Being a new grad nurse can be really challenging, here are my top 15 tips to keep some balance in a new and chaotic chapter of your life.
- Find or make a routine : have a pre shift morning routine to prepare you for the workday, have an evening routine to help you wind down from a long shift, and have a routine to get out of bed on your days off.
- Make plans outside of work : schedule a pilates class, book a nail appointment in the morning, make plans to meet up for brunch with friends. Make plans so you have something to look forward to and to get you out of the house when you are not working.
- Meal prep (for at least the days you are in the hospital) : do not fall for the hospital cafeteria trap! Plan to make a quick meal prep that is healthy and wont upset your stomach or make you feel bloated.
- Join a workout class or program : having an appointment or scheduled session is the best motivator to hold you accountable and keep you on tract with exercise.
- Invest in good shoes : your feet will HURT, trust me. Personally I love the Hoka Bondi for work, I have seen other nurses really like Brooks and On Cloud.
- Invest in good scrubs : Figs is where it is at. Wear what makes you comfortable, if you are someone who always gets cold, wear an under scrub long sleeve top , taking your jacket on and off is really annoying.
- Plan one small thing to do on the days you work : simple workout in the morning, reading one chapter in your book, writing in your journal before or after work. One small thing for yourself so that the day isnt given up entirely to work.
- Always have an extra set of underwear and tampons in your backpack
- Always have Advil or Tylenol on hand
- Keep a journal : write out your pre shift and post shift anxiety, journal your milestones and accomplishments, junk journal keepsakes and stickers, make a list of things patients have said (good and bad).
- Invest in your hobbies : don’t let work consume you. Try out boxing, learn to crochet, start scrapbooking. Hobbies are the best way to enjoy your days off and wind down with friends or by yourself.
- Set out your workout clothes and scrubs the night before : unless you work in a navy scrub jail (a hospital that only lets you wear one color of scrubs) picking out your clothes in the morning is just another task on you list. Pick out your clothes the night before, it makes the mornings a little less chaotic.
- Eat breakfast and drink coffee at home : as a nurse it is so easy to get a breakfast sandwich from the cafeteria or eat donuts from the break room. Do not let this be a normal for you, learn good habits from the start. Lack of sleep, increased stress and random calories are a big reason for weight gain in this profession.
- Protect your days off : extra shift incentive is so tempting, but try and not let that completely change your plans outside of work. Learn to say no, and if you really do need to pick up, do it on your own terms, not because someone is begging you to come in.
- Aim for at least 5-6 hours of good sleep before a shift : between staying late to chart, 12 hour shifts, and possible night shift, 8 hours of sleep might not be achievable. However, you can be in bed by 10pm with your phone off and set an alarm for 4:30 / 5:00am.
