This article was originally published on Kaplan Test Prep’s Calling All Nurses

This this January edition, we asked three nurses to provide words of wisdom for new graduate RNs. Here are their words of inspiration:

“Your first year of nursing will prove to be challenging. At times, you may experience mixed emotions and will be conflicted between what you believe what should be happening in the delivery of client care versus the reality of the situation. Just remember one thing—you are in control of how you respond to each situation, and your duty is to protect and serve your clients at all costs.” —Nurse Educator of 8 years

“Get ready to be flexible like never before. You may experience many situations that cause some anxiety or stress, and you have to be prepared to handle these situations professionally and efficiently. At times, doctors may yell at you, CNAs will not always be there to help, and patients will not always be grateful for your selfless care. You have to be able to quickly work through these negative situations and not take everything personally. At the end of the day, you have to do whatever is best for your patients.” —Cardiac RN of 27 years

“Never be afraid to ask questions! I cannot emphasize this enough, especially since I have seen so many new graduate nurses struggle because they weren’t asking questions. I have been an RN for over 30 years and I ask questions every single day. If there is ever one single hesitation, you should stop what you are doing and ask for guidance, or clarification, especially from doctors and specialists. Remember, when in doubt, check it out!” —RN of 34 years

Best Wishes!

-Damion