They call me the "spaz" on the floor. :/

[CCNP-FL]

Hi fellow nurses:

I'm writing today just off of the worst shift I've had in quite a while.

The patient load was fine, I had seven lovely patients, but somehow I just messed everything up between 5a and 7a. I ended up staying 40-minutes late to undo some mistakes I made and I'm just really down on my skills.

Fairly new as an RN, I've been in the field for four-years (previously as an LPN and a CNA). I really pride myself on my meticulousness and patient education, but today I just seemed to get everything wrong, miss all the worst possible points.

To add to this, one of my favorite PCAs told me that, "Man, I like you, you're a great guy, but I would never want you to be my nurse if I came here." It really floored me when he said that. Everyone calls me the "spaz". I get my charting done, I connect with most of my patients well, but I can never seem to live down my craziness. I arrive 30-minutes early every day to check the orders, get things ready, and somehow -- like today especially -- I miss things.

I try my best to calm down and stay focused, maintain composure, be effective...but things just seem to fall through the crack. I keep telling myself I've only been on the floor for 6-months...but, I don't know.

Thanks so much for letting me share, I could use some good suggestions. If it helps, I'm really this way in everything I do, I've been thinking of seeing someone for ADD, OCD, and such...but I'm really opposed to Meds.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated -- thanks for the help!

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Give yourself a break......it takes at least a year to "get the hang of it"..... We all have bad days. I worked with a very bright nurse who was new.......she was so afraid about staying a head of things she, obsessing about the tiniest detail, that she would back herself into a corner and paralyze herself into being ineffective and make simple mistakes. She would fly around the unit at a frenetic pace making her appear that she is out of "control" and spastic....when in actuality she was incredibly bright.

I would tell her to take a deep breath when she felt she was spiraling out of control (or at least appearing to be out of control). To Take a few moments to take her own pulse first before proceeding and remember to BREATHE. That she needed some good brain sheets.......here are a few.

mtpmedsurg.doc

1 patient float.doc‎

5 pt. shift.doc‎

finalgraduateshiftreport.doc‎

horshiftsheet.doc‎

report sheet.doc‎

day sheet 2 doc.doc

ICU report sheet.doc‎

‎critical thinking flow sheet for nursing students

student clinical report sheet for one patient

I have made some for nursing students and some other AN members (daytonite, RIP) have made these for others.....adapt them way you want. I hope they help - See more at: https://allnurses.com/emergency-nursi....SDLfH1QW.dpuf or.....go to these threads....https://allnurses.com/emergency-nursi...954-page2.html and https://allnurses.com/lpn-lvn-corner/...94.html.

Now take a deep breathe and relax....you are doing fine.

Congrats on the 5 IV starts.:)

[babyktchr, BSN, RN]

Let's face it. 5-7 really bites (either AM or PM). Madness always seems to ensue during that time, no matter how much you have prepared checked off or expected. The brain sheet I so agree with. After 22 years, I still use check boxes and write notes on my hands, scrub legs or post its. Sounds to me like you have a good case of "I wanna do everything right, so I will make myself nuts so I do". It also sounds to me like you are a fine nurse. It takes time to get your flow, and sometimes that ONE moment throws us off course, or makes us doubt ourselves. Learn from the moment and move on. I would investigate further the whole "you are a spaz" thing, though. Sometimes it is a good thing to "see" what others see in us. Sometimes it is a very enlighening experience. We are often oblivious to behaviors that can send out the wrong impression. I would clarify and get some specifics as to why folks are thinking this way. Maybe it is a perception thing, or maybe it is something you can certainly become aware of and change. In any case, take it as CONSTRUCTIVE and make the best of it.

You are a rock star....keep up the great work!!!

[CCNP-FL]

Hi all, thanks for the suggestions. @Esme12, thanks for all those docs! I am going to try and incorporate them into my brain sheet. On my floor we get a Pt Card that prints out from the system w/ all the info you have on the Med-Surg sheet, then I print out the Med Sheets from screenshotting the eMake report.

My personal brain sheet is one I developed in word. It was taken down before b/c I forgot that I had pt names/rooms on them. I'm posting the link below. Comments? SUggestions on how to improve it? I type it during my shift instead of writing by hand b/c I write illegibly sometimes when I think about stuff.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/x9qg9d22aopvkji/2013-03-18%2001.54.57.jpg

In response to others, Esme12 again, you sound like my preceptors. I'm always running frantically across the floor -- Especially when I have 7-8 patients. When I have 5, I'm always fine and calm...it's something about 7. I have taken to sitting down and just breathing once and a while, it's been helping.

I talked to my nurse manger about my feelings...she has said the same things you all have been saying. "8 months isn't enough to judge your own skills, you're doing wonderful, don't be so hard on yourself." I'll take all of your advice, I suppose...hah.

I really appreciate the encouragement here, it's helped me to think about things a lot.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Your brain sheet appear difficult to follow and frantic......really look at those I gave you tweak them. Your sheet looks like it is a lot of work just to use it.......a lot goes into just writing it up and in keeping up with it.

SIMPLIFY! It will come...you'll get it. You are like many other new grads. If I know what you are doing to your self and I don't KNOW you then you are exhibiting a normal behavior amongst new nurses....be good to your self...((HUGS))