Related: Attitude, Caring, Doctors, Learning, Support

My friend's dad had a triple bypass after a heart attack over the weekend.

I saw through her eyes how overwhelming, traumatic and surreal a health crisis can be. I've also seen how said crisis can be transformed by a caring medical staff.

My friend's world revolves around taking care of her family, working on her degree, church and school involvement, and writing. Never [...]

Related: Career, Job Search, Learning, New Nurse Tips, Nursing Jobs, Second Career Nursing, Student Nurse, Success

We’re all eager to land our first jobs once we finish nursing school. Maybe too eager.

Last year, when I was a student, we were given the option of working at a variety of hospitals during our clinical rotation. Many students stayed in the same hospital to get familiar with the people and the program. Ultimately, they had their hearts set on working there and there [...]

Related: Attitude, Goals, Learning, Morale, Motivation, Prioritizing, Success

I had a birthday a few days ago. My children tell me I'm old. So does my drivers license.

They say that with age comes wisdom. I think they're right, but not because you naturally get smarter. You just have more opportunities to hang out with smart people.

I encountered one of those smart people at a conference 5 years ago. [...]

Related: Failure, Fear, Feedback, Learning, Mistake, Nurse Support, Prioritizing, Stress, Success

Nurses are human—we all make mistakes. But knowing how to deal with mistakes is what will make you a better nurse. Despite what your fears tell you, it is possible to live through, and benefit from, a mistake. Here’s how:

Avoid mistakes in the first place.
This is a statement of the obvious, but it’s better to avoid mistakes than to learn how to deal with them. [...]

Related: Attitude, Caring, Learning, Mindset, Non-Verbal Language, Patients, Student Nurse

As a nursing student, I realize that I have much to learn about dealing with difficult patients. This last semester I was assigned a patient on a med-surg floor who was known to be “contrary." The staff nurse taking care of her was fresh out of school, too (just over a year), and the two of us were trying to take care of this woman--without [...]

Related: Communication, Conflict, Gossip, Learning, Nurse Relationships

It’s a wise adage: “If you don’t want something shared, don’t say it.”

As a nurse, I’ve learned that you have to assume that whatever you say is going to be shared. I’m very private regarding what personal matters I share at work. But that didn’t stop another nurse from spreading lies about me.

She was flat out lied about a work-related issue--and it was my word [...]

Related: Attitude, Compliments, Failure, Feedback, Feelings, Goals, Learning, Mindset, Motivation, New Nurse Tips, Nurse Relationships, Nurse Support, Stress, Success, Teamwork, Truth

Everyone has to work to stay positive. It’s human nature to focus on what went wrong. As a new nurse faced with situations that are terrifying and challenging, you have to work doubly hard at it.

All new nurses have been there: at a point of giving up because they’ve repeatedly told themselves they know nothing and will never get it all right. But you will. [...]

Related: Feedback, Goals, Learning, Mentor, New Grad, New Nurse, Nurse Support, Preceptor, Seasoned Nurses

You just finished your precepting experience. Overall, it was positive, but you still have a bazillion-and-one questions. While your preceptor said you could ask her anything, for some reason your personalities just didn’t click—you don’t feel comfortable continuing to ask for support.

Maybe it’s time you looked for a mentor, someone who shares similar goals and who will support you for the long haul of your [...]

Related: Authority, Complaints, Learning, Mistake, New Nurse, Nurse Relationships, Scapegoat, Seasoned Nurses, Truth

Sometimes it feels like I’m not given the time—or opportunity—to learn.

As a new surgical nurse, I’ve noticed that the nurses who have been around for a while don’t want to let me do some of the procedures. I’m nudged out of the way. I’ve talked with other nurses, and they say that they’re afraid of getting into trouble if the new nurse blunders, or they [...]

Related: Career, Education, Goals, Leadership, Learning, Nursing Shortage, Professionalism, Resume, Teamwork

The way you start your career as a new nurse is important—but often overlooked. With so much to learn, we tend to focus mostly on the job – we’re so worried that we’re going to hurt a patient. It takes a while before we discover that we’re never going to know everything. So as you start your new job, think about launching your career. Here’s [...]