Hey all,
OK, so for severe hardship reasons

, I'm going to have to have do some agency shifts in a new town. I have five+ years experience as a hospital RN and while I feel like I'm good nurse, I have a lot of insecurities that are largely unfounded and are just me...and I know that intellectually.

I know as an agency nurse, you need to have a thick skin, but I also know that I'm smart, able, and knowledgeable as a nurse, so how could I not handle it I. I say that confidently-sounding typing on a computer but get me actually doing an agency shift and you'll see me shakin' in my boots...well I don't wear boots but you get it.

What tidbits of knowledge can you all tell me to make it go as smooth as possible? I've done travel nursing so I know what being "thrown in" feels like SORTA...because with travelling, you get usually one or two full shifts of orientation. Agency you don't.
For me, time is of the essence in my work. I need to get moving with my patients and fast. The idea of getting to a facility, starting a shift and still having to wait to get a password to use their "pyxis", not even knowing where or how to chart, and now it is 8:30pm and you just now get your password, you have an inkling of where to chart, and you've maybe seen one patient.

That sounds very scary but a real expectation no? Or do you arrive early to your first shift at a hospital? But I can't imagine the previous charge nurse wanting to spend all this orientation time with an agency nurse who arrived very early to their shift to better prepare themselves.
It's almost like I'm looking for a mentor in my venture into agency nursing. I'm not looking to make a career out of it, but need to do it for now and know that with the right tools, I can do it. Thanks all. Hopefully the agency I am working with can keep me going back to same hospital so I get past some of this anxiety.
Zman
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