My Nursing Journal: Why You Should Start One
My nursing journey is so full of experiences that at times, it is difficult for me to remember every single aspect of it. Everyday, I learn something new and in order for me to reinforce it, I write it down. I've been journaling about nursing and my experiences about 1 year into nursing school and I am so happy that I started such a habit. Not only do you get to keep track of your experiences, but you also monitor your progress. You can read back and see how you've bloomed into what you've become now.
I started journaling with a great company called Midori Traveler's Notebook and up to today, I still continue to journal in it. My first booklet consisted of learning content from my nursing school's lecture class, but once school finished, I found myself journaling more of what I learned during work and my experiences. I continue to use my nursing journal for noting completed tasks, my emotions, and everything else that I've learned that is new. Journaling is such a great way to relieve stress, manage progress, and plan out how to get better at what you do. I stand behind journaling and how it plays a part in our health.
As of right now, my midori contains 3 booklets (I use Field Notes):
1. Training/Assessment booklet:
This booklet contains everything I learned during my computer/system training for work. I use this as a reference to remind myself of daily shift requirements for assessments, admissions, discharges, and other computer necessities.
2. Nursing Reference booklet:
This booklet contains references for protocols, medications, procedure checklists, and so much more. Everyday I learn something new from others and at the end of my day, I try to write them down in this booklet.
3. Calendar/Nursing Diary booklet:
This booklet I use as a diary. I used to write down my work schedule, but making calendars are too much work with a busy schedule. I just use this more of a calendar list, where I write down the days I work and write a quick 3-line diary entry beside it. This allows me to look back at how I handled that situation and/or how to make it better the next time.
I hope you guys enjoy this quick article about my nursing journal. Hope this inspired you to start one for yourself. Please feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions. Love you guys! Happy nursing!
