Concerns for when Graduating to be RN

[AussieKylie]

Hi there

I will be graduating from Uni mid year 2006. Some idea has come to mind when I was in class last semester, hearing my teachers story about her son being in hospital. The way she was discussing her sons illness and the 'incompetent' nurses she encountered made me realise with a reaction 'Oh my goodness I better sharpen up if I want to be a good RN'. As I never want to encounter someone who is sitting by the patient and is an experienced RN analysing my every move, criticism etc and have them make me feel awkward for my limited experience as Grad RN.

I know there will be clinical skills in which we will never encounter. For instance I have heard there are RN's who have never inserted IDC's. So there will be areas that we will feel new at even if we do not encounter as student nurses.

So therefore wondering about after finishing school and getting into the hospitals working and experiencing new skills. If the support from other RN's is positive?

As right now my concerns are certain Infusion pumps, syringe pumps etc as I have not had much experience and it is kind of daunting and plays on my mind that I maybe asking for help alot with RNs and they may get sick of me asking.

Look forward to your reply :uhoh21:

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Mid-2006 is a long way away. You're not going to come out of school and know everything, just the basics. Most of what you learn will be on the job.

Continue to strive to be the best that you can be, and get as much experience in school as you can. But relax about events over a year away.

I doubt any nurses will have been good enough for your instructor. :)

[elkpark]

I just spent some time with my mother while she was in the hospital, and I'm sure it is a universal reaction for nurses that, at the same time that you realize intellectually that probably all the people taking care of your loved one are competent and doing a fine job, there is also an emotional reaction going on at the same time that "NO ONE is good enough to take care of my family member!" None of us looks forward to having nurses as patients, or family members of patients, for that very reason ... :chuckle At any stage of your career, not just as a GN, is it difficult to have someone sitting at the bedside, judging and second-guessing your every move -- but we've all done it and we all survive!

As Tweety said, graduation is a long way away, and try to just focus on learning as much as you can while you're in school.

As for operating equipment, there are so many different makes of machines, from different manufacturers, that no one learns in nursing school how to operate everything. Part of the new employee orientation process at any hospital will be making sure that you are competent to operate the equipment used at that facility.