Congratulations! You survived nursing school, and you passed the NCLEX. That's an incredible feat in itself; you should give yourself a pat on the back. You've probably landed a job or worked as a graduate nurse.
Freaking out yet?
Being a new nurse can be extremely intimidating! Working on the floor is nothing like attending nursing school, and you might feel underprepared to deal with real-world nursing. Thats okay!
All new nurses have a brief freakout when they start on the floor. Let's talk about how you can make your first year as a nurse easier.
On-The-Job Confidence Boost
Master your clinical skills. Volunteer for every learning opportunity that you come across. Seek guidance from your facility mentor. Practice, practice, and practice a skill you wish to master. Not sure where to start? Ask a coworker to show you some tips to begin with. Seek assistance from your facility's education department.
Don't fear asking for help. You're a new nurse! You shouldn't feel like a bother when asking questions or asking for help. No one should expect you to be perfect fresh out of nursing school. You care for another person, so don't be shy if you're unsure about something or need a helping hand. Speak up, and your preceptor should be able to guide you through sticky situations. If you can't speak to a fellow floor nurse, try escalating the chain of command and go to your charge nurse or nurse manager. Your confidence is important, and your co-workers, managers, mentors, and administration want you to succeed.
Stress Management and Combating Burnout
Self-care is important!You can't take care of others if you don't care for yourself. Ensure you nourish your body with healthy foods and drink plenty of water. Do your best to have a good sleep routine, even if you're on the night shift or pulling a swing shift. Mild to moderate exercise between work days can help fight stress, and maintaining strength can help you on the job. Try weight lifting or going on a hot girl walk. Treat yourself, too. A nice dessert? You deserve it. A new pair of shoes? You worked hard!
Reduce your stress. Nursing can be one of the most stressful jobs a person can have. Some shifts are a breeze, but finding ways to reduce your stress levels will make any day easier. Practice mindfulness; studies have shown it can help promote overall well-being and offer you some tools to get through stressful situations. Try yoga or meditation. Work on your hobbies when you have time off. Don't dwell on a tough shift. Reflecting on ways you could have handled a situation better is healthy, but lingering on something for too long can make you dread going to work. If it doesn't serve you personally, let it go.
Be firm on your boundaries. It might seem easier to deny yourself a lunch break and go straight into your afternoon medication pass, but allowing these breaks to decompress is important. Don't get tempted by bonus pay for picking up extra shifts. It's important to pace yourself as a new nurse to avoid burnout. Dealing with a tough patient? If you've done all you can to help them, ensure their situation is safe and leave the room. Come back with help, or ask your charge nurse for the next steps.
Building Resilience
Learning from Mistakes: If you've met a nurse who says they've never made a mistake, they're lying. You can try to avoid big mistakes by checking and double-checking and taking your time when completing your tasks (even if they seem endless). If you make a mistake, you should report it right away. Don't beat yourself up over it. Take the L and use it as a learning opportunity to better yourself. Your mentors or managers should be there to help you navigate mistakes and guide you to resources that can help you grow rather than punish.
Developing a Growth Mindset: A growth-oriented approach means viewing each challenge, criticism, or setback as an opportunity to learn and improve. When you overcome a tough challenge, you can turn that experience into a valuable lesson to strengthen your professional confidence. You can use these experiences to answer those difficult questions in future job interviews and clinch a promotion.
Continue to Learn and Advance
Continue your education. Yes, you have to complete yearly learning modules as required by your facility, but you can expand your skill set with more education if you desire. Gain certificates that interest you or might help you succeed in your specialty (like PALS or NIHSS certification). You'll feel more confident with the extra knowledge under your belt, and you can brag about it. Love adding more letters after your name, Brittney, BSN, RN, CANS? Go right ahead and collect them all. Go back for your BSN if you graduated with your ADN, or reach right for that MSN if you want.
Advance your career. Sign up for a leadership program run by your facility. Volunteer to learn new skills and make yourself valuable. Show your employer you will expand your knowledge, allowing you to step into a higher role. Don't be afraid to branch out of the hospital, either. There is much valuable experience to gain outside large hospital systems (and within them, too!).
Setting Career Goals. Do you have a vision board? Have you wanted to work in pediatrics since you started nursing school? Is your wish to be a Director of Nursing (DON)? Build yourself a roadmap for success and start working towards it now! Begin with setting short-term goals (and make them SMART), then expand on those with long-term targets. Then, come up with a plan to bridge the gap. Having these career aspirations in mind will help to ensure you don't get stuck in one place if that isn't your intention.
The Bottom Line
Your first year in nursing will bring incredible challenges, and when you look back on this time, you'll be able to reflect on your growth. Don't dwell on the difficult shifts or mistakes you may have made along the way; remember that each obstacle you overcome will shape you into the nurse you want to be.
By boosting your skills (and confidence), seeking support when you need it, managing your stress, and setting boundaries, you're building a foundation for a great career in nursing. Keep pushing forward, lean on your support system, find the right path that works for you, and celebrate your milestones. You've got this!
About the Author:
Corinne is a registered nurse (RN) with a strong background in geriatrics and a deep commitment to nursing. As the author of Senior Support Nurse, she focuses on improving care for older adults while advocating for the integrity of nursing. With a passion for supporting nurses and patients, Corinne is dedicated to upholding the high standards of care and professionalism within the nursing field.
Corinne is an independent contributor to CEUfast's Nursing Blog Program. Please note that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this blog post are solely of the independent contributor and do not necessarily represent those of CEUfast. This blog post is not medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any health-related questions or concerns.
If you want to learn more about CEUfasts Nursing Blog Program or would like to submit a blog post for consideration, please visit https://ceufast.com/blog/submissions.
