seek advice on proficiency and time mgt from senior nurses

  1. 3
    Hello my dear RNs, I have both graduated and obtained my RN license very recently, and am working at telemetry/medsurg unit as RN orientee/preceptee. I find no other better place than to seek advices from advanced and experienced nurses for a new bird like me.

    As a new nurse, I noticed that my comprehensive (head to toe) assessment needs to be more brushed up and my time management skills also need some guidance. Ah, also I am quite nervous to talk to the doctors, scared to be precise; any advice on giving report/communicating with doctors would be awesome too. If you can also point me towards whatever advice you seek useful as a new nurse which you have experienced, please feel free to let me know. Thank you so much and happy nursing!

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  2. 10 Comments...

  3. 0
    Hey, I am in the same spot, so you aren't alone! I get so shy with some docs; I am scared they are gunna ask me something I totally don't know. I guess it is something we will get over with with time. :-/
  4. 8
    Re talking to docs: have all your ducks in a row. Have the info you need written out or on the screen BEFORE you page them so it's ready when they call back.
    hikernurse, brandy1017, poppycat, and 5 others like this.
  5. 5
    The things you're describing are totally normal for a brand new nurse -- with conscious effort you'll improve each day.

    Tons of good info for you here at with some simple searching. But please do yourself and your preceptor a favor and discuss these areas where you feel most insecure right now with your preceptor, as he/she is in the best position to work with you in a goal-directed way, for the benefit of both of you.

    Good luck to you.
    hikernurse, poppycat, tewdles, and 2 others like this.
  6. 1
    I am a new LPN working in LTC and I have always been shy on the phone. Then to add to that, some of our docs are pretty intimidating. I try to think of SBAR (situation, background, assessment, recommendation) before I call the doc and I always have the resident's chart in hand and their EMAR pulled up on the computer.
    KimberlyRN89 likes this.
  7. 1
    I have one semester left in my RN program, in our physical assess class our teacher taught us to do focused assessments in the acute care setting, in other words, tailor the assessment to each individual patient and their specific condition(s). At the very least, I assess LOC, heart/lung/bowel sounds, pain, patency/integrity/contents of any lines or tubes, wounds and dressings, last BM, and I&O on all patients. Remember you can and should "assess" your patients each time you're in the room. Trying to anticipate patient needs saves time too.
    KimberlyRN89 likes this.
  8. 0
    thank you all for the awesome advices, keep them coming! oh, by the way my hospital is electric charting, so the info are on screen. and @Altra, I got a really nice preceptor and we quite often discuss about my shortcomings; she's awesome, and I need lots of ways to go ha. I feel pretty insecure about the whole "knowing the system" deal and little steps that nurses are responsible for such as calling case management when pt needs to go home on walker or O2, or calling MD in different cases (so many indications for so many pts, how do you keep up with all that???), getting things signed, calling some people before discharge, etc etc, so many stuff, and they are all jumbled up in my head.
  9. 2
    It takes time and practice.......I wouldn't call them shortcomings I would say inexperience and you need time to learn. ((HUGS))

    This may help you organize when you call the MD......write everything down you want to say to the and what you want from them.
    student clinical report sheet for one patient

    What you need are good "brain are a yourself

    1 patient float.doc‎
    5 pt. shift.doc‎
    report sheet.doc‎
    day sheet 2 doc.doc

    Sugar Magnolia and KimberlyRN89 like this.
  10. 1
    thanks so much for all that esme i will make good use of them
    Esme12 likes this.
  11. 2
    You are a new nurse, you still need to PRACTICE, right?
    If you dedicate yourself to learning the "tasks" and requirements of your job while practicing your critical thinking skills, you will feel better in about 6 months or so. It takes about a year to feel real comfortable in a brand new work environment and career like nursing.
    Don't get involved in workplace politics...use your time to learn the ins and outs of your job and the typical needs of your patient types.

    In terms of talking to docs...don't be afraid.
    Like folks said HAVE YOUR DUCKS IN A ROW!
    You need to know why you need to talk to him/her...what they need to know WITHOUT narration (that's the hard part for many nurses in the beginning)...what YOU NEED (Rx, Xray, Diet change, etc) from them...all centered on your mutual patient goals.
    Your facility probably has a format that they recommend for those important communications.

    Good Luck!
    I hope nursing is good to you and you enjoy it as much as, and for as long as, many of us have!
    Sugar Magnolia and Esme12 like this.


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