Role Transition

Role TransitionDevelopment of NurseDeb RobinsonMarion LougasJanuary 29, 2019 “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts (Winston Churchill) CITATION Car16 l 4105 (Carson-Newman, 2016) Most new nurses breath a sigh of relief once they have passed their provincial exam, however this leads to the next step which includes finding their first position and embarking on the transition from student to licensed nurse. Within this paper I will show how although, stress and panic are huge concerns for the newly graduated student, there are methods and strategies that will help to overcome any challenge to make them a successful nurse. According to theorist Dr. Patricia Benner, nurse’s skills develop over time. This will allow the nurse to fully understand what it means to provide quality care to a patient. Patricia believed that nurses gained knowledge and skills, contributing to their personal skill even if they did not realize that this was taking place. Dr. Benner developed a 5 Stages of Clinical Competence model.Stage one: This is the novice stage, new nurses in this stage would have very limited ability to predict what could happen to their patients. Stage two; this is the beginner stage. In this stage you will find recent graduates working in their first jobs. Beginners can recognize reoccurring situations, have knowledge that they can act upon, and can often work independently because they have some experience to pull from. Stage three; this is the competence stage. In this stage, nurses will reinforce their knowledge and education into their everyday practice. They have organizational skills and can recognize patterns quickly. In this stage also, a nurse will focus on improving their speed and flexibility while performing their duties because they can recognize right away how they must react in most situations. Stage four; this is the proficiency stage. In this stage the nurse begins to see a bigger picture. She will come proactive with certain aspects of care. The last stage is the expert, the nurse can spot resources and demands. The nurse will know what needs to be done, they will implement a care plan and focus more on the care, other than policies and procedures. They are focused, use tools where necessary and will ignore things that do not need to be addressed. Dr Benner believes that this model allows a novice nurse to go from following policies and procedures, and checklists to allowing themselves to change their awareness to what needs to be done for every patient. In a study done new nursing graduates’ express difficulty in developing relationships with fellow senior nurses and physicians, which makes them feel excluded from the team. They expect to adapt immediately and feel frustrated when they fail to meet their own expectations. Studies have shown that there are eight areas that are challenges encountered in new nurse graduates, they are; workload, working environment, relationship with colleagues, expectations, support, communications, clinical knowledge or skills and confidence. The new nurse should look after her self first and fore most with proper nutrition, adequate rest and exercise. Other methods may include, yoga, mediation and reflective journaling. Utilize the therapeutic communication skills we have learned in our studies. Often misunderstandings can happen due to miscommunication. Ensure that you are aware of your verbal and nonverbal communication. Discover ways to compromise when in a difficult situation. Set small goals for yourself, for example learning everyone’s name, learning the phone system and doing a certain procedure at least once a week. We still have a lot to learn, ask a lot of questions. New nurses who do not ask questions are more likely to make a mistake and will delay the learning process. Some things are not taught in the class room and only by experience will we be comfortable enough to conquer this fear. Learn to “cheat”, don’t rely on your memory anymore. Look up medications before you give them, refresh your self on procedures before you perform them. If you cannot remember a lab value, look it up. Possibly carry a pocket book reference guide or index cards with you. CITATION Mar18 l 4105 (Hamstra, 2018) Develop a positive plan of action. It is very easy to become over whelmed as a nurse. Learn to prioritize, try breaking down your day in hour increments. Ask yourself what is most important and what is the least important. CITATION Sar17 l 4105 (Cruzan, 2017) Learn to look for stressors, observe behaviors. Clarify and restate. Be a good listener. Seek out a mentor, someone who can challenge you and teach you and most importantly support you. No one succeeds alone, associate with friendly nurses. Go out of your way to introduce yourself to coworkers, physicians. Don’t wait for people to introduce themselves to you. Acknowledge help and support when you get it from anyone. Improving your time management and organizational skills is a challenge but can be done easily by creating a “to do” list, delegate, and establish deadlines, lastly by rewarding yourself. Work on trying to stay positive. Set a section aside in your journal for recording positive things that someone has said to you, both staff and patients. Review this, especially when you are feeling down. Remember that you have a lot to learn but are more prepared then you think you realize. Nursing is a lifelong learning experience. Be realistic, stay focused and positive and keep moving forward. “Remember these tips, they will remind you of the reasons why you became a nurse. CITATION Don l 4105 (Cardillo, n.d.)”