Top 5 Career Secrets for New Nurses

You've got the degree, passed your boards, and even survived interviews. You've got a real job and real credentials behind your name. It should be smooth sailing from here, right? Unfortunately, a career in nursing isn't built overnight; it takes time, hard work and a little savvy - and these career secrets that they don't teach you in school.

Know your colleagues

The area of nursing can really be a dog-eat-dog world for a new grad. One of the easiest tricks you'll learn in your career has nothing to do with meds or vital signs-it's your co-workers. They can be your greatest help or biggest enemy. The first thing to remember is that these nurses are likely very busy themselves. They have a patient load of their own, so each time you stop them to ask a question or get assistance, you're using their valuable time. So, be succinct with your questions. Is it something you could look up in a book? Also, utilize ancillary personnel like nursing assistants for things like turns and baths, and save your RN colleagues for questions about more technical things such as meds and difficult procedures. If you do have a spare minute, help the other nurses. Have they gotten to break yet? Perhaps you could change an IV bag or turn a patient for them. The more you help them, the more likely they'll be to help you! This leads us to the next career secret-

Use the expertise you have

You might feel like you don't know anything right now, but believe it or not, you're an expert at some things. You may be working with some new grads, but chances are you're also working with a core group of career nurses....the "lifers". These women (or men) are experts at nursing, but the one thing you have on them is experience with technology. As more and more hospitals are moving to computerized charting and med administration, many of these nurses are feeling left behind. This is one area where you're the career expert!! If you see an older nurse looking puzzled with a computer, offer to help...and you'll in turn be helping yourself!

Organize, Organize, Organize