Hey everyone!

I recently made a post during my first days of orientation expressing my concerns about being an RN. Now that I just completed day 8 on my own, I realize I'm having problems with something else. I know I need more practice with skills like foley's, IV's and blood draws but there's already a progression. The main thing that I am struggling with is that on my days off, I start remembering things that I forgot to do! Before I leave at the end of my shift I take 5-10 mins to review all my patient, what I have done during the day to see if there's anything that have to be completed, but I still remember things 1-2 days after. For example, I forgot to sign a STAT medication that I gave (even though I wrote in report that it was given),I had a blood transfusion too and started my note and everything but completely forgot to finish it and to write the post-transfusion vitals on the sheet (even though they were taken and normal).

This happened on friday. Staff called me to see if I had given the stat med and told them yes, but I thought of the incomplete transfusion paper on saturday. I didn't call or anything, because I thought I'd just have to complete it on monday. Should I have called?

I also realized that on my days off, I start doubting almost EVERYTHING that I have done!!! It's becoming irrational. Like today I changed the dressing and caps of a PICC line, but now Im starting to ask myself did I removed the Heparin before flushing one of my two lines? Was this line clamped when I changed the cap? Im pretty sure everything was fine, im comfortable with PIClines, but there's this constant irrational doubt making me imagine the worst scenarios like a bleeding or an air embolism.

This makes me feel sick before I have to go in to work, scared that I will learn that I made a mistake without realizing it

Any tips on how to be able to relax? Anyone also went through this when they first started?

I am 8 months in, and I can relate.

I make checklists at work, because I KNOW I can't keep this all in my head. It'll get better. I am still having constant anxiety but it's manageable. I've gotten really comfortable with one of the nurses on the floor. She helps me a lot. Like, an unofficial mentor. Do you have someone like that at your job, or is it too early on?

I've been a nurse for 11 years now, I work in a cardiac unit, believe me, it happens to the best of us, you're new, anxiety/nerves tend to make people forgetful, what you can do is make a list or what we call a "brain" for each patient, encircle things you need to do and cross them out when done. Also you should start developing a routine when doing tasks so it becomes second nature.

Ah, anxiety! Almost the mark of a good nurse--if you aren't crawling the walls wondering what you might have done incorrectly or not done at all, you just don't care enough! Which is poppycock, of course, but it happens all the time--anxiety, I mean. I still have nightmares about it being the end of the shift and I suddenly realize I have a patient I haven't seen all day; for all I know the patient is dead or missing. That sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, that gnawing uncertainty...oh, I know it well.

First of all, this is not unusual. Nurses often deal with anxiety about what they have or haven't done. As far as realizing you didn't chart or communicate something that was ordered STAT or now, yes, if you realize you haven't charted it, by all means, yes, call the nurse on duty and tell him/her you did in fact do what was ordered. Anytime you think of something you should have communicated or charted but didn't, you definitely should call the on-duty nurse to let him/her know you did what you did. Anyone can get tired or distracted and forget to chart or communicate something, but if you remember it after you go home, it's perfectly OK to relay that information via phone. It's OK to forget stuff on occasion--nurses do a little bit of everything, so it's easy to forget things you did. As long as you pass on what you did, it's all good.

Nurses are the jacks-of-all-trades; everything goes through us. Few people realize the breadth of out professional scope--our fingers are in everyone else's pie. All the specialties concentrate on their own area--but the nurse has to coordinate and collate all this information. It's a big job. Give yourself a break--it's not easy; and rest assured you will get better at it over time. You can do this. Have faith in yourself and realize that your anxiety is a sign of your caring. You are a good nurse. Learn to trust yourself, learn to believe that what you did is right and you shouldn't worry so much. You will get to a place of confidence eventually. Embrace it, because you have earned it.

I feel you are a good, caring person. Rest assured your anxiety is only a symptom of your concern. You have the right instincts. Continue to follow your heart, and you will do well.

Ah, anxiety! Almost the mark of a good nurse--if you aren't crawling the walls wondering what you might have done incorrectly or not done at all, you just don't care enough! Which is poppycock, of course, but it happens all the time--anxiety, I mean. I still have nightmares about it being the end of the shift and I suddenly realize I have a patient I haven't seen all day; for all I know the patient is dead or missing. That sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, that gnawing uncertainty...oh, I know it well.

First of all, this is not unusual. Nurses often deal with anxiety about what they have or haven't done. As far as realizing you didn't chart or communicate something that was ordered STAT or now, yes, if you realize you haven't charted it, by all means, yes, call the nurse on duty and tell him/her you did in fact do what was ordered. Anytime you think of something you should have communicated or charted but didn't, you definitely should call the on-duty nurse to let him/her know you did what you did. Anyone can get tired or distracted and forget to chart or communicate something, but if you remember it after you go home, it's perfectly OK to relay that information via phone. It's OK to forget stuff on occasion--nurses do a little bit of everything, so it's easy to forget things you did. As long as you pass on what you did, it's all good.

Nurses are the jacks-of-all-trades; everything goes through us. Few people realize the breadth of out professional scope--our fingers are in everyone else's pie. All the specialties concentrate on their own area--but the nurse has to coordinate and collate all this information. It's a big job. Give yourself a break--it's not easy; and rest assured you will get better at it over time. You can do this. Have faith in yourself and realize that your anxiety is a sign of your caring. You are a good nurse. Learn to trust yourself, learn to believe that what you did is right and you shouldn't worry so much. You will get to a place of confidence eventually. Embrace it, because you have earned it.

I feel you are a good, caring person. Rest assured your anxiety is only a symptom of your concern. You have the right instincts. Continue to follow your heart, and you will do well.

Thank you so much for your kind words, I really needed that right now! :)