[newtelenurse]

Hello,
I graduated last Dec. at the ripe old age of 35. :hatparty:
I have been working for 3 weeks now. My question is WHEN WILL I OR WILL I EVER FEEL LIKE I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING??? I am working on the tele floor where I had been an aid for 1 1/2 years. I thought that would help. I guess in all honesty it has. The other nurses are great. I just feel like I don't have a clue as to what I am doing. I am up to 4 pt.'s and it's all I can do to give the care/meds they need. When do I have time to look in a chart. Or connect the pieces of the information I take in thru the day?
This little guy is exactly how I feel thru the day, I need to do this here...I need to do that there...what was his K level in there??Spinning in circles and feeling like I'm getting nothing accomplished.

Any tips from anyone would be GREATLY appreciated. It can't be like this forever...can it??

Thanks in advance

newtelenurse

[code_nurse]

Hi newtelenurse

Do not let yourself down. I've been a nurse for 10 years now and I am still learning. It is a wonderful career, and believe me, without noticing it, you'll be flying down the hallways knowing everything about your 6, 7 and even 8 patients. It will come with time but until then, give yourself room to learn.

Michelle

[newtelenurse]

GULP......8 patients?!?!?!?!!

Originally Posted by code_nurse

Hi newtelenurse

Do not let yourself down. I've been a nurse for 10 years now and I am still learning. It is a wonderful career, and believe me, without noticing it, you'll be flying down the hallways knowing everything about your 6, 7 and even 8 patients. It will come with time but until then, give yourself room to learn.

Michelle

[webblarsk]

It does get easier with time. You are always learning new ways to manage time and feel more comfortable with giving care. Hang in there. Sounds like you are a wonderful nurse!

[code_nurse]

I work on a surgical unit where LPN's are also working. LPN's are great on our floor so they do help a lot. Teamwork is also a major factor. We also have a "link" nurse taking care of new Dr's orders, calling to make appointments for patients and dealing with the multidisciplinary team members etc... There is also a resource nurse who's there to help the nurses with any techniques and so on.

On a regular day, a nurse will have 6 patients and has time to do all her nursing tasks.

Give yourself time.

[Marie_LPN]

Welcome to All Nurses

[SmilingBluEyes]

it took me 2 years to feel at all comfortable in my speciality : OB. Give yourself time and be patient. It DOES come w/experience.

welcome!

[alta608]

Hey, it will come, and in a few years you will be amazed at how much you know!! I have been a nursing home nurse for 7 years--I graduated from an ADN program at age 42--I really felt dumb around nurses much younger than me. But it comes and you will someday feel really proud of yourself--and you should.

[nanna4]

You are going to be great...but it won't happen anytime real soon. So, if you can just readjust your own expectations that will be a start. Give yourself some time. At least be as patient with yourself as you would be any new nurse. Try to remember how you felt the first day on the job and compare it to how you felt by the end of the first week, how much better you were. Now remember that you ARE learning and organizing more and more each day. By the end of 3 months, then 6 months, then 1 year you are going to be so much better!

And don't forget your own stress management strategies, (maybe some you used to get through nursing school!). Lots of luck....

[Cheerfulsong]

Hi Telenurse,

as Teamleader in a Teleunit, I used to have over 12 patients, back in '75.
Are they only asigning you '4' patients because you're brandnew?

Perhaps you're already doing this, but one thing that will help you a great deal to stay on track, in any direct Nursing cares, is *organizing* on 2 sheets of typing paper a "Shift-itinerary" of sorts, however that works best for you. Usually, I box columns together listing -
1. received Report-notes
2. my Team-members, & their asignments
3. Labs, IV's, ABO's, Treatments,
4. PRN's given, and Drs. orders, to Report
5. etc. etc. - it's just like other Nurses previously have shared, "all in time" you will establish your own Routine, and then -
keep fine-tuning that. And you will find, that with each new job, your combined skills will transfer over.

Above all, please remember to Bless each person/client you encounter with the *same TLC * (you would want for yourself were you in need) - so, your little light cont. shining Bright. Cheerfulsong :Melody: