Being new as a nurse is perhaps one of the biggest learning curves in terms of starting a new job. Going from nursing school and always studying to being responsible for actual patients who are in pain can be nerve-wracking. Nursing is a highly competitive field which is good for job security, but not so much for a person’s stress levels. Even with the hierarchy in nurses, there are other nurses that will want you to succeed. If you have just started your nursing career, you will likely need some tips for sustaining this exciting yet difficult career. These tips will help you to succeed as a new nurse.

Focus On Patient Care

Since your main responsibility is patient care, that is the way to advance in this profession. To really do well in this field, show superior patient care and you will be remembered by patients and coworkers. At the beginning of your career when you are performing smaller tasks, make sure to complete them in a positive and cheerful way. Nurses are who the patient first sees in the morning, so start off their day by making them feel comfortable through excellent patient care. Senior nurses will appreciate seeing a newer nurse taking good care of their patients and not complaining about having to change a dirty bedpan or otherwise. 

Always Be On Time

The field of medicine doesn’t wait for anyone to catch up on sleep. Patients will be in need of care whether you are tired or not. And your colleagues and superiors will want you there on time. It makes the workday or night easier for everyone when you are all on time. Arriving to work late is not a way to succeed in any line of work. Even if you graduated nursing school with the highest grades, no one will care if you are constantly late. If you really want to start off your new career right, I suggest showing up early to review patients charts, this puts you ahead of schedule. Everyone likes a coworker who is reliable and there to help, it makes work easier for everyone. 

Don’t Complain To Others

When everyone is swamped with work, older and newer nurses, no one wants to hear someone complaining. Even if you had to clean excessively dirty sheets or soiled bandages. Only for a specifically difficult issue would you ever speak to the supervisor about it. Would speaking to them better the situation? Or are you looking for sympathy or to rant. You can rant to friends outside of work or to your significant other, but in general, I would never appear annoyed about your work. Nursing is not known for being a glamorous job. Since you are taking care of sick or injured people, I would expect a certain degree of unsanitary conditions. It is definitely different reading about oozing wounds and having to take care of them, however, having a stronger stomach comes with time. 

Continue To Learn

Similarly to how lawyers and accountants must stay up to date with changing laws, so does the medical field. With constant advances in medicine, nurses should be willing and able to adapt to new and changing medical treatments. Staying up to date on medicine by reading medical journals can expand your knowledge and better prepare you for unexpected medical conditions. Also, if you encounter a patient at work and don’t remember exactly how to treat them, do your research. And when you get home, re-read your old textbooks from nursing school. You want to be as prepared as possible as a new nurse. 

Get To Know Your Mentor

When in nursing orientation, you will be assigned a nurse mentor during your first few weeks or months. It is important to get to know your mentor and know what they expect from you. Are they keen on being early or having excellent charting? Get to know what skills are especially important to them so you can shine while working with them. You should not expect to be close friends with this person as this is work, but you should make friendly conversation and always be pleasant towards them. Having them provide a good recommendation for you could help your career in the future. 

Spend Time With Coworkers

In nursing, it is important to be able to rely to some extent on your coworkers. And if you are friendly towards other nurses, they will be more likely to help you if you ever need help. Take the time to know the people on your floor and even the receptionists who are there. Try to remember their names if possible and socialize with them when you are able to. This is a great way to integrate into your workplace as a new nurse. By spending time with them you will be a part of the nursing team and feel more comfortable at your workplace. 

Pay attention to the roles and day-to-day life of other professionals in the workplace, this will help you to understand your role and how you can help. It is important to be not only friendly and kind to patients, but to colleagues and other coworkers as well. To become adapted to a new environment, get to know the people around you to feel a part of the team.