New to Nursing?
Many people go into nursing because it offers a unique opportunity to care for others and make a profound difference in peoples’ lives. However, you need to balance these lofty aims with an awareness of the day-to-day realities of the profession. You should certainly hold on to your ideals—they make the daily grind worthwhile—but make sure you enter your career with your eyes open.
If you are a new nurse just starting out, here are eight things that many veteran nurses wish they had known at the beginning of their careers.
- There is a lot of fine print
- Memory matters and mistakes are inevitable
- You will learn to cope with death
- You will be on the phone a lot
- Your body takes a beating
- Work and life become one
- You will be underpaid
- Self-care and nourishment matter
Nursing is not an easy profession to get into and succeed in, and it is not for everyone. Make yourself aware of the realities of the job and learn to take them in stride. If you love the job, then you can surely persevere.
