How to Use Becoming Nursey

Many hospitals, healthcare organizations, and nursing schools all across the country have begun using Becoming Nursey: From Code Blues to Code Browns, How to Care For Your Patients and Yourself to support their students and new graduates as they transition to practice. With over 25K sold since its original publishing in 2014, it has become a popular book in the new grad nurses scene. But what are some ways individuals and organizations alike have used this text?

A parting gift from nursing school

Nursing schools like Parkland College in Champaign, IL decided to hand out signed copies Becoming Nursey to their graduates as they walked across the stage. The University of Chicago (Urbana Campus) gave a copy to each of their graduates after the pinning ceremony. Another option is to provide it the last week of classes.

A welcome gift from the hospital

Hospitals have purchased this gift to welcome newbies, having it sitting at their seats upon arrival of the first day of orientation. Also, individual nurse managers have purchased copies for their new grads to present to them as they join the floor for their first shift. Some have even highlighted certain quotes and phrases, or inscribed the book to them with words of encouragement.

As a residency program text

Some organizations have even used Becoming Nursey as a text to support the residency curriculum. Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center in Charlotte, NC gives a copy of the second edition to each resident and they discuss a chapter each week.

Each chapter begins after nursing school, are quick reads that are easily digestible. Topics include time management, delegation, code blues, working with physicians, assessment tips, and more. New grads can read the chapter at home and connect it with their experiences at the bedside. During the weekly residency meeting, approximately 30 minutes of discussion time can be centered around the text and the experiences the new graduates have had that align.

A book club

Similarly to the residency program, another option is to use it as a book club book. Don’t have a book club on your unit yet? Get one rolling! Meet monthly away from the hospital and it functions as a team building activity. While the book is a quick read, the topics are dense. The conversation would easily cover two to three book club meetings.

First meeting discussion questions:

• Did your expectations meet up with what it was actually like to start on the floor?
• How do you feel about how your education lined up with what you needed to know?
• How’s time management going? What’s working for you? What have you tried that didn’t go so hot?
• Have you had any really positive or really negative experiences with delegation? How did it go?
• What’s your process with completing assessments, passing meds, and documenting?

Second meeting discussion questions:

• How are relationships going with your providers? Who has been awesome, and who scares you? Why do they scare you?
• What is one positive interaction you’ve had, and what was a negative one?
• Have you had instances in which you were really proud of yourself (no matter how small)? Tell me about them.
• What did you learn the hard way?

Third meeting questions

• Tell me about a mistake you’ve made.
• Who is your go-to on your unit? Why?
• Think of who isn’t someone you feel comfortable talking to. Why do you think you feel that way?
• Have you had a patient code, die, or rapidly deteriorate? Tell me about what happened.

From preceptor to preceptee

Because the book is so affordable ($12.99 for print), some preceptors even buy copies for new nurses they precept. Bryant Roberts, RN writes a note of encouragement for each orientee he has.

Get your copy of Becoming Nursey

Becoming Nursey is available on Amazon, with Amazon Prime shipping in both print and e-book versions. Bulk discounts are available if more than 20 copies are purchased. Send the FreshRN® team an email at contact@freshrn.com to learn more and get an estimate.

If you love Becoming Nursey, but want more check out Anatomy of a Super Nurse: The Ultimate Guide to Becoming Nursey. It is the second edition of the book, published in 2017 by the American Nurses Association. It’s twice as long and expands on each chapter, and even contains an interview with a physician about the nurse to provider communication, as well as talking points for tough situations. For bulk orders, contact the American Nurses Association directly at customerservice@ana.org.

Interested in using it as a residency text?

Check out the New Nurse Master Class, available August 1, 2019! Before making a wholesale inquiry, consider the 70+ module online course inspired by Becoming Nursey! The course is designed to last 12 weeks, with four hours allotted each week to complete modules. Lectures include interviews with a residency director, physical therapist, provider, and counselor. There is a heavy focus on skills that are tough to perfect at the bedside like self-care, assertiveness, and confidence building.

Clickherehere to check out the curriculum. Email the team at contact@freshrn.com for information on bulk enrollments and the educator package!

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