How Long Does It Take To Not Feel Like An Idiot (Advice Needed and Some Venting)?

[MissEm]

I graduated June 2013 as an RN, started at a LTC facility in March 2014. It's been at least three months, and I still just feel like I make the absolute stupidest mistakes. I'll miswrite orders, totally blank on what medications are given for (only in conversation-for the few medications I have to give, I'll look them up if I'm at all unsure), and I always leave work ready to quit. For instance, when sending someone out, I'll forget to take blood sugar with the rest of the vitals. Or the other day, a family asked if I could take their resident's blood sugar for every fifteen minutes until it was around 200 and I did it for three hours! That's insane! (My only defense is that his sugar was at 47 when he came back from a doctor's appointment). Or, I do things like send out residents and forget to grab their wound vacs before they go. Really bone-head things.

I feel like my managers are really exasperated as far as I'm concerned...they don't seem to like me at all. I know it isn't about like, but about doing your job, but it helps if they wouldn't speak to me like I'm an idiot. I talk to the other nurses there, but I feel like I'm being way to sensitive and whiny. So, here's the question: at what point will I feel comfortable and stop feeling like I'm fumbling around in the dark? They tell me that I'm lucky, because a hospital is way harder, and if that's true do I have any hope at all? I love nursing, clinicals were great, but they weren't anything like this.

[Curious1alwys, BSN, RN]

Awwww, hugs to you! It's so hard being new. You are learning so much and running around so crazed that you feel like nothing is getting through that noggin' of yours. I'm in the same boat....even started thiking I had ADHD, LOL, but everyone tells me I'm normal.....after 7 months! Just keep on keepin' on....

[krisiepoo]

I'm a new grad new nurse as well...

1) Have someone look over your orders if you're miswriting them. This could be a huge issue. Have someone double check before you finalize them. I did this the first handful of times until I became comfortable.

2) regarding blood sugars (every 15 mins?) does your facility have a hypoglycemia protocol? We have something like (I'm in a hospital so probably a little different) but if under 80, if NPO, administer D50... if they can tolerate PO give so many carbs/drink and test again in 15 mins. Then it goes from there. If you can cite company policy, the family will likely feel more comfortable.

When you say "send out" do you mean on like a day pass or when they're being discharged? we have facility wound vacs and then insurances pay for home wound vacs, so are you sending facility wound vacs home with people?

For me, things are crazy and hectic but I have to take things one at a time an make sure I do those things correctly. You are doing no one any favors if you do a half-a$$ed job on 100 things but do 50 things well. Prioritize and delegate. For me, that is super important. the whole new nursing thing is so overwhelming so come up with ideas to help you manage each day, each hour, each task. It will get better (so I hear, I'm just now going into my 4th month)

[molls4]

What do you use for your "brain" (patient assignment sheet) while you're at work? I know a lot of facilities have pre-printed "brains" that you can use, however, they're usually generic, have small places for pt info, and aren't organized how you would organize the info. I had a hard time following those generic patient assignment sheets and felt lost when I looked at it to figure out what task to do next. But, one of my preceptors had formulated her own brain sheet that was waaaayyyy better than the pre-printed one. It helped me organize my day and prioritize efficiently. I finally decided to piggy back off of her patient assignment sheet and personalize my own brain, too. I definitely feel like it helped!

[NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN]

There's a reason that it's called First Year nursing. :). Hang in there! Keep a mantra: it gets better, it gets better...