Social Scapes

Being the newest nurse on your unit can be scary; you may feel as if everyone has their eyes on you, seizing you up and secretly laughing behind your back at the smallest sign of blunder on your part. Penetrating a new group can be intimidating especially if that group is tight and have a lot of history together. Depending on the unit you work with, there will be more ferocious groups than others. With that said, you can still count on the likelihood that there are diverse kinds of people in every human group and it will be just as soon that you’ll comfortably find your niche. However, if you want for things to go things smoothly on your first day or first week wearing your discount urbane scrubs, better heed and brush up on a bit of social skills.

Set your expectations

Or rather, expect nothing. That means, don’t expect special treatment because you’re the new guy or gal, don’t expect that everyone will be eager to show you the ropes, don’t expect that everyone will give you a warm welcome. Expect that nurses are busy and may have little time to entertain your questions. However, don’t be too inconspicuous and morph into the wall and render yourself invisible! When you do ask a question, try to be quick with it as possible. Also, try not to ask dumb questions but don’t be a know-it-all either. Just be honest about what you know and what you don’t know. Smile but don’t be overly friendly to the point of annoyance. Respect other people’s spaces.

Observe

Observe your co-workers when you can (don’t be too absorbed with observing that you neglect your tasks). Acknowledge the fact there are different kinds of personalities and types of working methods that people choose to adopt. Observe and take note of the nurses who wish to be left alone, those who crave communication, those who are introverted or extroverted, those who are naturally grumpy, those who are naturally jolly, those with quirks and what their quirks are, those with hot-tempers, those who are calm and cool, those who love gossip, those who are serious, those who are funny, those who are quick-witted, and so on, you get the drift. Do the listening more than the talking but don’t be mute that they will think you are an anti-social. If you want to gain the confidence of your colleagues, let them do the talking and ask them questions about themselves (but don’t get too personal; be appropriate). This way they will feel at ease with you and be comfortable with your presence. In no time, you will be part of the group as if you’ve been working there for as long as your colleagues.

Keep your integrity

No wants a suck-up or a person that wants to please everybody. Be true to yourself at all times and give your opinion on something that you feel strongly about. If you are sincere about it and are not doing it for the sake of showing off, you will earn the respect of your colleagues and they will see you as a person with integrity. Don’t try to please everybody because you will end up being insincere and people will see right through it sooner or later.