Jan 09, 2008 09:54 AM - WOW! This is exactly how I feel!

Jan 09, 2008 10:24 AM - loved it!

Jan 09, 2008 11:34 AM - AWESOME post -- thanks!
I graduate in May '08 and I alternate between being SO excited and SO terrified. What if I am a horrible nurse? What if the stress is too much? Your honesty was refreshing and gave me great hope that even if I have several months where I am overwhelmed with the responsibility, it will work out in the long run. I agree with another poster that this should be required reading for all new grads to soon-to-be grads.
Thank you for your honesty and encouragement

Jan 09, 2008 01:19 PM - I loved your article.......you should think about a side career as a writer......in all your spare time (LOL). I have been a nurse for over 25 years and it does my heart good to know that there are new nurses out there who care about nursing. As my generation of nurses age, we will become the patients and I pray we can have wonderful, caring nurses to take care of us. Keep up the good attitude and best wishes for a long and fulfilling career. NICU was one of my favorite areas.

Jan 10, 2008 09:15 PM - Thank you so much for this. I loved it.

Jan 12, 2008 12:15 PM - Wow! I can't believe you all report having so much trouble during your first year. The school I went to totally prepaired my for my first year. Isn't that what they are supposed to do? My orientation was so extensive and my preceptor was so understanding that I felt after 6 weeks on the floor that I everything down pat. And if I was having a problem, the other nurses and even doctors were willing to help out because they remembered what it was like to start out. If any of you want the same experience, just give me a private IM. We having a few openings on days and nights. you can work anyday you like, no weekends or holidays.

Jan 15, 2008 11:07 AM - So I just want to say that your posting was absolutely touching. It actually made me cry. I am 6 months in to my nursing career at a top notch pediatric hospital and I had one of the worst days Sunday. I stumbled across your posting and I am happy to see that I am not the only one who feels this way. Your so right about the roller coaster. It has been 6 months of happy, sad, frightened, excited, wondering why in the heck i wanted to be a nurse. There are days that I leave and on my way home i run the day through my head: (did i do everything to the best of my ability, did i document everything, did i forget to report anything off, are my patients ok?) as these past 6 months have gone by I have gotten better about not obsessing about work at home. My better half doesn't allow it either. He always tells me that i am going to drive my self crazy if i keep thinking about work so much. Oh, and the countless phone calls back to work to make sure the MAR is complete even though i know i checked it before i left. When I got out of school i landed my dream job. I was on top of the world. i moved out of my parents bought a house, love the paychecks finally, and never had a doubt about what i was doing. Then i got off of orientation and reality shock set in. For about three months or so now I get so nervous when i have to go to work and working on a burn/trauma/surgery unit I really never know what my day is going to hold. There are days that i leave thinking "yeah i can do this" and there are other days that I don't know why I ever got in to this profession. But then, I get back on the horse and tell my self that this is the job that i have wanted since i was a little girl ( i was a 28wk premie) so i spent a good share of time at the hospital that i work at now as a patient some years ago. There are subtle moments like hearing thank you from the families or seeing that sick patient all better going home, that reminds me why i do this. Yes there are days that I want to crawl in a hole but for the most part i can see my self evolving in to this person that I had no idea i had the ability to be. Nursing is not only a career its a sense of character. When all is said and done I wouldn't trade my career for anything. But I can't wait until I feel 110% confident in what I do. I hear it all the time that it take time, experience, and effort to feel that way.
I guess the biggest jolt for me was getting out of school in to the real world and not expecting half of what I have experienced. It's funny to look back on how nervous i was through nursing school. HAHA what i wouldn't give to be back there again. lol. School was hard, but this first year, by far, has been harder. Thank you for sharing your experience, it makes me feel normal lol!!

Jan 15, 2008 11:10 AM - good posting

Jan 20, 2008 07:38 PM - In October '06 my daughter was born at 31 weeks. She spent almost 2 months in the NICU. Thank you for the work that you do, I cannot imagine how stressful yet rewarding it must be for a NICU nurse. I sent our Christmas card/candy tin to our primary with this note in December...

"Thank you for everything you did for our family. You showed strength and grace in the face of challenges that would make others turn and run. You taught me how to mother when I did not know how. You were the person that taught me what it truly means to be a hero. You and every nurse that cared for Z during her stay will forever be a part of our family."

As a NICU nurse you are more than just a nurse, you become a member of the family of your primary patients.

Congrats to you on your first year as a nurse. Best wishes for many more happy years.

Jan 21, 2008 01:42 PM - Thank you for your wounderful story. And congratulations to your success. I'm a new graduate nurse, will start my first job as an RN in Surgical ICU. I'm just hoping I will be as confidence as you are by the end of this year.