My first code as a new graduate nurse brought on so many different emotions. Everything around me felt overwhelming, and in that moment, I remember feeling underqualified. At the same time, I also felt prepared because I had recognized that my patient was declining quickly and had time to call for help. I had help at the bedside because I asked for it when things started to feel off. My supervisor immediately came to the bedside, along with two other nurses who had more experience than I did.
That experience taught me one of the most important things I wish someone had told me my first year: asking questions and asking for help does not make you a bad nurse. It makes you a safer one.
As a new nurse, it is easy to feel like you must prove yourself or look like you have it all together. The truth is, none of us know everything when we first start. Nursing school prepares you in many ways, but it cannot fully prepare you for the reality of bedside nursing. Experience teaches you the workflow of your unit, what changes to watch closely, what is truly urgent, and how to trust your own judgment.
I also wish someone had told me that the emotional part of nursing can be just as hard as the clinical part. There will be days when you feel completely overwhelmed. There may be days when you get to your car after a shift and cry because everything finally catches up with you. It is okay to feel those emotions. It is okay to admit that a shift was hard. But it is also important not to carry it all alone. Talk to a trusted coworker, mentor, friend, or professional if those feelings become too heavy.
I wish someone had reminded me that the hard days are not the only days that matter. In the beginning, you may remember the emergencies, the mistakes you replay in your head, and the moments when you questioned yourself. But over time, you will also start to see your wins. Maybe you caught a subtle change in your patient before it became something bigger. Maybe you advocated for your patient. Maybe you asked the right question. Maybe you made it through a difficult shift. Those moments matter, and you should be proud of them.
I wish someone had told me how much your environment matters. Supportive coworkers, managers, and preceptors can make a huge difference in your first year. Having people you trust and who make you feel supported, rather than alone, can be the difference between growing through your first year and burning out quickly.
I also wish someone had told me to take care of myself outside of work. During a shift, nurses spend so much time caring for everyone else. But when you are home, you matter too. Drink water. Eat well. Rest. Make time for the things that fill your cup, whether that is faith, family, exercise, reading, or simply quiet time. You cannot continue to pour into others if you are running on empty.
Most of all, I wish someone had told me that confidence takes time. You will not become the nurse you want to be overnight, but you will grow with each shift, each question, and each patient. One day, a nurse newer than you will come to you for help, and you may surprise yourself when you know the answer. For any nurse in their first year, my advice is this: ask the questions, accept the help, give yourself grace, and celebrate the small wins. You are not expected to know everything right away. You are expected to keep learning, keep growing, and keep showing up.
Florence Nightingale said, “The most important practical lesson that can be given to nurses is to teach them what to observe — how to observe…” As new nurses, that is exactly what we are learning to do: observe, ask, grow, and trust ourselves a little more with each shift.
