Complaints

Nurses New Nurse

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Specializes in Certified Wound Care Nurse.

Well all - I have had my first complaints registered against me by my co-workers.

I retimed some medications (abx) b/c I had 6 patients, two admits at the same time and one discharge. The meds were retimed by about 3 hours and one of the doses overlapped to the day shift. In addition, this same patient's blood sugar was checked, insulin given, but not documented on the MAR.

Yesterday evening I was called into work from 11 p to 7 a. When I got there, one of the patient's was on restraints, NG tube not secured and coming out and IV access was unavailable. I spent most of my night with him.

I thought I did pretty well...

I've been told I cannot work past 8 am and get behind on my charting... so, this morning, I thought I would pass my work onto the day shift - as they pass their work onto the night shift. Not good.

The two nurses coming on during the day were upset that I passed my work onto them.

I am just not cut out for this. I am not good at this work, particularly time management. Nurses are a special breed of people and I am not it.

Thanks for listening.

Shawna

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Specializes in ER, PCU, ICU.
Well all - I have had my first complaints registered against me by my co-workers.

I retimed some medications (abx) b/c I had 6 patients, two admits at the same time and one discharge. The meds were retimed by about 3 hours and one of the doses overlapped to the day shift. In addition, this same patient's blood sugar was checked, insulin given, but not documented on the MAR.

Yesterday evening I was called into work from 11 p to 7 a. When I got there, one of the patient's was on restraints, NG tube not secured and coming out and IV access was unavailable. I spent most of my night with him.

I thought I did pretty well...

I've been told I cannot work past 8 am and get behind on my charting... so, this morning, I thought I would pass my work onto the day shift - as they pass their work onto the night shift. Not good.

The two nurses coming on during the day were upset that I passed my work onto them.

I am just not cut out for this. I am not good at this work, particularly time management. Nurses are a special breed of people and I am not it.

Thanks for listening.

Shawna

New nurse? Hang in there, you'll get it.

Sounds like your coworkers need to be introduced to the idea of 24 hour care.

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Specializes in ICU/ER.

Slangdell--hopefully you got some sleep today and can see things in a new light. You are under many stresses right now and it probably seems as if everyone is trying to make your job harder..when really they are just trying to make their own jobs easier and really isnt that really what we all do??

Try and not take it personally. The learning curve is steep. I swear nursing is an on the job training career. There is no way school prepares us fully for the hospital world. Yet think how far you have come--look at how well you are managing your time now vs just a few months ago.

Every week I have good days and bad days, but in the scope of things the good are outweighing the bad and I literally can feel myself growing and learning.

Get some rest/refresh and go back and tackle another shift and think to yourself "look how far I have come"

Best of luck~~~

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Specializes in Certified Wound Care Nurse.

Yes, it is true that we all want to make our jobs easier. In fact, my typical routine was to simply finish my work before shift change. Well, that usually entailed me staying over by 1.5 hours - to give report (and on my floor, it is rare that report starts on time), then finish up my work and do my charting. During that time, I never received a complaint b/c I was getting my work done - but my manager didn't like that I wasn't finishing my work and told me that I had to leave by 8 am - no exceptions. I was told to pass work on to the next shift.

I really preferred this route - the "stay til the work is done" route. I felt like I was doing a better job and didn't have the stress of being under a deadline -keeping in mind within reason - and "just a little more time" like I hear so many nurses say...

It just takes time - and yet - time is the one thing that I do not have at my disposal.

I am facing the very real humility of having to go back into orientation for two months - and it is very ironic b/c I was CALLED into work last night at the last minute to fill in AND am scheduled to work on my own this evening.

I have to face my co workers at this point in my middle aged life - having to realize that at this point that I am pretty much a washed up nurse. Going in this evening will require a Herculean effort and my shaky confidence level with which I have been contending is completely obliterated.

I have already tried calling in "sick" - I know I won't be able to function well - but "no" doesn't seem to be an answer on that floor - I couldn't reach the nurse manager who - on this day - had to approve my time off.

The bottom line is that I have worked so hard, struggled so much, tried my best and it's just not good enough. I accept that - and am bowing out as gracefully as I possibly can before I lose my license in even further shame.

Shawna

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Specializes in ICU/ER.

My heart really is going out to you---I didnt become a nurse till my mid 30s and sometimes feel like "Hey I am a grown up here-I am responsible and educated--why are you trying to make me feel like crap" I know you must be trying your best and your just so frustrated right now and rightly so. I wish I had some magic words of advice, I feel like at times I am in your same boat. You are doing the best you can, but yet it is just not good enough for those around you.

Last week I found my self at 7:20am with my coat on and all ready frantic that I wasnt going to get home in time to get the little ones off to school when the day nurse said "hey where are your tele reports?" OMG, I had posted them out on Med Surg and didnt make a copy, I had 8 patients on tele to give report on and I didnt know a clue about them but that they all had a heart beat!!!!

I knew she was ticked because now at the start of her day she was going to have to go track down my work--But that is how I learn--by screwing up. You can be sure I have never posted tele strips with out making a copy of my interpretations.

I hope you have a good night...sleeping pills for everyone!!!

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Specializes in med/surg.

Hang in there... I'm a new nurse too... and I have really good nights & some REALLY awful nights... Have you come up with a method to plot out your night? I took a little from several different nurses I noticed seemed organized & put together until I found a system that works for me... of course, you'll have the nights like you described & then everything changes... the nurses on my shift try to help each other & this includes our aides... usually they 'll have a rough night & we all pitch in together to get everything done & we normally walk out together on time... nursing is a group effort, so please ASK for help if & when you really need it, just be ready to help someone else later.

You can do it... it's not nursing school anymore & wow what a rude awakening, but I'm sending you happy, successful vibes hoping things work out for you... that you find a way to be mentally & emotionally healthy... whether in the end you stay with nursing or not...

BTW, several nurses I started with have requested extensions to their orientation... not necessarily a bad thing... Good luck, my thoughts are with you!!

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Being a new nurse is a transition.... It does get better. Find someone on the unit to mentor you and get lots of support from your family and here. It gets better....:icon_hug:

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Specializes in midwifery, NICU.

Shawna...:icon_hug::icon_hug:

As has been mentioned, it's a 24hr service, and you are a Human being, not a superhero!

Sometimes it's necessary to pass things on to the next shift, you cant be in ten places at once. So long as you prioritise, deal with the most important stuff first. You really are beating yourself up over this, and the co-workers seem to be stirring things a bit!

Just think of what you DO achieve, what differences you make in your working day, and give yourself a pat on the back for that! Don't give up over this, you will look back and wonder why it got to you so much, with experience confidence grows, which enables you to deal with such situations without battering yourself so much! Big Hugs to ya Babe, you certainly need some hugs! Take Care!

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Specializes in Certified Wound Care Nurse.

Yes, I have tried all of the above - in fact - I even requested to "go back" into orientation several weeks ago, but that was denied. I do have people that are mentors, those I've asked for time management tips - and have applied those with some success - but - it is all a matter of time in picking up the pace. The utter humiliating factor is having to have this be "imposed" upon me, rather than it being a voluntary action (I'm a control freak).

There are several factors involved here - how that I pick up some of the work from the previous shift, things that aren't passed onto me during report and so on... meds not being on the floor in a timely fashion... etc.

The bottom line is that I am not good at this work and I am strong enough to accept that.

Shawna

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Shawna, It took me YEARS before I felt like a competent nurse!! This is HARD work. Mentally and physically challenging. Go see a counselor - every place I have worked has had an employee assistance program where you can go talk to someone at no charge to yourself.

Don't give up just because the going is rough. There are many other areas to investigate.

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Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.

There are many different areas of nursing. Maybe you could try a different type of nursing.

I love peds nursing. I tried working with adults but prefer peds. I'm more comfortable with kids and dealing with their parents. I enjoyed working at one hospital but had to move and leave that hospital. I worked at another hospital that I hated. The hospital and my coworkers were awful. One coworker even hated LPN's and management knew. I've done private duty/home health nursing since getting out of school (wish they made me get experience first though). PD/HH nursing is slower paced but depending on the case, it can keep you as busy as in the hospital. I like cases that keep me steady so the day goes by fast. You can pick and choose what cases you like and what hours you work with private duty nursing.

Try a different area of nursing and see how that goes. Or, read how a typical day goes for some of the specialties on the board to get an idea of other areas of interest. I hope everything works out for you. Good luck!

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:icon_hug:girl,please dont beat yourself up like this.Do the best that you can.You made it through school,and you will get through this stage.Years from now,you will see a new grad struggling,and think of how it was back then.Hold your head up high and keep on pushin,it will get better.You are a nurse,yes,but you are also human!

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