Reality Shock!!!! Please answer a few questions about when you were a new nurse!

Hello Nurses
My name is Beth and I'm graduating in two months. I am doing a project along with my clinical group on "Reality Shock", and I am polling nurses about their experiences. I would greatly appreciate if you could take a few minutes and answer these questions. Just copy and paste into your reply. You can put a star or 'X' next to your answer.

Many thanks!!!!
1. How long have you been a nurse? Less than 1 year 1-2 yrs 3-5 yrs 5-10 yrs 10-20 yr s 20+ yrs

2. What type of school(s) did you go to?
Hospital nursing school Community College BSN MSN Doctorate Other degrees

Care to share your school(s)?

3. Did you have any experience working in a hospital before becoming an RN? Yes No

Nurse Aide LPN Other Unit Secretary, Student Nurse Aide

4. What kind of floor/unit was your first position? Med-surg

5. How long what your orientation/training period as a new nurse? 1 week with another nurse, 1 week with my own 2 patients and another nurse, 1 week with 4 patients and another nurse, 1 week with 6 patients and another nurse, all on Days; Then I went to Nights and did a week with another nurse and we charged the whole floor, including meds, charting, IV's, admissions, pre-op, etc.; then the same on 3-11 for a week;

6. How prepared did you feel after graduating from nursing school and beginning training?

Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor

7. How prepared did you feel when you finished your training, and began working on your own?

Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor

8. What was your experience(s) with your preceptor(s) like?

Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor It varied.

9. In your opinion was your training period long enough? Yes No

10. Did you experience “Reality Shock”as a new nurse? Yes No

11. Please describe in a few sentences what your first few weeks/months were like: Surreal, scary, challenging, rewarding; I gradually realized that I could really do what I needed to be able to do.

12. What would you recommend, or what advice would you give to new nurses? Go in early and get settled. Put your coat, lunch, etc. away, get your coffee if you drink it, , call home to check on the kids, use the restroom if necessary, be ready to work at the appointed hour. Try to get your list of assigned patients early and go look at each one. Check for correct names in the correct beds, type of IV they are getting, bed low/locked, Oxygen flow rate via what type of device, where is IV located and how does the site look (red, puffy, leaking, indurated, disconnected, or normal), are rails up (if allowed), is call bell handy, along with kleenex, TV remote, water, etc., is there a foley? If so, what's it draining?
Other drainage tubes? Dressings? Where? Drainage on them? Type, amount, odor, etc.? This should be a quick check, preferably without the patient being awake or you engaging with any visitors, just to note what the present condition is. Once you get report and have time to review the orders/Kardex, you will know what needs correction and what is being done right. Who is NPO? Who is going for a procedure/surgery? I always found that once I had laid eyes on my patients, I felt more relaxed, so I did it early. Listen carefully to report, let the person give you report and then ask whatever you still need to know. Follow the lead of your preceptor. If you 2 don't hit it off, politely but clearly ask for someone else. Not everyone is good at teaching. Be courteous but not overly friendly. It's ok to be nervous. Do not be cocky.










Much gratitude for taking the time to fill this out!

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over an over and expecting a different result." -Albert Einstein