Day 1 survival guide for RVNs: 3 essential tips to navigate with confidence
I always felt like becoming an RVN was a bit like passing my driving test. You’re learning all of these new skills, passing these tests, and then all of a sudden it’s just you, no one else is in the car, and the learning really starts.
Day 1 as an RVN can feel like a daunting time - especially if you’re a degree nurse and are making the jump into full-time practice for the first time, or working in a new clinic, with a new team.
Whether you’ve come to the end of your apprenticeship and feel like the stabilisers have suddenly been removed, or you’ve graduated and you’re embarking on your first permanent role, today I’m sharing 3 essential tips to survive day 1 as an RVN.
Let’s make sure you start your RVN journey with confidence, resilience, and the skills to make a positive impact on countless patients and clients!
One: Keep on learning
You are the same nurse you were yesterday. Yes, becoming an RVN is a milestone - and a huge accomplishment you should be proud of! But you don’t wake up on day 1 to a dramatic change. The work you’ve done to deliver amazing care has been gradual, learning more and more each day throughout your training. You won’t be expected to know everything - and you won’t (no one does, even at 20+ years qualified!)
Embrace the opportunities to continue learning, so you can continue growing and developing your skills, and delivering even better care for your patients.
Two: Prepare for as much as you can prepare for
If you feel like you’re set up for your first day as much as possible, you’ll go into it feeling more confident and able to tackle whatever is thrown at you! There are a few ways I like to do this:
Make sure you have the equipment you’ll need
Have your nursing pouch (or your pockets, if you don’t use a pouch!) fully stocked with everything you’ll need. You’ll have things on-hand as you need them throughout the day, and you’ll get the win of feeling super organised and helpful if a colleague needs to borrow something (as long as the vet gives it back!).
Here are a few things to include in your toolkit:
Pen
Pencil (for labelling microscope slides)
Highlighter (for important notes on hospital sheets or GA records)
Scissors (ideally bandage or curved/blunt-ended as these are far less likely to accidentally catch a patient’s skin)
Artery forceps (for untwisting those fluid lines that just won’t budge, or clamping lines in an emergency)
Mini clippers (you can pick up a small quiet pair for under £30, and they are great for cats!)
Tourniquet (especially if you’re working nights, or have a high emergency caseload where you may need to replace an IV single-handedly in an emergency)
Closed caps or needles (to cap off fluid lines when disconnecting patients)
Nail clippers
Silver nitrate pen
Pocket guides (to have your commonly-used information to hand in case you need it)
Know what will be expected of you
If you’re not already working at that practice, can you go in and grab your uniform, and get an overview of what your first week will look like?
Is there an induction manual you’ll be able to read through?
Will you have a buddy or mentor to shadow?
Are there guides that detail the tasks you’ll perform on each shift, and where are they?
By knowing what you’ll be expected to do on your first day, you can go in feeling prepared, more confident, and ready to hit the ground running.
Three: Believe in yourself and enjoy it
You’ve trained to do this, and you’ve done everything needed to prepare yourself for RVN life. So remember, the moment that you feel that wobble or knock in confidence, that you’ve got this!
Yes you’ll have more to learn, and no, you won’t know everything - but you know more than enough to survive your first day (and week, and month at least!) as an RVN… and everything else you’ll pick up as you go!
And though it might seem silly… enjoy it! You’ve worked hard for this moment, so celebrate that you’ve made it! Enjoy the first day in the rest of your nursing journey - and don’t rush to chase the next qualification or CPD course. Instead, take a moment, celebrate your monumental achievement and give yourself a pat on the back for surviving day 1 as an RVN!
What tips would you give to someone on day 1 as an RVN? DM me on Instagram and let me know!