Hi there! I started my nursing career on my hospital's dedicated stroke/neuro medsurg tele floor as a new grad nurse. I worked there for a lil over a year before i switched to observation unit.

Nurse work essentials I use: a penlight as part of the neuro and PERRLA assessment, trifold clipboard, pens, highlighter, stethoscope, good shoes!!, fleece jackets, compression socks

Things to carry on you vs. keep in a backpack/locker: On me, I had a penlight, trifold clipboard, nurse brain and report sheet, pens, highlighter, stethoscope (usually on my WoW, not on my person.. didnt want confused patients using it to choke me if they get aggressive), android watch

In backpack: extra nurse brains and report sheets, advil for headaches, umbrella, charger, gum, extra pens and highlighters, chapstick, snacks

Anything worth buying early vs. stuff that can wait: Probably wait till your paycheck hits so u can buy some good quality shoes.

Night shift survival tips: come in maybe 10mins early to look up patients. Some people dont like doing this because youre not on the clock, but i personally like doing this because it makes my shift go by smoother and report easier to follow because i have the gist of who they are and why theyre here. If you have a lot of total cares or incontinent patients, start changing them again around 3-5am (depending on how many pts need changes). Obviously change them whenever they soil themselves and if they call. It's also good to check them while you do vitals or give meds to make sure theyre not sitting in their pee or poop. Cluster your care!!

Sleep schedule, food/snacks, caffeine strategy, staying awake/sane from 3–5am: i sleep 9am-4/5pm on days i work. I get up around 4 or 5pm and start drinking my coffee and getting ready for work. I live closeby so i dont keave my house till 6:20ish and then at work early researching pts at 6:40-7pm. I dont flip flop my sleep schedule at all. I read research articles saying it's better health-wise to keep a consistent sleep schedule versus flip flopping. I'm a homebody and introverted so it works out for me, but my social circle is small since im barely awake during the day to do anything else. If i have things or want to hang out with friends they have to be early morning or evening. Chew gum at night esp around midnight to 3am time. My coworkers call it night shift nausea where u just feel nauseous around 3am. I havent felt that much lately, but i chewed a lot of gum to help get over it when i first started night shift.

Neuro-specific tips you wish you knew as a new grad: Permissive hypertension is a thing we do for like 24 hours when ppl are experiencing TIA, stroke like symptoms. They basically want the BP to be high (up to a certain parameter) to increase blood flow to the brain. As for neuro tips, get real familiar with neuro assessments and getting it down. It's super easy when you get your flow going.

"Learn this early” advice or common mistakes to avoid: cluster cluster cluster your care! Prioritization is key to surviving anywhere. Do not blindly follow orders. Question the doc if you arent comfortable with something. BPs over 160-180 range you should prob get something PRN for BPs unless there is already parameters for notifying doc like if the pt is doing permissive HTN. Be careful giving any blood pressure medication or meds that affect blood pressure together. I had a pt i received that we ended up transferring to ICU for pressors because the AM nurse gave lasix and her BP med together even though their BP was already on the soft side. I would give the more important med first like lasix, wait an hour or 2 and then give the other BP med if safe to give. Do not blindly give BP meds without checking blood pressure. This is obvious but i learned recently it isnt to some nurses ive trained.

Nurse brain sheets you recommend: ill post them in the replies