Congratulations, I think you read the last post. You may be here because you've just gotten your first job and are either loving it or hating it.
You don't have to hate your job so soon. Well done if you love it.
It takes time to settle into a new culture and a new environment. It wouldn't happen in the first week or month; with a little patience, you may find that you love the job and the team.
To get started, here are a few tips to help you settle into your first NHS job.
A mentor or supervisor:
Get a mentor; it could be your assigned educational supervisor or a much more senior colleague who can guide you on the basics. You need someone to guide, assess, and sign off most of the competencies. You also need a mentor or supervisor to discuss your concerns at work, with colleagues, or even the work schedule. If you are assigned a supervisor who doesn't have your time or doesn't provide a listening ear, please ask to be reassigned to someone who can do all that is listed above.
Induction and Shadowing.
This is very important and lots of people take it for granted. It is easy to calculate your first pay in advance and once you have the mindset of getting paid, anything to alter that becomes a problem. Ask for an induction if you are not offered one and ensure you have few days or a week to shadow your colleagues in the department. This could be paid or unpaid. You can negotiate this before you start to make it paid and if not paid, all well it will be vital to get used to the work environment, know where things are kept before you begin work.
The team:
Get to know the team. It may seem a little difficult if you do not know members of your team and the people you work with. Work shouldn't just be a place to come in, do your job, and leave; it should be a place you can also socialize and express yourself freely. If you do not blend into the team, you can look for just one person to talk to, and gradually you will find yourself settling in perfectly. You also want to attend team bonding activities. It could be departmental teachings, weekend activities, or just lunchtime meetings. It would help you know the team, and the team gets to know you too. As much as you want to blend in, it is important to be careful with the things you divulge especially personal issues.
Leaves:
Ask for the leaves you are entitled to. Study leaves or annual leaves because you need a break sometimes, you need balance, and you certainly need time off work and the work environment. It is known that most IMGs work round the clock, often forgetting to use their entitled study or annual leaves. You can book free or paid courses for your study leaves. You can take a city break on your annual leave to have a different view of the country you have just moved to. You also want to speak to and mix with people outside your usual environment to help you get information as well as an idea of what life could be like in other areas.
The New Team Member:
Ensure everyone knows you are known. You can start by introducing yourself, for example, Hello, I am Dr. B, and I have just joined the team. This way, everyone knows you are new, they wouldn't expect so much from you, and it wouldn't sound awkward when you ask for help.
Note that the NHS employs lots of Locums. You may be working with other Locum doctors or health workers who will assume you know much about the department, don't fail to let the locums know you are new to the team; if possible, speak to your rota coordinator to not place you on a shift with only locum staff.
I hope these few tips will go a long way in helping you settle into your new role or job.
Best wishes
Dr Mute’