Anyone afraid of the "Real World?"

Vsummer1 · Mar 31, 2003

I am only in my 2nd semester, but this was something I heard somewhere:

Nursing school, and passing the NCLEX are the MINIMUM requirements to being a nurse. All new grads need much, much more to be more than a minimum nurse, and the only way to get that is to work as a nurse. You will then learn every day, hands on. And you will continue to learn every day, hands on for the rest of your life. So, don't sweat being a "minimum" nurse, because each and every nurse you learn from was one once, and the ones teaching you are still learning every day, hands on.

I hope that makes you feel better. Me, I am still scared and have a long time to go!

susanmary · Mar 31, 2003

Just wait until you enter the "real world" of nursing & cash that first check. After scrimping through nursing school, you will finally get some of that money back.....

delirium · Mar 31, 2003

Ok, I thought this thread was about the 'real world' on MTV. I am scared of a lot of those people...

Especially Puck... he is icky.

Seriously, I'm excited. I feel like I'm going to a supportive unit, and I have a 3-5 month orientation depending on my comfort level, and nobody expects me to know everything. Which is great, because I really don't.

frannybee · Mar 31, 2003

I thought it was about people who can't cope with life outside Allnurses! :chuckle

I was terrified before I graduated, but I put that down to knowing I would be moving from Australia to the UK 5 days after I finished my training.

Chiaramonte · Mar 31, 2003

Puck is indeed a psycho!!! Glad he left on his own accord because he was scaring me!!!

Anyway, congrats to all of you on completing school and reaping the rewards of your hard work.

All I remember is being really proud that I "made it" and that all my sleepless nights with being a single mom, working and with 3 boys finally paid off. I could not only "save the world" but I could support my family.

Enjoy the excitement of this time for the thrill will never be the same again. Hold your head up high and know we appreciate you in the ranks.

Your orientation should offer you the chance to get your feet wet slowly and safely. Autonomy is an adrenalin rush!!

Best of luck to you all!

rosemadder · Apr 5, 2003

Terrified, petrified, horrified.....these are only a few of the feelings I've got running around......excited, amazed, eager are a few of the others. I get teary just thinking about the Pinning Ceremony and walking up to get "pinned". I can't believe it's almost here and that I am going to make it!!! Good luck and safe practice to everyone!!!

peaceful2100, BSN, RN · Apr 13, 2003

At the beginning of this semester I was so scared and so anxious I wanted to drop out right then while I still had some sanity and some kind of peace of mind. Then I started thinking of how hard I worked my rear end off to get to the point of where I am so what would be the point of dropping out your last semester and why.

As the semester went on the anxiety started dropping little by little with reassurance from the instructors and now it has really dropped ever since I started my senior capstone 3 weeks ago. I am on a med-surg unit and this is the exact same unit where I will start my career as a Graduate nurse. I have discovered that many of the nurses have been there for YEARS and honestly say they love what they do and prove that they love what they do by the care that they give to the patients. They have all been helping me, showing me things and encouraging me to not be afraid. They told me that it is normal to feel the way I do and that new grads are not expected to know it all and be totally prepared. They are expected to know the bare minimum of safe effective care and that is why we take the NCLEX. The nurses also told me that there will be many resources to utilized from books to experience nurses and that new grads should not be left to hang. IF so then they need to find a new unit ASAP. I feel so many things coming together now. While, I am definitely NOT a know it all, and definitely not totally confident. I feel much better now compared to at the beginning of this semester. It will get better.