Training Wheels for Nurses: What I Wish I Had Known My First 100 Days on the Job: Wisdom, Tips, and Warnings from Experienced Nurses (Paperback)

by Barbara Arnoldussen (Author) "From one nurse to another, you should know a well-kept secret about nursing-there's a bigger gap than you think between nursing school and the "real..." (more)
Key Phrases: department nurse, experienced nurses, Challenging Patients, Starting Off

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Nothing is more daunting than your first 100 days in a new profession -- unless you go in prepared. Who better to advise you on how to successfully make it through than hundreds of experienced nurses who have been successful themselves?

Benefit From Their Wisdom:

Never call a physician without all the facts -- vital signs, baselines, labs, meds, history, etc.! I now have all of my "ducks in a row" before calling the MD.

Hospital staff nurse

It really doesn't matter how well you can give a shot or do a dressing change. Usually, the best medicine is a good conversation.

Orthopedic nurse

Learn from Their Mistakes:

Be ready to let go of the false belief that you must "know everything" right away in order to be a good nurse. The imposter syndrome, while rampant among new nurses, doesn't serve us well!

Long-term Facility Geriatrics nurse

Go to the bathroom when you need to! (Nurses are notorious for "holding it!")

Surgical nurse

And Remember That Humor Conquers All:

There's nothing like eating popcorn from an unused bedpan.

Emergency room nurse

I get to have as many free band-aids as I want!

Medical nurse

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Kaplan Publishing (May 25, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743261917
• ISBN-13: 978-0743261913
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 4.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #248,970 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Encouraging and Helpful for the New Nurse, April 28, 2006

By	Blondie59 (EGV IL USA) - See all my reviews

I picked this book up about 9 months after I started my first job as a nurse, so I had already been going through the "initiation" process. As I read this book, I was thinking "Gee, wish I had read this in the beginning, would have saved me a lot of trouble." Many of the blurbs (the book is a series of one page "blurbs" of advice grouped into categories) were just common sense items. However, many were "apples of gold" (a Biblical expression for well timed, encouraging words) and practical advice that I had just learned on my own through the "School of Hard Knox" (i.e., on the job). Had I read this earlier, my journey through that first year as a novice nurse might have been a little easier and a little less stressful. Great gift item for your graduating nursing student!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Nice, May 20, 2006

By	CNA2RN "Nursie" (Everywhere at once) - See all my reviews

Nice set-up; nice reminders for a new nurse not to worry -- others have been where she's at now. It gives good advice in an easy format.
I'm so glad I picked up this book -- I will probably be reaping its benefits for a while!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh, this book is worth every cent., March 5, 2006

By	Pastor Andrew Martin "Author of 'Crossing the... (NKU) - See all my reviews

What a wonderful way to learn from other nurses that nobody knows everything but we can learn from our mistakes and we strive to be the best we can be. As a DON, I recommend this to all nurses even experienced ones. A good read.