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What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming A Nurse

To be honest, I went into the profession of nursing fairly blindly. I did not have a grasp on what it was that nurses actually do.

I liked the idea of helping patients in need, but I was naive to the day-to-day activities of a nurse. Now that I’ve been a nurse for almost 4 years, I look back now and wish I had known the following 5 things before becoming a nurse.

Medication administration

During nursing school medication administration was a skill that our instructors wanted us to perfect.

We had competency exams as well as frequent med pass check-offs during clinical rotations. You would think that would have been a signal to me that medication administration is a HUGE part of a nurse’s job.

Oh, how naive I was. I did not realize how many medications nurses actually administer on a daily basis…and how time consuming it is.

This is not inherently a bad thing, but I quickly became overwhelmed with the medication process. It took me several months to streamline the process of preparing and administering meds.

This is why nursing schools harp on med knowledge. It is not a subject that can be ignored!

Doctors aren’t (that) scary

Doctors on T.V. can be portrayed as a bit intimidating (Dr. Cox from Scrubs, anyone?) and you will likely hear first accounts from nurses of being chewed out by a doctor.

While some doctors do not have the best bedside manner, they ultimately have the patient’s best interest in mind.

It took me a while to find my footing with doctors because I initially was quite intimidated. I found the best strategy to get passed any feelings of intimidation is to treat doctors like they are just another coworker. This way you eliminate the traditional hierarchical pedestal they are thrust upon.

Nobody should be scared of a doctor based on the principle that they are a doctor. They are more than willing to help their patients and ultimately are on your side.

Not all nurses are created equal

This is an unfortunate truth…not all nurses strive to provide high quality care to their patients. There are nurses who cut corners and do the least amount of work possible.

This can be disheartening and causes other nurses to have to pick up their slack.

I wish I would have known this before I became a nurse so I could keep a better eye out for nurses who exhibit these types of behaviors. I generally give people the benefit of the doubt, so I wouldn’t have imagined nurses I would work with would be this way.

Once I learned which nurses were this way I would make sure to examine their previous patients more closely to ensure they were properly cared for.

Patients and family can be stressful

I could have guessed that patients and their families could get crazy and out of hand… it I was not prepared for how out of hand things could really get. Patients and their families really can make you question your life’s decisions.

I wish someone would have instructed me on how to properly deal with these types of situations.

I have had patients and their families berate me and literally leave me speechless. I am not saying this to scare anyone away, but I think it is important for future nurses to be aware so they can better be prepared.

There are some techniques you can use to help make these situations easier; check out How to Manage Difficult Patients to learn about my personal approach to these types of occurrences.

Some patients will change your life

Wow, pretty dramatic, huh? But it’s true.

This I was certainly not prepared for and, honestly, I may not have believed it before I actually experienced it.

There are patients that I cared for as a new nurse (years ago) that I still think about to this day. I wonder if they ever got any better or if they unfortunately passed away. I used to check the obituaries regularly to see if I came across a familiar name.

Patients are more than just patients. They are humans. They will have a lasting impact on you (sometimes good, sometimes bad) and it is truly awesome to share that bond with another human.

If you’re a new RN and are struggling, check out Tips to Survive Your First Year as a Nurse. Or if you want some career advice and inspiration check out Top 5 Career Tips for New Nurses.

Happy Nursing!