First Admission: A Handbook to New Grad Nursing

by Jaison Chahwala, ebi (Foreword)

First A Handbook to New Grad Nursing is the nursing handbook you never thought you needed. It is the first of its kind, exploring all the trials and tribulations of nursing school and beyond. Nurses, both new and experienced, will enjoy and relate to this laissez-faire look at an industry made up of the most compassionate yet colorful smattering of personalities. You don’t have to be a nurse to appreciate the challenges and politics that entangle the careers of nearly four million American health care workers. First A Handbook to New Grad Nursing will have you laughing, crying, and dropping your jaw in awe. You’ll be left with a greater respect of the nursing profession and, more importantly, a heightened admiration for your own role in your workplace.

154 pages, Paperback

Published June 6, 2021

Reviews

[Elizabeth Troiano · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a new grad this book was super relatable as I’ve navigated my first year in nursing. Definitely recommend to help you feel heard during the many challenges we nurses face day to day!!

[Frederique Proft · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read. Parts I agreed with, parts I didn’t. I can always appreciate someone else’s experience into the wild world of nursing.

[Arielle Thorpe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for it to be more advice but it kinda just sounded like I was letting Jaison vent to me in 140 pages

[Emily Bligh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just finished reading this book in 2023, so the effects of the pandemic may have impacted my perspective. I'm almost 5 years into my career, and there were parts of this book I absolutely wished someone told me at the start of my career. It's a great idea to write a handbook, and I appreciated it.

However, there were parts I couldn't relate to as I am Canadian and belong to a union job. There were other parts I do wish he elaborated on more, one of them being safety mechanisms in the workplace for bullying.

A healthy work environment is something I am really passionate about. You can tell reading this that Jaison truly does have a love/hate relationship with nursing. I myself have this too. Parts of the book had elements of cynicism, and honestly, the way he talked about others was not always in the most empathetic light. Even to the reader themselves at times. It felt like contributing to a shitty healthcare culture. While I really related to and appreciated that he talked about nursing school hardships and bullying, it created an every man is an island type feeling for myself as a reader. If I were a newer nurse, it would scare the shit out of me to continue knowing there's going to be all this trauma and bullying and it just is the way it is so do your best I guess? It was nice of Jaison to point out direct and indirect signs of nurses eating their young, but if it's truly affecting you, what can be done about it?

There was advice to be helpful and not make enemies, but there's a bigger discussion to be had about what resources your workplace has to help create a healthy team environment and actually asking managers in the hiring process what those are. Fostering an open communication between management to feel safe voicing concerns is vital, and if it isn't there, walk away.

For example, where I work, we can report bullying over the phone anonymously. Bullying from doctors, colleagues, and even abuse patients give us. I wish I knew this sooner! The reports go to an occupational health and safety committee and the manager. There are also ways to report unsafe staffing to the unions.

Another aspect of the book that I wish was elaborated on more was the effect of trauma throughout your career. Jaison talked about the death of a 25 year old, finding out a home he was visiting had child porn as well as having a patient pull out a gun and scream at him. These are actually super traumatic, and maybe to cope he has an it is what it is mentality and time heals wounds but there is help out there if things are coming home with you. Now this was before the height of the pandemic but nurses have higher and higher rates of PTSD and abuse and trauma are parts of the job that I absolutely think need to be factored in to any nurses career and talked about more.

I feel like for many, epecially due to the pandemic, a vital aspect of nursing is knowing when to leave a job and what to do when trauma affects you. Picking up a hobby and cooking isn't going to cut it and leaving work at work is easier said than done. No job is worth your mental and physical health, and you can ask employers what safety mechanisms they have in place to protect your wellbeing and create a healthy team environment during your initial interview.

Overall, it was a great read that offers perspective and it is a handbook so it has to be concise which it did succeed at. However, I am not sure I would actually recommend it to newer nurses.

[Karen Medrano-rios · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very quick and awesome read; this book brought back memories about nursing school and being a new grad that I forgot I had! 😅 From dealing with that nightmare that is the NCLEX (a 265 question test taker here!💀) to trying to get over the fact that my professor, too, refused to give me an extra credit assignment JUST to make the 0.6 points I needed to get a passing grade 🖕🏼 Our nursing experiences have been slightly different but the sentiments are exactly the same. Overall, a great read! I intend to gift this book to future nursing students and new grads that I know 😌

[Syd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really loved the last few chapters of this handbook and would gladly share the insights in them. I also enjoyed the beginning chapters about nursing school, NCLEX tips and what to look for in a workplace. At one point, the author explains the importance of cultural competency in nursing and nursing school, but undercuts his point (in my opinion) by describing a drug seeking nurse as “trashy” without any apparent empathy for those struggling with addiction. It read as a little contradictory.

P.S. We miss you, Ebi. 💕

[Steph Moxley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fast read. I think this would really good for someone a few months from nursing school graduation. I am almost 6 months into nursing and felt like I have seen or learned a lot of the information through experience.

I would LOVE more home health stories though! Those were wild. It was entertaining, especially if you’re in the industry and see the pettyness of the work environment.

Maybe I’m just old.

[Lauren Prescott · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the purpose of the book, I think it’s great! I enjoyed reading Jaison’s stories of being a nurse throughout his career and his experiences. The advice given in this book is great for new graduate nurses and is a perfect book to help you as you’re starting your career. As a preceptor, I’ll be recommending this book to my trainees and students!

[Charity Pippin]

A quick, good little read that’s great for anyone in their first year of nursing. I related to SO many of his stories. From nursing school, to hospital shenanigans. I’m definitely passing it on to a fellow new grad nurse 🙂

[Brittany B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn’t love some of the language but definitely can relate to a lot in this as I look back at nursing school as well as being a new nurse!!