Success Stories?? Any Positive experiences?

NicuNightRN · Mar 21, 2006

It does seem like we are all freaked out if you just look quickly through this forum. Certainly some days are worse than others. Although I complain about work, I love my job. The first time I stepped into a NICU, I knew it was why I went into nursing. No 2 nights are the same, and being an ICU, anything can (and does) happen at any time. I work with a bunch of great nurses, and we throw parties for one reason or another at least every couple of weeks.

You're just about to start an accelerated nursing program? Good luck! I won't lie and say it will be a piece of cake...but just remember that people wouldn't keep going through nursing school if the final result was not worth it!

christvs, DNP, RN, NP · Mar 22, 2006

so i'm just getting ready to begin an accelerated program, and after reading "nursing against the odds" by suzanne gordan and reading through this forum, i'm a bit anxious about it all.
quickly looking through pages 1-8, there are about two smily icons besides the sticky.
Any nurses out there who are new grads and really happy with their current position??? patient load, hours, orientation, anything?? It seems that everyone is freaking out and totally being driven mad by the hours, patients, attitudes, etc. While I'm ready to rough it if neccessary, I'd like to be an optimist and believe that it's not ALL bad out there.
anyone?

Hi! I know it may seem like we new grads complain a lot about work, and we do sometimes because it can get very stressful. However, I have to say that I truly, really do love being an RN and I cannot imagine being in any field other than nursing because I really love nursing. I worked in biology research prior to this and never felt so strongly about what I do. I talk about nursing all the time to anyone who will listen. :) I've been a med/surg/tele nurse for 8 months now and I usually get 4 or 5 pts -the other night I had 6 and it was a bad day for everyone, but I got through it and certainly know how to prioritize for sure now! :) I work the 3-11 shift and really get along well with my co-workers. A few of us are good friends and have lunch out sometimes when we're not working. I feel like the nurses I work with are so nice, so supportive and never look at me funny for asking them so many questions about things I don't know yet. It's such a nice feeling that I can ask my charge nurse, or any of the RNs or LPNs questions because I know they are always available to help me if I need it. So now I feel confident of what I know because I feel I learned so much working here. (I also did my senior student internship on this same unit so that helped!!) I had a 12 week RN orientation and I did have a million different preceptors (my manager is not the most organized) but that doesn't really matter now because I knew what I had to do and knew I could ask anyone for help, regardless of if they're my preceptor or not. Anyhow, so I'm very happy I decided to become a nurse. I feel like I am never bored at work, always learning something new, I feel very useful, and love educating pts on what this med does for them or what is next in their plan of care, and the time goes by so fast for me at work. I never dreaded going to work, never felt sick before my shifts, because I feel like I know who I am, and what I can handle and trust myself that I will always ask for help and not put anything above my patients' safety. So yes, I have had great nursing experiences and am happy where I am right now. :)

-Christine

LauraLou · Mar 22, 2006

I graduated in December and am working in Labor and Delivery. I have a wonderful orientation/internship. It consists of 14 weeks with a preceptor in addition to weekly classroom instruction. I choose this hospital because it has such great training for new nurses.

Sometimes I get overwhelmed by all there is to remember. There always seems to be something I have forgotten, but overall I feel I am doing really well. I am amazed that I can do a vag delivery pretty much all by myself, with just a little verbal coaching. 8 weeks ago that seemed unobtainable.

I think working at a hospital that really supports it new nurses makes all the difference. I have friends from nursing school who are working at hospitals where they got very little training and they feel like they are drowning. So I suggest being very selective when looking for your first job.

Good luck!

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · Mar 22, 2006

I'm happy! I liked it in the hospital and now I like home health.