My tips for new graduate nurses:
Be nice. Courtesy goes a long way.
Think about going back to school. The younger you are with the more education, the better off you’ll be…and the better off your nursing profession will be! The people who are close to retiring can’t be the only ones with PhDs and DNPs. You want to have the longest time to make the greatest impact 🙂
Join a professional organization. Joining a profession organization shows that you’re committed to your profession. It demonstrates your engagement. It also lets you network. The nursing community is a very small world! You never know when you will need to “phone a friend.”
When you’re having a bad day, remember when you were in school and making NO money! Remember to appreciate your position now.
Ask your coworkers if there’s anything you can do for them….even when you don’t feel like doing it.
Work! Nurses love other nurses who aren’t afraid to work.
Be a leader. You don’t have to be in leadership or administration to be a leader. Create, engage, empower, question, and push yourself and others to just be better.
Categories: Professional Development
ADVENTURES OF A LABOR NURSE 
Love your posts! As a nurse on the opposite end of the time line, some things never change and your advice holds true now and would have over 40 years ago!
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Great tips! I just found your blog and I love your posts!
Do you have any tips for would-be new grad L&D nurses? They would be greatly appreciated!
For example, any suggestions on what to do to make yourself more competitive for a new grad L&D position?
Thanks!
Sheila Blanco, RN
(New grad)
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are you already an L&D nurse?
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No unfortunately – I am a “new grad” (quotations because I have been working part-time in a non-acute Derm clinic for about a year since I graduated from RN school). But I would love to work in L&D so am devoting my time right now to searching for an L&D position.
I have earned my BLS, ACLS, PALS, and NRP certifications and will earn my STABLE and ALSO certifications in Sept/Oct. I have also joined AWHONN and have taken their Basic FHM course and will take their Intermediate FHM course in two weeks. Finally, I am in the process of enrolling as a volunteer Doula at the local county hospital.
Can you tell I really want this? Lol! Any tips you could provide as far as what else I can do to make myself an attractive candidate, and tips for the job search itself, would be greatly appreciated! 🙂
Best,
Sheila
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lol yes I can. Where do you live?!?
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Unfortunately I live in the Bay Area in California – where we are swamped with new RNs and have a shortage of new grad positions 😦
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go to AWHONN meetings. It’s always who you know!
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