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I am definitely not a new nurse but I remember well those first few months and even the first year + when I did not feel competent to match my colleagues in knowledge, ability, or speed.

One thing I did that helped me a bunch was to write a journal. In it I had to write 3 things I did right that shift. Sometimes it was simple things like teaching post MI. Other times taking time to hold a hand. The hardest thing for me was to keep those negative thoughts out. I made myself not compare my work to others, just give credit to me for what I did.

It really helped me to gain confidence as I looked back and saw that I had grown.

Give yourself some time and pats on the back. Few others will do it for you. That does not mean they think you are not doing well. It just means they are focused on doing their own jobs.

Nursing is hard, and especially in the first years.With experience you get a little more forgiving of yourself for being human and just mutter when you waste a trip down the hall to do one thing when you could be doing two if you had it together more.

Best wishes for a long and happy career.

I have to agree with Stanley about the use of alcohol (and other drugs) used to self medicate mental illness. In my mind that does not make it less of a disease. We don't know enough about the brain and the development to be really black and white about many mental health/illness issues.
It was not that many years ago when we still blamed the mother for schizophrenia.

When a person starts to use chemicals known to fry brain cells before the brain is fully developed it certainly has the possibility of creating a state of disease. The choice to use or not is the individual's choice. That does not mean at the age of 10 (to some upper limit of maybe 17) it is an informed choice. If the brain has not completed its' growth is it competent to make decisions such as this? The law does not think so. Many recovering addicts that I know agree. Many of them started at age 10-13 to drink and then to drink more heavily until the option of not using did not exist without complete abstinance.

Congrats to all of you who have sobriety. For those of you who still are able to drink safely-go for it. Enjoy. If the situation changes and you no longer drink safely get help for your disease. You did not choose it. It chose you.

Life is hard enough without having to pull black hairs from the upper lip and on the chin.
Yuck. Things we do to keep our old folks looking like ladies.

Some of you are being rather harsh. The nurse asked about parameters. Some of you gave really good examples of the differences doctors, facilities, and our own nursing judgement provide.

Of course the suggestions to know your meds, look them up, etc. are great. I kind of got the impression this nurse was looking for the absolutes that novice nurses need until they gain the proficiency to evaluate internally rather than question each thing for an absolute answer.

It is frightening that some nurses don't look at lab values, recent blood sugars, or the look of the patient. With experience sometimes you just know and really have to dig to figure out why you have the gut reaction of knowing the right thing to do.

I don't spend as much time over this side. I prefer the Central side. Now I remember why I stopped coming to this side of the street. Nasty comments when a reasonable answer could be given.