New Grads: How was your day today???

tdrynelle · Aug 14, 2009

I have had the unfortune of starting my life as a nurse with a different preceptor each day. Every day that I leave feeling like I made progress, I return to work the next day to have to adjust to different styles, expectations, and rapport. I feel like each day I make progress I end up taking three steps back. It is so awkward being so new at this. I can't even imagine how I functioned so well in Nursing School. How is this so much different? I am adjusting to a new house, community, hospital, career, and on top of that each day I have to adjust to a new preceptor. When will this get any better?

Student2Registered: I totally feel your pain. Although I have an assigned preceptor, she's out on vacation a lot right now, so I end up with different people each day. For the most part, it works out for me. I like to learn difference people's styles and hints for doing things. However, some days are better then others, and some preceptors are more patient with others.

I also can't understand how I did so well in nursing school, but feel like a total idiot on the job. The unit I'm on hired 8 newly graduated nurses within about a month (I am the second to last one hired). The other new nurses (who only have about 2 weeks of experience on me), seem so confident and do the job with ease, while I feel like I'm struggling just to get all my meds passed in a timely manner! Then, they hired another new nurse two weeks after me, and I think she's already up to the same patient load as me! (again, making me feel like a total idiot).

At the end of the day, the preceptors I work with say "Great job today", but I wonder how much of that is just a line that they say to everyone. I just don't know. Some days I think I'm doing ok, other days I can't even get my assessment charted until after my shift is over. :banghead:

In addition, I also moved out of state to take this job, so new hospital, new state, new home, new career. Thank God I still have the same husband to support me and help me get through all this! :wink2:

JVRB4 · Aug 14, 2009

"The other new nurses (who only have about 2 weeks of experience on me), seem so confident and do the job with ease, while I feel like I'm struggling just to get all my meds passed in a timely manner! Then, they hired another new nurse two weeks after me, and I think she's already up to the same patient load as me! (again, making me feel like a total idiot).

At the end of the day, the preceptors I work with say "Great job today", but I wonder how much of that is just a line that they say to everyone. I just don't know. Some days I think I'm doing ok, other days I can't even get my assessment charted until after my shift is over. "

This is exactly how I felt before I quit. There was one other RN who was hired about 2wks before me but she had not taken boards yet. She was very confident and calm. She worked night shift and I worked days but we saw each other at shift change and sometimes she would work days. She did charge about a wk after passing boards (about 1 month after she started) and she was fine with it. Her extreme confidence made me feel even more like an idiot. I know everyone learns at a different pace but it is NO fun being the last one.

rennyren314 · Aug 14, 2009

Today was pretty okay. I've been at my Mulitcare/LTC for a month now. I'm off the buddy system and am a full time float during the night shift. I don't really mind floating because I get to learn all of the units, patients and co-workers. Tonight I was on our vent unit. This unit is usually a 12 hour shift so I was confused why they had me doing 11p-7a there. I got there and everything was beeping because of the vents. I'm so used to my "quiet" units. Luckily on this unit there are 3 RN's and 2 LPNs so I'd had a few people to turn to. I ended up just doing 12a and 6a meds. I was slow on my 12a meds because I had to orientate myself to the floor and I took time counting the narcs and making sure I had everything I needed. Plus it didn't help that all the 12a meds were mostly blood sugars. Unfortuntly on one blood sugar I flicked the test strip up getting blood and got a couple drops of my blood on my face. :banghead: It got on my lower lip and forehead. I felt like an idiot. I went to my cart and got a alcohol swab and wiped my face up. I didn't feel this would be an incident report. I was done with my 12a meds at 2, which I was kind of annoyed with myself with. I personally could've been done in a way shorter time then that. But I was glad to be safe than sorry. The rest of my time I busied myself with talking to the RN's, doing my med cart audit, flagging my 6a meds, taking my break, ect. 5a rolls around and I get my cart together. Most of my patients are gtubes and so I made sure new pole sacks were in the rooms. The RN that was monitoring me did the b/ps and blood sugars since there were so many and I wouldn't be done with the med pass at 7 if she didn't help. What a time saver that was! I was done at 7 on the dot. I also got splashed in the face by a gtube residual when i forgot to clamp the damn line. Number#2 on my rookie mistake list. Luckily there was only 2 mistakes. Pretty good for me. I ended up getting out at 730 this morning after the narc count that I'm oh so freakin' slow in. It's definetly not one my favorite floors due to the heavy med pass. But I did enjoy myself and it was nice to have so many nurses around to turn to. Tonight I have no idea where I'll be put. Probably the rehab unit. Bring it on!!

shoegalRN, RN · Aug 14, 2009

I am a new grad who accepted a position in the MICU. However, I am part of a New Grad Residency and I am spending the first 4 weeks on a Med-Surg floor. Last night was my second night on the floor and I was assigned my own patient. I took report, got my meds together, did my initial assessment, checked labs, checked the chart for new orders, etc. My patient only spoke Spanish so I had to get an interuptor.

Anyway, I has to pass my meds by 2100 and 0600, as well as do guclose check and give insulin sub-q. I also had to change his IV site (first time doing an IV since nursing school) and got it on the first try. I also drew labs for the first time. In addition to giving meds, I had to do hourly roundings and urine output.

Since I am the new grad on the floor, I went around and asked all the nurses can I do their blood draws or start IV's for them. We were short staffed last night, so they really appericated the help. I got to do blood draws from a couple of central lines and PICC's. I also got to do a lot of heparin flushes. I helped one nurse by doing a straight cath (I've only done foley's), so it was something different. But I am learning so much and I take the opportunity to seek out new learning opportunities.

I also did my 24 hour chart check and added new orders per the chart. I gave report off and asked the oncoming nurse to give me feedback.

I'm learning so much and I'm LOVING it!

shinyblackcar · Aug 18, 2009

This week I dropped my first NG tube and changed my first ostomy bag! Ah, it's the little things.... :)

starletRN · Aug 19, 2009

Well, I was two months out of orientation and starting to feel a little more confident when our hospital started a new med scanning system 2 weeks ago. Ugh! Now I feel like I'm back at day 3 of my orientation.

At least before I felt like I could talk to the patients and families. Develop a rapport with them. Now I feel like all I do is scan and pass meds.

The only comfort I'm taking from this is that the more experienced nurses feel like they're drowning too. It also hasn't helped that we have one PCT on the floor and almost all my patients have been total care.

shoegalRN, RN · Aug 20, 2009

Last night, I had two patients and felt so overwhelmed, as both of my patients were very needy. One was a sickle cell crisis and constantly on her call light for her pain meds at the EXACT time they were due, and the other one was dying of cancer and constantly needing assistance getting up to the bedside commode.

Our CNA left at about 2300, as the CNA's only work 8 hour shifts. We also had no LPN to help us pass our meds. We were short staffed as usual.

Last night, I felt like a RN for the first time.

I didnt get a chance to chart until sometime after midnight, only had a 15 minute break for "lunch" and then it was back to answering call lights all night long. I also had to draw labs for both of my patients, which both were very hard sticks and I missed it the first time on both patients. I had to have someone else draw my labs. Also, my cancer patient was going down, I had to call the doctor to see if we can change his N/V medication and the doctor did change it and promised to see him first thing in the morning.

My preceptor had 3 patients and we helped each other out. I told my preceptor I don't feel like I'm getting it, but she said it's a normal feeling, as it's my only third night on the floor.

I did my hour rounding, passed my meds on time (for both patients), had my sickler patient on her call light during report, I passed her a PO pain med to give her some kinda relief until we get through report, handed off both patients, spoke with the doctor about my dying patient, did my I & O's, charted, did my 24 chart checks and care plans, and I looked up and it's now 0730. I felt exhaused and drove straight home from work, took a bath, and was in bed by 0930.

I have two more weeks of this rotation and I am suppose to be taking 5 patients by then. I don't know how I'm gonna be able to do it. :confused:

GraceNotes · Sep 3, 2009

6 patients, 1 new admit, no lunch, irate doctor, straightening out missed orders, MIA nursing assistants, running, running, running. sucky day.

Student2Registered · Sep 4, 2009

I'm so tired! I ran around for 12 hours, trying to be 100% independent. I got no positive reinforcement from my preceptor, just "reminders" of small oversights. When I gave report to the night nurse there wasn't an ounce of patience in her soul. Forgive me, this is my third 12 hour shift which means my third time giving actual report. No matter how hard I try, I just don't feel like I am getting postive feedback. Not like I'm thirsty for it, but how can I judge my progress, or assess how I am perceived on the floor? I know I've come a long way since my first day on the floor two months ago, but do they think so? Support, input, opinions welcomed. Thanks! :confused: