New RN drowning

Nurses New Nurse

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Hello all,

I have been reading through so many other threads trying to find comfort, and I figured it was finally time to join this forum myself. I am a not a babyrn as in I work with babies, but I am a new nurse working on a Med/surg floor nights 7p-7a. I have been on my own for about a month now and im feeing really down. I have read so many stories from other new grads that are struggling and I really do hope that what I am feeling is normal. Nursing for me has always been a struggle. I struggled in school though I studied very hard. I also had a hard time during my orientation and my preceptor was not very approachable and would always tell me that I wasn't quite "getting it". My manager told me that she felt I was just having trouble with my confidence. I cry before every shift and feel like im on information overload when i read through a pts chart at the beginning of shift. I get sick to my stomach when a doctor approaches me because i cant always remember everything about the patient they ask about. In the morning when i give report the other nurses always seem to find something that i forgot to do from the night before. I never forget anything that would cause harm to the patients but I feel awful just the same and worried that they picked up on something that never even occured to me to do. When i go home and sleep I have dreams that I am still at the hospital and my sleep cycle is really off. I cant enjoy my days off because i keep thinking about having to go back to work the following day. I really want to speed through this first year to see how things are going to end up for me. Thanks for letting me vent. Any stories of new grads feeling this way or any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated. :unsure:

I'm in the process of checking into getting a teaching degree. But at this point it unfortunately doesn't look like I really do have other options. It's looking like going back to school is not possible right now financially. Teaching was my first choice, but I honestly thought I would like nursing too, and the program was within driving distance and affordable.

I'm in a similar situation and am feeling bad/depressed for putting myself and family through this career transition. I am going to try to stick it out for a year and then see if I can find another area of nursing to move into to. I am working days on a busy med/surg floor. I get so overwhelmed at times. It just seems impossible to accomplish everything that they are expecting of me. I look forward to my days off and usually am stressed out the night before I have to go into work.

I'm in a similar situation as NurseB2014 and am feeling bad/depressed for putting myself and family through this career transition. I am going to try to stick it out for a year and then see if I can find another area of nursing to move into to. I am working days on a busy med/surg floor. I get so overwhelmed at times. It just seems impossible to accomplish everything that they are expecting of me. I look forward to my days off and usually am stressed out the night before I have to go into work.

I don't have any "new" advice for you guys because the best advice is to be as organized as possible. However, despite generally being well organized, I have had some days where I am SO thrown off that when another nurse asks to help me, I don't even know what to have her help me with. But thankfully, this isn't the norm. I've only been a nurse since June and on my own since about August and I work on a busy medsurg floor. My coworkers and boss rave about me..but sometimes I miss stuff I feel I should have seen and boy do I beat myself up when that happens. I've read on here and spoke with nurses and it's all part of learning..especially the first year. Gradually things get better and you remember things..you start making better connections. I still get nervous and hate calling the docs..I don't have a problem telling patients I don't know something because I tell them I'll go find out. But docs? I always feel pressed and rushed to know the answer to any question they could have, but I don't always. I try not to beat myself up and just hurry to get the answer. It's a hard job and I do work with a pretty good team..and my patients often thank me and am always shocked to learn I'm a new nurse.

My hospital has a new nurse program that meets once a month for 4 hours. It helps to talk some things out..and try to problem solve when we can.

I guess the best thing that has helped me is carrying my brain sheets everywhere. I carry those in a clipboard that also has some extra information to refer to..ie proper blood administration checklist.

In case this helps anyone out there..This is how I organize my day:

I arrive 30 min before my shift to quickly go thru each patient's recent history. What are they there for? What is their diet-mostly cuz i need to know if theyre NPO. Who is their attending? What tests have been done and results? Any procedures scheduled today? Browse the labs. Look at and write down any allergies. Any pain meds? If so..are they requiring them Q4 or sporadically so I can plan to have them BEFORE they're putting their call light on (trust me..This saves SO much time). Lastly, I'll look at the list of nursing orders (dressing changes, cath removals, SCD orders, KMag protocol orders, etc). I have a special spot on my brain sheet for any thing I need to do and I write it down in a different color..checking them off as I go. After I get report, I do some quick head to toe assessments..usually takes about 15-20 min for 6 patients..depending on any needs that arise. If I'm lucky, I'm done by 730-745 and can chart on a few patients before starting med pass at 8. If not, ill just write down everyone's vitals before pulling cardiac meds..I usually (usually) can get all meds done by 10. If the morning isn't terribly crazy, then when I'm done with that, I'll sit down and take a few min to write down the rest of the day's plans..depending how other meds are timed, what nursing orders there are, etc. I have check boxes on each patient's sheet for morning meds and charting so I don't forget where I left off when I'm interrupted.

Of course sometimes ..well..often..I get that new admit..or that early discharge and it throws my day off..but if I know how I want to have my day go, where I can do things early and what things I can do later..I can squeeze different things in.

But..like the nurse has told us in our new nurse group: nursing is a 24 hour job, not 12. Do what u can do and what u can't, the next nurse will have to take care of..it's her Job as much as yours. Doesn't mean slack off, but some days don't go as planned and u can't do anything about that..and understand that when a nurse leaves something for YOU next time..maybe her day/night was crazy and she did her best too..and it's your turn to pick up the slack.

Idk if that helps anyone..but hope it does :)

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