SPREAD YOUR WINGS
I crumbled,
I fell,
My wings are still delicate;
I opened up my knowledge cart
But it had deficits;
Now how do I recover;
I witnessed,
I studied,
I met leaders,
With great wealth of books and experience
The competent, astounding nurses
proposing their carts to me
thus my optimism surges,
My feet are starting to hover;
They challenge,
They encourage,
pushing me to the limit
They mentor and praise,
hence my confidence is on exhibit;
My wings are getting tougher;
I analyze,
I research,
Such a wide scope of practice,
I am still far from perfect,
Give a wide berth to malpractice;
My patients now feel safer;
No fear,
No anxiety,
Feed your mind till wisdom peak
No incompetence,
No clumsiness,
Let that wisdom of yours speak;
Spread your wings.
To step forth into this profession, especially after the pandemic demoralized my nursing clinicals, was a very frightening moment for me. I wrote this poem as I struggled to come to reality and survive my introduction to the medical-surgical unit. Experienced nurses ameliorate new graduates by making us feel comfortable in the workplace and showing us the support that is needed.
It can be overwhelming when nursing graduates finish school and start facing reality.
The medical-surgical unit is a department that new nurses need to be well introduced to because it deals with quick and urgent treatment. The primary succor for me was the orientation program, which was executed based on competency assessments to meet the needs of each new nurse and to address the skills required to thrive in medical-surgical units. Customized training and development based on a competency/skills checklist created engaged new nurses and allowed veteran nurses to use the available resources appropriately rather than recommending that every new nurse take a class. The veteran nurses also monitored the new nurses. This was done through a nurse residency program, which included nursing professional development and mentoring. The residency program, which includes educators and veteran RNs, is now helping me confidently make the transition from student to nurse and identify and address my gaps in clinical knowledge. Mentorship is also guiding me through career progression and professional practice.
Clinical skill fairs are another pivotal way to empower new nurses. Conducting skill fairs run by veteran nurses enables new nurses of various professional skills to maintain training on procedures and equipment that are not commonly used but are considered to be a low-volume and high-risk skill set to have. I had the opportunity to integrate new skills and learn about the latest trends, technologies, and equipment used to improve the safety and quality of care delivered to my patients.
Experienced nurses know a lot about the challenges and opportunities of their jobs, like how to deal with tensions in a medical-surgical unit or why it is good to specialize in this field for long-term growth. As such, the veteran nurses exemplify commitment, which makes me feel valued and devoted to my career progression.
Burnout is common in the nursing profession. I sometimes get frustrated and discouraged when the real-world profession does not reflect what I thought it would be. But there are upsides, too. Our veteran nurses ensure that I, along with other new nurses, do not get bullied by other nurses and physicians in the units—they refuse to tolerate bad behavior. They’ve also encouraged me to be involved with shared governance councils that directly influence the medical-surgical unit.
I hope you realize that the people you look up to on your unit were once in your shoes. Growth takes time, and it accelerates with confidence, education, seeking help, engagement, and respect. You’ll turn around one day and see that you are the veteran nurse working to empower those new to the field!
Thanoon Thabet, BSN, RN, is a Registered Nurse at an Acute Care Hospital in New York, USA, and an active member of Sigma’s Delta Zeta Chapter.