If you’re reading this article, massive congratulations to you on your appointment as a nurse in United Kingdom! You’ve reached a huge milestone and now you’re ready to embark on a journey to become the nurse you’ve always wanted to be. We’ve gathered some tips and tricks to make your first day on the floor exciting and rewarding.
Stay prepared the night before
Prepare your work bag with the basic nursing essentials like small notebook, tri-coloured pen, fob watch, and water bottle. Also, ensure that your nursing uniform is ready, your ID badge is packed, and your lunch ready to go to make your first day as stress free as possible. Make sure you already have a pair of very comfortable nursing shoes because you’ll be on your feet for more than 8 hours. Most Filipino UK Nurses prefer the brands Toffeln , Skechers, and Clarks because they are wipable and durable.
Arrive early
Be sure to plan well for travel to avoid any travel issues on your first day at work. Being early creates a good impression and allows you extra time to relax.
Expect a unit introduction and induction
Your unit manager or senior nurse will show you the layout of the unit you will be working on and he/she will introduce you to the rest of the staff. Be open, friendly and receptive to your coworkers. When they say, “You alright love?”, it simply means hello in British jargon and one of the the responses might be, “Not too bad. You?” or “Yeah, you?”
Introduce yourself to colleagues
Try to open up and introduce yourself to everyone with a smile. It’s easy to get flustered but don’t speak too fast. If you have an uncommon name, you can spell your name using phonetic alphabet (Alfa Bravo Charlie etc). Say your name clearly and confidently.
Write down essential information
These include locker codes, computer sign-in codes, name of unit manager and matron. Know their names, what they look like, and their contact information in case of clarification. You can also write down a ‘map’ of your ward to include staff room, linen room, locker area, supply room, toilets, sluice room (this is where they keep commodes, bin bags, macerator, urine bottles, sick bowl, etc)
Ask questions
There are no stupid questions if you’re a new starter. Bear in mind that patient safety would always be the priority of the whole healthcare team. It’s always safer to clarify and clear things up if you don’t understand certain phrases.
It helps a lot if you start familiarising yourself with the lingo and slang in the UK. Some words you might hear include the following phrases with their meaning on the right:
“Oh man, I’m covered in sick.” vomit
” I want to spend a penny.” I want to go to the toilet
” He seems very chesty and poorly.” not feeling well.
” I need to go to the loo.” toilet
“His obs seems a bit dodgy.” Leaning to dangerous/suspicious/ sketchy
“I’m absolutely knackered.” tired
” I was gutted when she beat me to the bladder scan.” Disappointed
“I can’t always tell if he has a dirty nappy.” Diaper
“Go to A&E (Accidents and Emergency)” – UK’s version of ER
Hydrate yourself
It’s easy to lose yourself in the hectic pace of your first few weeks at work but don’t forget to take care of yourself. Make sure you drink enough water and carry with you small snacks in your pocket to keep you powered in between meals. This is an underrated advice but very helpful for busy nurses who get late lunchbreaks due to heavy workload.
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