5 ways to settle into your new healthcare role

Starting a new role can be a stressful experience, there’s new people to meet, rules to learn and an overwhelming sense of pressure. This is heightened when starting a new healthcare role; there’s the responsibility of caring for others alongside having to potentially learn a new hospital, care home or property. Don’t worry though, Kare Plus has you covered; here’s 5 tips to help settle you into that new role!

     1. Listen to your new colleagues

Everyone has started a new role at some point in their life, and all your new healthcare colleagues have been through what you’re going through - meaning they will likely try their hardest to make you feel welcome. Listen to any advice they have, as it will prove invaluable. Listening and engaging with your new colleagues will help you form vital bonds that will make your new job a lot easier.

     2. Find a mentor

There will be a lot of senior staff in your new role, all with varying levels of ability. Try to look for a senior mentor figure, someone you work with quite closely with that you can learn from. This person has likely worked in healthcare for years, so they will have a wealth of knowledge and experience to bestow upon you. They might even be working towards the end of their career, so will feel the need to pass on everything they’ve learned before they retire.

     3. Learn the new building

Learning where everything is can be hard, but it’s worth making the effort. If you’ve got some downtime, (when does that ever happen though, right?), have a walk around your new care home or hospital. You don’t want to end up lost when it really counts or letting a customer or colleague down because you’ve wandered down the wrong hallway.

     4. Introduce yourself to those you’re caring for

Chances are, you’re going to be spending a lot of time with customers, so it’s important you get to know them. Introduce yourself as a new starter, they will likely enjoy a new face and might be willing to overlook any minor mistakes you make. Customer-contact-time will inevitably be a major part of your role, so it’s important to make it as comfortable as you can for both you and your customer - building relationships now will make life a lot easier later.

     5. Socialise

Socialising is a great way to connect with your work colleagues; if you do end up being invited out for something to eat or drink, definitely go. This will show your colleagues that you want to be part of the team, while giving them a chance to see what you’re like outside of work. Keep outside meetings as professional as possible though, you don’t want to leave a negative impression on your work colleagues.

Got any other tips for new starters? Please feel free to let us know in the comments, if you enjoyed this article why not read about how technology in nursing has changed since the 1950s?