RN of exactly one year...

[DroogieRN]

I really think I thought I'd be "super nurse" by now. I still doubt myself and still feel like I "don't get it" and wonder if I should be more confident after a year. Even though I know I still have a lot to learn, I find myself fairly bored a lot of the times with my patient assignments. I work Tele but feel like I babysit chronic CHF-ers more than getting to experience the more intense cardiac events my co-workers seem to have. My colleagues tell me I am an excellent nurse, and I do feel like I take very good care of my patients, but I still second-guess myself and seem like I always have to ask for advice. Some nurses who've been on the job less time than I have are being asked to orient to charge, and in my heart, I trust my nursing judgment far more than I trust theirs -- but I am not very assertive and don't hang at the nurse's station to pick up on all the ins and outs of calling docs, procedural stuff, the "grapevine," etc. I'd like to orient as charge nurse as well at some point, but I don't know if I think an RN of one year (or less) is really capable -- if so, maybe they are the exception, rather than the norm. Just my .

I guess I am asking if anyone else felt this way, like, "is this IT?"

[Turd Ferguson]

I haven't reached that point yet myself, but I've been told by many experienced nurses that it takes a couple of years to truly transition into the role of an RN.

[Tait, MSN, RN]

I didn't really feel confident until into my second/third year.

[surferbettycrocker]

wonder what the politics are like on your unit? nurses with one year of experience are being asked to learn charge nurse? i worked in one hospital where i was precepting new nurses and students and charge. the next one i went to-heck i babysit chronic chf'ers....

do the assignments rotate like one week or so you have mor e'intense cardiac patients? or do you keep getting the same type of patient.

everyone feels confident at different speeds but with so much to learn how can one year be enough to feel confident? its not likely that anybody has seen sooo much of the same event or situation so often that a nurse is solid and confident.

i think that confidence comes with time to see the same situation over and over and then you start to develop your intuition and confidence. i hav enever agreed with that magic one year but i guess there are nurses out there who do:spmstmp:

[Grandmasgirl]

Give it time! It takes at least a year to get"wet behind the ears" .Now you work on your skills, hone them in,& yes ask about being in charge or what it would take! now is when you can start taking charge of yourself

[SistersofMRSA]

Are you familiar with Patricia Benner's seminal work, "From Novice to Expert"? According to Benner, it takes about two to three years of experience for most nurses to feel truly competent:

http://www.sonoma.edu/users/n/nolan/n312/benner.htm

Literature aside, I can completely relate to your post. I've been at the bedside for just short of 2 years and while I feel like I have a better handle on situations than I did, say, 6 months ago, I still have terrible shifts where I skip a meal or stay late to finish charting because I never had a chance to sit down. (FWIW, I work on an ortho/renal transplant/general surg floor in a Level 1 trauma center.)

Due to a continuous influx of newer RNs at my hospital who often leave within a year or two for a less crazy work environment, it's not uncommon for RNs with ≤ 2 years experience to orient to charge and precept new grads. Granted, I sometimes feel like my younger peers and I been fast tracked due to the high acuity and fast pace of the hospital, but it can be quite overwhelming and leave us feeling like the "blind are leading the blind," regardless of how good our clinical skills and judgment may be.

Focus on how much you've improved since your first day of orientation, as well as how your actions and advocacy have helped your patients. You sound like a terrific nurse!

[Nursey103, ADN, RN]

Wow, I feel exactly the same way. I'm about a month away from my 1 year & still feel like I don't "get it" yet. I handle my assignments well. I still feel very task-oriented & I know I need to get better w/ my critical thinking. I still ask TONS of questions. When something goes wrong with my patient, I feel I still need to validate my next intervention by asking other more experienced nurses. Sometimes I feel like I should know what to do & just do it but I still get nervous about performing an intervention on my own.

Anyhow, you're not alone!!!!!!!

[Nursey103, ADN, RN]

Oohhh also a quick cool sidenote....I actually got to meet Patricia Benner last year!! I was apart of a video that demonstrated the teaching style of one of my instructors!! :)

[serenity1]

I think you are perfectly normal to feel that way. I just passed my year and feel the same. I can look back and think of all the things I have learned, but still feel like a have a long way to go. Hang in there, I think it will take me at least another year to start to feel more confident. :)

[MabRN]

I have also been nursing for one year on an extremely busy/challenging ward. I have to tell you that your feelings are completely normal.. any nurse who doesn't feel the way you do after only one year is the type of person my senior co-workers worry about. Nursing is such a complex profession, and I am very proud to admit that I am no where close to knowing all that I need to know. I still learn something new every day and I still have to ask questions. I trust that I'm a caring, kind, patient nurse and the technical aspects of my career will come with time. I definitely know more than I did this time last year, and I'm sure you have come a lot farther than you give yourself credit for. I also know that in 20 years, I will still never feel completely confident and independent in what I do. A good nurse is not afraid to admit she/he doesn't know it all. Healthcare is constantly changing with new advancements in research, and we've chose a profession that involves lifelong learning. Also, we work as a team - no one can know everything and everyone has a unique tidbit of knowledge and experience to add to our plan of care that makes the "super nurse" that our patients deserve! You sound like an excellent nurse :) best of luck!