lOMoARcPSD|18781444

NCM 120 (Decent Work Employment

& Transcultural Nursing)
ST. ANTHONY COLLEGE OF ROXAS CITY BS NURSING / FOURTH YEAR

Materials: Handouts, Pen and Paper,

Books(optional), Notebook
LESSON TITLE: Tips for New Nurses in Adjusting to their
First Job as a Nurse

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of the lesson, the nursing student can:

1. Learn how to cope with their first job as a nurse;

2. Know how to deal with healthcare team in the given
workplace;
3. Do time management during the whole work shift at a References: https://nurse.org/articles/new-
hospital setting. nurses-feel-better-at-work/

LESSON PREVIEW / REVIEW (5 minutes)

The instructor will call on one student to lead the prayer. After checking the attendance of the students, he/she will ask the
students to choose a partner and sit beside their partners and prepare for a short activity (with precaution to wear mask at
all times and observe social distancing).

10 Tips For New Nurses To Make You Feel Better At Work

1. Don’t be a wallflower

As a new nurse, you might feel overwhelmed, nervous, and excited by the whirlwind of new experiences you get thrown
into. Part of the initial discomfort when starting your first nursing job is the multitude of new faces around you every shift –
nurses, doctors, pharmacists, physical therapists, nutritionists, unit secretary, housekeeping staff, and management!

You might be wondering how you’ll ever start to break the ice and fit in with so many new coworkers. It’s pretty simple -
just introduce yourself. Try not to convince yourself that an introduction isn’t necessary; just because someone looks busy
doesn’t mean they won’t remember you. Honestly, people are probably wondering who you are, too!

The sooner you introduce yourself, the easier it becomes to feel more comfortable with your new unit. Most people will
gladly take a few minutes to receive your introduction and may even offer to help you as you transition into your new role.

2. Have a “go-to” crew

As you start to make acquaintances on the unit, you will inevitably meet people with whom you “click” with right away. Try
to find at least one nurse, one doctor, and another team member (maybe a charge nurse) who are most eager to guide
you. Think of them as mentors and utilize them!

1 of 4
 lOMoARcPSD|18781444

You’ll not only grow a strong personal and professional bond with them but, you’ll become a much stronger nurse as you
proactively seek guidance throughout your first year.

3. ASK QUESTIONS

Yes, it is in bold letters. Yes, it is in all CAPITALS. Yes, you have heard it a thousand times before.

The most dangerous thing you can do for your professional license and your patients is to not ask questions. As
healthcare continues to change and you continue to grow professionally, chances are that ‘asking questions’ will never
end.

No matter how ‘stupid’ you think it might sound, there’s truly no such thing as a question you shouldn’t ask.

For example, an experienced nurse may pass you in the hall and ask something like, “will you help suction my patient in
14?” While she thinks her questions is direct and to the point, you, on the other hand, are freaking out with unanswered
questions,

“Does she mean open suction or closed suction?”

“Wait, does she mean oral suction or do they have a drain to suction?”

“Should I go back and ask her again what she means or how to do that? No…because it would make me look dumb and
that nurse is too busy to teach me anyway.”

Believe me, we have all gone down this thought train. As a nurse, especially a new one, just take the extra minute to seek
help from someone you trust. It will actually make them feel more confident in your abilities because you will seem like a
thorough nurse who doesn’t pretend to ‘know it all.’

Two important tips for new nurses:

 Always know where to find your hospital policies and procedures.

 Know how to ask your colleagues for the information you need - be direct and resourceful.

4. You can cheat now

What I mean by that is, you don’t have to memorize everything anymore. You don’t need to remember which medications
you can have milk with, or orange juice, or which you need to wait 2 hours after eating, or whatever crazy details we had
to memorize in nursing school.

Don’t rely on memory anymore.

You will inevitably build an extensive knowledge base over the years that you will pull from rather than text resources. But,
in the beginning – cheat! Cheat to learn.

2 of 4
 lOMoARcPSD|18781444

 Look up all your medications before you administer them.

 Refresh yourself on procedural skills before you perform them.
 If you see a weird rhythm on the monitor, ask for a second set of eyes on it and skim your pocket EKG book.
 If you can’t remember exact lab value ranges or appropriate vital signs for age groups, just look it up.

Nurses are great at cheating until it’s ingrained in our memory, and it’s totally acceptable. Carry pocket-sized reference
guides, download quick-reference apps, and stick index cards with normal ranges in the back of your ID badge holder.

5. You are your most important patient

Take care of yourself. It’s common for new nurses to frequently feel sick during their first year working but, it doesn’t have
to be that way. Common self-care pitfalls of new nurses include,

 not getting enough sleep,

 not eating well,
 not protecting yourself against microorganisms.

If you are struggling to catch sleep as a new nurse on night shift, make it a priority to figure out solutions. Some nurses
swear by black-out curtains, some take melatonin before bed, some cut blue-light screen time a couple hours before
sleep.

Frequent exposure to new microorganisms will definitely make you sick (and eat up your sick days.) A few tips to protect
yourself (as much as possible) from hospital microorganisms include,

 Follow isolation precautions and hand hygiene

 If you admit a patient who is coughing (or just doesn’t look good) before isolation precautions are ordered, just
throw on a mask and gloves to be safe
 Clean your high-touch areas and objects with a chlorhexidine wipe at work – your stethoscope, your ID badge,
your pen, the keyboard you chart at. I even wipe down the surface of the pumps and doorknob in my patient’s
room.

6. Talk the talk

Nurse communication is an art that takes years to master. They can’t teach it in school - it’s a skill you honestly have to
learn in practice. You will eventually learn to give report to colleagues but, until you find a style and flow that works for
you, “SBAR” is a good place to start.

A helpful tip for educating patients is to always explain acronyms. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard doctors and
nurses say things to their patients like, “we are just going to do a CBC, BMP, and type and screen for now” while the
patient smiles and nods with a confused look on their face. It’s important to think about more effective ways to
communicate with patients. Try saying something like, “we are going to draw some blood out of that IV line you have so
the team can evaluate your levels. We’ll be looking at your complete blood count, like red and white blood cells, and your
chemistry profile, like your electrolyte levels. And a type and screen will confirm your blood type in case you need a blood
transfusion in the future.”

3 of 4
 lOMoARcPSD|18781444

You can say more, you can say less – but do explain it in a language your patients will understand.

7. Work on your neutral face

Without a doubt, nurses have the best poker faces in the business. You will see it all as a new nurse – organs prolapsing
from not-so-correct anatomical locations, raunchy tattoos on geriatric patients, explosive diarrhea, combative little woman,
ex-convicts accompanied by law enforcement officers, and the list goes on. You will have patient’s say very strange
things, ask you questions that will stump your nursing knowledge, or sometimes code and die in front of you. And through
it all, you learn to keep a neutral face.

8. Up close and personal

Learning not to take things personally is essential as a new nurse. Angry and frustrated doctors, nurses, and patients will
likely take their frustrations out on you sometimes. You learn to be the metaphorical punching bag, the shoulder to cry on,
the trusted one to lean on, and the lending-ear.

If someone makes a shift difficult for you, always remember that you are a strong nurse - don’t allow another person to
make their problems yours. Chances are, you were an unfortunate coincidence in their line of fire.

Nurse and doctor bullying is thankfully being eradicated, but if you deal with an unprofessional coworker, please seek
support and tell someone higher up (like a charge nurse, management, or HR). It’s never okay to be personally attacked
at work.

9. Time flies by when you’re…a nurse

You would be surprised how quickly a 12-hour shift can pass. Time management is another essential skill for new nurses
to perfect.

 You will learn to prioritize patient care based on acuity and involvement of care,
 You’ll learn to orchestrate your day around everyone else who steals that time – doctors rounding, therapists
doing sessions, meal times, and patients’ visitors.
 You will become an expert at organization, adaptability, delegation, and time management skills.

To help yourself adjust to the rhythm of the unit, loosely organize your shift from the start, critically-think about your
patient’s well-being and who/what needs to be on your radar and why – remember to ask for help when you need it.

10. Enjoy it

Congrats on transitioning from student nurse to working nurse – enjoy it! If you work 12’s, you’ll love the idea of 4 days off
a week.
 Enjoy those steady paychecks.
 Enjoy those paid vacation days.
 Enjoy being done with tests and studying and homework.
 Enjoy making friends at work, going to holiday parties and planning potlucks.
 Enjoy buying too many pairs of cute scrubs.

4 of 4
 lOMoARcPSD|18781444

NCM 120 (Decent Work Employment

& Transcultural Nursing)
ST. ANTHONY COLLEGE OF ROXAS CITY
BS NURSING / FOURTH YEAR

Materials: Handouts, Pen and Paper,

Books(optional), Notebook
LESSON TITLE: Guidelines for Nurses Applying for a Job
Overseas

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of the lesson, the nursing student can:

1. Know how to apply for a nursing job abroad;

2. Learn the basics about registration and the
employment process overseas;
3. Discern about the culture of the country the nurse is References: https://nurse.org/articles/new-
applying for. nurses-feel-better-at-work/

LESSON PREVIEW / REVIEW (5 minutes)

The instructor will start the class with a prayer and attendance check. He/she will then instruct the students to prepare for
a short activity. The instructor will summarize and respond to the closure activity questions of the previous topic.

Want to Nurse Abroad? 6 Things You Must to Know

You have decided to spread your wings, take the plunge and find a nursing job abroad. A nursing qualification, coupled
with the worldwide shortage of nurses, open up countless opportunities for nurses to work in another country. Your
motivation might be to experience travel and adventure, to improve your lifestyle by earning more, or to expand your
knowledge and skill.

While many nurses have found working abroad to be an enjoyable and enriching experience, others had regretted their
decision when reality did not meet their expectations. To avoid disappointment, you need to do lots of research to find the
best fit for you – your language and cultural background, your character and personality and your reason for wanting to
work in another country.

The following are some of the downsides which have been reported in research and discussions on the web.

1. Registration and employment process

Each country has different requirements. In some, your qualification and registration in your home country may be
automatically accepted. Other countries may require an examination or even additional courses before you can sit the
examination. Sometimes the examination can be taken in your home country (e.g., United Kingdom’s Nursing and
Midwifery Council) so that you are assured of registration before you go abroad.

The different types of nurse licensure examinations abroad are the following:

A. National Council Licensure Examination – Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) – United States of America
B. Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) – United States of America
C. Canadian Registered Nurse Examination - Canada
D. Dubai Health Authority (DHA) Examination for Nurses – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
E. Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) Examination for Nurses – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

1 of 3
 lOMoARcPSD|18781444

F. Prometric Exam for nurses – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia & Sultanate of Oman
G. Ministry of Health Examination for Nurses – Kuwait

Some English-speaking countries may also require you to take English competency examinations such as the United
States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia.

The following types of English-competency examination that you can take are the following:

A. International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

B. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
C. Occupational English Test (OET)
D. Pearson Test of English (PTE)

There is often lack of communication between employers and recruitment agencies so that expectations created by the
recruiter are not met. For example, you might be recruited as a registered nurse but be employed at a lower level and at a
lower salary until you are fully registered in the host country. You might also not be employed in your area of expertise as
promised by the recruiter.

You should ask questions until you get complete clarity, do your own research on the web, contact the registration
authority of the country you intend to go to and even the potential employer in order to confirm all the information you
have been given.

2. The working environment is entirely different.

Nurses who have been recruited to work in their area of expertise may find that there is no position available in that area
and end up working in a completely different field of nursing. Job and task allocation might be below your skill level and
leading to frustration at work. It could be difficult to speak up because they are contractually bound and in unfamiliar
surroundings. Take it as a new learning experience.

There will be many differences in nursing and health system practices, policies and laws which you will have to adapt to.
Some may conflict with what you were taught as the correct way of doing things. If you are to work in a third world
country, you might feel that the equipment and supply shortages and poor staffing levels make it impossible for you to
provide quality nursing care.

Many nurses working abroad report on discrimination and even racism at work. This could include being excluded from
opportunities to attend courses or for job advancement. Most often below the line discrimination is felt at unit level – being
allocated tasks below their level of expertise; being ignored; treated with mistrust; and even open abuse. Such
discrimination appears to be less when the foreign nurse works in a country with the same language and culture as her
own.

3. Language barriers are common.

If you work in a country where the native language is the same as yours, the adjustment will be a lot easier, although
there will still be terms and expressions you don’t understand at all.

If you move to a country with a completely different language, this will be a barrier to effective communication with your
patients and the provision of quality nursing care. Not knowing the language will also make parts of your personal life
more difficult, such as dealing with government departments, to get a tax or social security number, or passing your
driver’s license. Even shopping for what you need or eating at a restaurant can be tough.

2 of 3
 lOMoARcPSD|18781444

Governments and agencies often require the nurse to take language courses, if this is the case, and are usually a
prerequisite to obtain a work visa.

4. Finance

As mentioned before, you may earn less than in the contractual agreement until you are registered as a nurse in the
country concerned. This may cause financial hardship, especially if you discover that you have to complete additional
courses before you can sit the examination or if you don’t pass first time.

While a salary may sound great compared to what you are earning, you should also investigate what the cost of living is in
the city or town you are moving to. It could be much higher than anticipated. What is the cost of an average apartment,
travel and food? Make a list of what you will need to pay for and use the Internet to search prices and work out a budget
which can then be compared to the salary you were offered. Even if free accommodation is offered, ask whether it will be
close to your place of employment as high travel costs can become an unexpected expense.

5. Personal life

Change of residence, change of job and loss of support system all rate high on the scale of major stressors. At the same
time you will have to adjust to a foreign culture, maybe even to a different language, new foods and a lower standard of
accommodation.

Nurses working in other countries often report feelings of alienation, isolation and loneliness, which lead to loss of
confidence and self-esteem. When culture shock kicks after the first three months, you could experience feelings of anger
and resentment against those cultural practices which at first seemed like an adventure. Imagine having always the
freedom of wearing clothes suited to weather conditions and driving your own car and then being forced to use public
transport while being covered from head to toe in a burka in temperatures around 45 degrees Celsius!

Emotional stress can be reduced by finding people from your own country to guide and support you, for example, relatives
or friends of friends. This initial support system should ideally be set up before you leave your home country. Once
relocated you can broaden your support network.

6. Do your homework

The downsides discussed above are not meant to dissuade you from working abroad but to prepare you and to serve as a
guideline. Ask questions, do extensive research on every aspect – from the registration process, laws and policy, nursing
practices and procedures, to geography, costs and cultural practices. Learn the language and prepare for the examination
with guidelines provided by your recruiter or content on the Internet. Consider strengthening your coping mechanisms by
joining a life skills course.

In one study on nurses working abroad a nurse was quoted as saying: “No amount of preparation could have readied me
for what awaited.” So expect unforeseen obstacles and be ready to face them head on.

3 of 3
 lOMoARcPSD|18781444

NCM 120 (Decent Work Employment

& Transcultural Nursing)
ST. ANTHONY COLLEGE OF ROXAS CITY
BS NURSING / FOURTH YEAR

Materials: Handouts, Pen and Paper,

LESSON TITLE: Nurse Stress and Burnout: How to Deal Books(optional), Notebook
with it Effectively Everyday

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of the lesson, the nursing student can:

1. Learn how to determine the stressors a nurse can

experience at the workplace;
2. Know how to balance work and personal life; References:
3. Practice destressing activities outside of the https://www.masmedicalstaffing.com/2017/08/08/
workplace. nurse-stress/

LESSON PREVIEW / REVIEW (5 minutes)

The instructor will start the class with a prayer and attendance check. He/she will then instruct the students to prepare for
a short activity. The instructor will summarize and respond to the closure activity questions of the previous topic.

Nurse Stress and Burnout: How to Deal with it Effectively Everyday

Nurse stress is a very real thing, we’re sure you can relate. Regardless of how much you love your work, stress can have
a significant impact on your health and well-being.

We all know that a day in the life of a nurse can be super stressful.

Life’s most impactful and emotional experiences are part of the job—but that doesn’t mean they don’t affect you. In
addition, clinics, hospitals, and other health institutions around the country are (periodically) overcrowded and
understaffed, which can lead to nurse stress and burnout.

According to the 2013-2014 report “Executive Summary: American Nurses Association Health Risk Appraisal,” 82 percent
of surveyed nurses agreed they were at a significant level of risk for workplace stress.

A lot of this nurse stress was due to—often temporary—heavy workloads that required them to work longer hours than
normal.

1 of 5
Downloaded by Philip Ceasar Hicalde (phicalde@sachri.edu.ph)
 lOMoARcPSD|18781444

Nursing job stress isn’t always of the “bad” variety. Sometimes positive situations can be overwhelming. Occurrences like
the ones below can actually create “stress” even though the situations are favorable.

For example:

 when a patient pulls through against all odds,

 when learning to use new software or equipment,
 or even when getting a promotion.

That’s why it’s important to develop healthy habits and coping strategies to minimize the negative stress related to nursing
job tasks and increase your resilience.

Keep the following nurse stress and burnout-busting tips in mind:

1. Learn to say “No.”

For professionals in healthcare, it’s often our natural inclination to jump right in when someone asks for our help.

However, if you already have an overloaded schedule, your first concern should be to keep yourself healthy—otherwise,
you won’t be able to take care of your patients properly.

So instead of always extending a helping hand, take a moment to consider whether you really have the time and energy
to do so without adding a bunch of new nurse stress-inducers to your day.

And if you can’t help out, say so firmly yet politely.

2. Practice compartmentalization.

According to a 2014 study conducted by the American Sociological Association, nurses who viewed their job as a
calling—primarily because they wanted to help others—experienced more nursing job stress and burnout than those who
considered their job a career.

This is because when you feel a high level of empathy for the people in your care, it can be taxing and contribute to your
stress levels.

2 of 5
 lOMoARcPSD|18781444

Fortunately, if you know how to compartmentalize, you can leave your work-related concerns at work when it’s time to go
home after your shift.

Read this Psychology Today article by Maria Baratta titled “Compartmentalizing: A tool for achieving balance between
work and home” to learn more about this tactic for nurse stress management.

3. Develop emergency coping strategies for nurse stress.

When you get overwhelmed, you need some effective emergency coping strategies. These will help you regroup, calm
down, and figure out how to move out of nurse stress situations.

Some examples include:

 taking a quick break by yourself somewhere quiet

 taking a couple of deep breaths
 counting to 10 before responding.

If you don’t have the opportunity to do either of these things, then it can be helpful, to be frank, and calmly say, “I’m feeling
rather overwhelmed right now. I’d like to take a moment to catch my breath, and then I’ll be right with you.”

4. Create your personal safe place in your home.

One of the best things you can do to combat the effects of nurse stress is to make your home your safe place.

A few ideas include:

 choose furniture and accessories in your favorite colors

 play music that helps you relax
 have some plants in every room

Of course, if you share a home with your spouse or partner and kids, then you need to take their space into account.

If this is the case, then see if there’s one room or even a part of a room that you can claim for yourself.

For example, you could put an overstuffed arm chair in a quiet corner, add a nice soft rug, as well as a side table with a
plant and a scented candle.

Use it as your sanctuary where you can read, listen to music, watch your favorite shows on your tablet—or just relax with
a nice cup of hot chocolate.

5. Do something everyday that makes YOU happy.

If your days look like “wake up, commute, work, commute, sleep, repeat,” then you need to add a little bit of happiness to
elevate your mood and add some positivity to your life.

Reserve 20 to 30 minutes a day to do something that makes you happy.

Avoid nurse stress by taking a long relaxing bath after work. Or start doing crosswords or Sudoku instead of watching TV
at night. Perhaps, take up drawing or crafting.

Just make sure that whatever it is, it’s not an “obligation” or something you do for any other reason than that it brings you
joy.

6. Make friends outside of the workplace.

Most of us spend 40 or more hours at work every week, as well as an hour or more commuting.

So it’s only logical to become friends with your coworkers—and that’s a good thing because you need a support system at
work. In fact, being friends with your colleagues can help you cope with stressful work events.

3 of 5
 lOMoARcPSD|18781444

However, when all of your friends are also your colleagues, then you’re more vulnerable to continuous nursing job
stressors because you’re also more likely to discuss professional matters even when you aren’t at work.

That’s why it’s good to make friends who have nothing to do with your day job.

Try doing this by:

 joining the local gym or sports team

 doing volunteer work
 going to local meetups with people that have similar interests

This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t spend time with your “colleague friends” at all. But when you find yourself becoming
stressed because the topic of work is constantly coming up, then it’s advisable to ask your friends to keep “shop talk” to
when you’re all at work.

7. Spend time in nature.

Have you ever wondered why it is that when you go for a walk in the park or along the beach, you come back feeling more
relaxed—sometimes even rejuvenated?

According to the University of Minnesota’s Center for Spirituality & Healing, spending time in nature or even just viewing
scenes of nature reduces fear, anger, and stress.

It has measurable physiological benefits for nurse stress management, including:

 lower blood pressure and heart rate

 relieved muscle tension
 reduction of stress hormone production

Try to spend at least an hour or so in nature every week—whether that’s walking your dog in a nearby national park,
playing a round of golf, or even taking up a sport like sailing or paddle boarding so you can spend time on the water.

It’s also helpful to surround yourself with images of nature.

If you spend a lot of time looking at computer and device screens and put beautiful photos on display.

Some ideas are:

 the ocean or lakes

 woods or a quiet forest
 mountains

Using these natural elements as your desktop images and screensavers can give your eyes and mind some points of rest
throughout the day.

8. Keep a journal.
Have you ever wanted to unload all of your frustrations and worries—but you don’t want to burden someone else with
them?

Then keeping a journal is a great way to express negative nurse stress and work through difficult situations.

Some people find it fulfilling to purchase a hard copy journal to write in, while many others prefer to use an app and keep
a journal on their computer, tablet, or phone.

Some words of caution: if you choose to keep a digital journal, don’t keep it on an employer-owned device.

In addition, even if you’re using your own device, secure your journal with a good password.

4 of 5
 lOMoARcPSD|18781444

The whole point of journaling is that you can express yourself without being worried about how others might respond to
your thoughts.

9. Exercise regularly.
Regular exercise is one of the best ways to manage nursing stress and burnout in the long term.

As Mayo Clinic points out, exercise increases the release of endorphins and as a result, improves your mood, reduces
symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Plus, it can also help you sleep better!

Exercise can be anything such as:

 yoga
 ballroom dancing
 tennis
 aerobics
 rock climbing
 water polo

To make exercise a habit you enjoy rather than a chore you’d rather forget about, choose an activity you like and be
flexible in how and when you exercise.

10. Seek professional help.

If you’re still not feeling good, despite doing all you can to cope with and reduce nurse stress, then it’s advisable to seek
professional help from a counselor or therapist.

Oftentimes, your employer provides counseling as part of its wellness package, but you can also seek help outside of your
professional environment.

Counselors and therapists are trained to help you understand where your stress is coming from. They will work with you to
develop effective coping techniques, as well as make any changes you need to manage your stress in the long term.

5 of 5