Practical Advice For New Nurse Practitioners

New to the profession? Welcome! Here are 5 practical tips to start your NP career in the right direction.

1. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗮 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗨𝗻𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗿 𝗧𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 – remember that NP school prepares you for safe entry-level practice and there is a lot to learn and build upon once you start practicing.

2. 𝗥𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - I recommend a minimum of 3 months orientation.

3. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 - take note of interesting clinical cases and learn from them - beyond your shift. Track your patients' progress throughout their entire clinical course and learn from the outcomes. This may be as simple as keeping a “My Patients” list in the EMR or a follow-up phone call or records request in the outpatient setting.

4. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀’ 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 - complete yet concise documentation is an art that is perfected over time. This important skill can be developed by learning how other providers describe scenarios and exam findings. Read their notes - you’ll learn a lot!

5. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 - every time you consult a specialist is an opportunity to learn how specialists think and how to improve the quality of future consultations. Whether it be asking for clarification on a phone call with a specialist or following-up on the consultant’s recommendations (or lack thereof), seize the opportunity because it will make you a better provider for your patients.

Looking for mentorship? Email me at [email protected]. If I can't help, I guarantee that I can connect you with someone who can!

Categories: : Nursing 101, Nursing Student Success, Tips for Nurses