Scared to go to work, I need some Advice

Nurses New Nurse

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Hi! I'm a novice. I just got my license this year and luckily, my first job too at a prestigious hospital. I've been two weeks probationary and I've had 3-4 mistakes in just two weeks. I don't want to go into much detail about my mistakes but the main ideas are, first, intravenous bottle confusion, second, cord clamp removal, third, difficult patient complaints all fell to me, fourth, while being complained at another doctor wanted my assistance and due to my nervousness from the complaint, I was not able to assess the patient well but it was very nice of the doctor to comfort me but still, the manager saw it thus.. Another mistake... These things happened like first was my first day, second was after my first week, third, and fourth was on the same day... each day there was something happening... I want to have an error free duty everyday but it seems like I'm always missing out on some points..

I know they're quite a lot... I don't want to repeat or make another mistake again thus, making me so anxious before going and ending a shift at work. I'm very scared of doing something wrong again or leaving something wrong again at work. I'm really scared and I want to keep my job. I also want to know is this the normal path of a newbie nurse like me? Am I going on a phase or some sort of adjustment period? My manager has already spoken to me and I'm being heavily evaluated like my manager kept on checking up on me for complaints, she was there during my endorsements, whenever she double checked everything that was going on with my patients because they said they don't trust me anymore of not committing mistakes again so they don't know any more if I will be able to pass my upcoming evaluation.. I know I've disappointed them and I'm really sorry for it... I know they're doing this for not only for me but for the welfare of all the patient's in our area. Any advice on how to become a better nurse? I'm really scared. This is the real world now and I have to face it. In my embarrassment for all the things that I've done, I've wanted to quit and runaway so bad but my parents said that this is how it really is for me to learn. I just want to know from the expert/experience nurses of what you think... I feel so down and so incompetent after the third and fourth mistake which the physician shouted at me... I feel so traumatized... Also, when I got back to work after the incident, the nursing aides and clerks were talking about me... they didn't know I was in the other room hearing their conversations... I feel so sad like the happiness of going to work was all gone, now, it's just full of fear...

Ruby Vee, BSN

17 Articles; 14,030 Posts

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

I know you can't go into detail on a public forum, but without knowing what sorts of mistakes you're making, we can't give very specific advice.

In general, think about your mistakes. What do they have in common? Were you rushing? Distracted? Nervous? What can you do to avoid such situations in the future? Plan to eliminate distractions? Start your medication pass earlier so you're not so rushed? Calming techniques?

About the patient complaints -- were you nervous? Distracted? Are you shy? Overly direct? Again, without specifics we can't give very specific advice.

Your post isn't very clear -- which makes me wonder about the clarity of your communication style in general. That's another thing you may want to work on.

Good luck!

lovenotwar14

270 Posts

I know you can't go into detail on a public forum, but without knowing what sorts of mistakes you're making, we can't give very specific advice.

In general, think about your mistakes. What do they have in common? Were you rushing? Distracted? Nervous? What can you do to avoid such situations in the future? Plan to eliminate distractions? Start your medication pass earlier so you're not so rushed? Calming techniques?

About the patient complaints -- were you nervous? Distracted? Are you shy? Overly direct? Again, without specifics we can't give very specific advice.

Your post isn't very clear -- which makes me wonder about the clarity of your communication style in general. That's another thing you may want to work on.

Good luck!

I agree

NoviceRN10

901 Posts

If you don't have any confidence yet, you can't let your patients know that. You have to fake it. Don't be afraid to ask questions of your fellow nurses or manager. They were new nurses once. You aren't expected to know everything, but you can't let the patients know or think that you lack basic skills or knowledge of your job. You need to learn from your mistakes and not make them more than once. If you are rushing and making mistakes because of it, take your time and be more thorough. Don't beat yourself up, just own your mistakes and move forward. The first few months are rough, to say the least. I have been a nurse for over three years now and I still learn something new every time I work. Hang in there!

TammyG

434 Posts

There is a lot of pressure to rush through everything because of the heavy case loads floor nurses have these days. When I was a new nurse, I was older than most (in my 40's) and I think I was more assertive in refusing to be rushed. I remember my preceptor complaining that I was taking 45 minutes each morning to do an assessment. It also took me 30 minutes or something like that to hang an IV. (Now that I look back, I can't imagine what I was doing in there for 30 minutes, but whatever.) But I decided I'd rather be criticized for being slow than make a mistake. You may want to ask for fewer patients. I know it is not ideal, and you want to be seen as holding your load, but it is better to take a lighter load than to make another mistake. If you should lose your job, you will feel awful and may want to leave nursing. There is a surprisingly high number of nurses that leave the profession during their first year for exactly that reason. The case loads and work loads these days are insane.

So my advice is to take your time and try a smaller patient. I am sure that in no time you will have your confidence back.

Specializes in PICU.

Where was your preceptor during all these errors? S/he should be your training wheels, monitoring and observing with you, preventing you from making mistakes and helping you learn good habits.

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