2nd year

Scrubber · Feb 3, 2008

Hi nyapa,

i have just finished mine too. It feels kind of wierd cause your not treated like a' "grad" anymore, your just a normal RN. now you are expected to do what the others do, and you are kind of on your own but still have the support. especially since the new grads come along the focus isnt on yu anymore. one example i was on call for the first time the other night, i didnt get called in but it was still that realisation that people treat me normal now and dont shelter you anymore.

however, having said that, there are still things that i am learning and doing for the first few times, but i feel like i am further ahead with experience and knowledge. if you know what i mean. i know it would be different on a ward as opposed to theatre where i am.

also it seems like everyone takes you more seriously now. do you get that, or is it just me.

scrubber. :w00t: :specs:

nyapa, RN · Feb 5, 2008

Exactly. thats what I am finding, people are taking me more seriously. it is strange isn't it. But I get what you are saying...the role has changed, expectations are different, and therefore our own personal goals are different too. I think my problem now is to improve my confidence LOL...I preceptored students as a new grad. I suppose it won't be long before I preceptor new grads ROFL! That will be strange! I hope I never forget what it was like...:paw:

bethem · Feb 13, 2008

I've gone in to a second year program in an ICU which does not take any new grads, so I am the newest nurse in the place. At the moment I am still on orientation, but there is a lot of talk about me "not being expected to know that yet" and "junior staff really shoudn't do [x]", so it still feels like I am a newbie.

I actually kind of like that feeling because I know that I am extremely well supported in a very challenging environment.

In contrast to some of my experiences in my grad year, I get the feeling from the ICU folk that they want me to succeed and they look forward to helping me advance my career.

Scrubby · Feb 14, 2008

I've been in theatre two years now and i still get treated like i know nothing at all. Apparently you have to be there for about 10 years before your capable :uhoh3:

nyapa, RN · Feb 15, 2008

bethem and scrubby. Interesting to see the comparison between your experiences. One can feel relaxed in not having knowledge, while the other is not acknowledged for the knowledge you have.

ICU_nurse · Mar 3, 2008

I'm 4 weeks into my job in an ICU/my 2nd year of nursing. I had a 10 week rotation through this unit as part of my NG year about 6 months ago, and I can definately feel the difference in how i am treated by staff- i remember how they treated me as "the new grad", and there is a difference as to how i am treated now- i feel like an equal. But there is still the "junior staff" tag to live with now (im the baby of the unit at age 22, even younger than the 4 current new grads!)

I also think it has something to do with the fact that i have the past 12 months experiences behind me- i feel more confident, im more assertive, have a much more solid knowledge base, and i think they see that im not the wide-eyed new-grad freaking out (im now the2nd yr RN freaking out hehe)and treat me accordingly

it's hard to descirbe, im not sure if that made any sense whatsoever! But yes, i feel very different without my "New Grad" tag. I've even found myself about to tell people I'm a new grad, but i do remember just before i open my mouth. Very cool to be able to say "no, i'm core staff!!". Need to get used to that bit!

parko