a patient's medication.

#6. Observe Other Nurses In Action ​

One of the best ways to learn is by observing more experienced nurses while they work. Seeing how they manage situations like dealing with patients who are upset or talking to doctors can make handling issues like these yourself a lot easier.

#7. Figure Out What The Top Priorities Are

When you have a lot of tasks to handle, determine which ones are the most important. Then, delegate less important tasks to other people. If you encounter challenging situations, ask more experienced nurses how they would deal with them. If you notice a problem with an existing process, don't be afraid to delicately bring it up. Since you are new, you bring a fresh perspective to the situation.

#8. Be Friendly To Everyone

Don't limit your interactions at work to just the nursing staff. Instead, be friendly to everyone, whether they are part of the support staff or part of the upper management. Making friends with secretaries, maintenance personnel, or technicians can go a long way toward making your job easier. Befriending people on the management staff can also be beneficial since it helps create a more balanced workplace where everyone gets along and you all are on the same page.

#9. Take Downtime When You Need It

Nursing can be quite stressful. Whenever necessary, take some time for yourself to unwind. A little bit of stress relief can go a long way toward making you better at your job.