First Day Being a Nurse: Feeling Overwhelmed

Nurses Rock Toon

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How was your first day being a nurse? Please share your stories...

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
newbieRN1 said:
Awww. Trust me after the 5th time a Doc yells at you for something that's not your fault,

*** Uh, WHAT!? Doctors yell at you!? Why in the world would you permit yourself to be treated like that?

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Specializes in ED.

Being new sure does show me how much I have to learn! I have awesome days where I feel like I'm really getting it, and then the next day I'm taken down a few pegs, lol. I'm really enjoying it though. I ask about 500 questions every shift, but I'm learning a lot and really love the challenge!

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
PMFB-RN said:
*** Uh, WHAT!? Doctors yell at you!? Why in the world would you permit yourself to be treated like that?

:roflmao:...you kill me....:roflmao:.

That's like when they shout..."And just where did you get YOUR medical degree" as their eyes attempt to burn you to your soul.

I quote Laura Gasparis Vonfriolio....I tell them "HARVARD...but I decided to further my medical career so I went on to be a nurse".

We all have these days and days when we think that the food service industry or a diploma in mixology is in order because at least then you can refuse them service.;)

It's all a part of the job.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Esme12 said:
:roflmao:...you kill me....:roflmao:.

That's like when they shout..."And just where did you get YOUR medical degree" as their eyes attempt to burn you to your soul.

I quote Laura Gasparis Vonfriolio....I tell them "HARVARD...but I decided to further my medical career so I went on to be a nurse".

We all have these days and days when we think that the food service industry or a diploma in mixology is in order because at least then you can refuse them service.;)

It's all a part of the job.

*** Nobody yells at me, at least they never do it a second time. I do not tolerate it nor do I tolerate anyone yelling at my co-workers or patients. If I observe a physican yelling at a nurse, or a nurse yelling at a CNA I intervene and stop it. I am not talking about shouting to be heard in an emergency (though I have a very little tolerance for that either) but one person yelling at another, ESPECIALY when there is a power difference bewteen them I.e. MD to RN or RN to CNA should not be tolerated by any work place.

Nurses almost alwasy respond well to a "word to the wise". Residents usually do as well. if not I imply that I would be very happy to find them alone in the parking lot and "explain" it to them again. My experience if you only actually ever have to "explain" something in the parking lot once and word gets around so after that just implying works.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
PMFB-RN said:
*** Nobody yells at me, at least they never do it a second time. I do not tolerate it nor do I tolerate anyone yelling at my co-workers or patients. If I observe a physican yelling at a nurse, or a nurse yelling at a CNA I intervene and stop it. I am not talking about shouting to be heard in an emergency (though I have a very little tolerance for that either) but one person yelling at another, ESPECIALY when there is a power difference bewteen them I.e. MD to RN or RN to CNA should not be tolerated by any work place.

Nurses almost alwasy respond well to a "word to the wise". Residents usually do as well. if not I imply that I would be very happy to find them alone in the parking lot and "explain" it to them again. My experience if you only actually ever have to "explain" something in the parking lot once and word gets around so after that just implying works.

You are very lucky that you have the physical strength, the fortitude, and an administration that stands behind it's nurses. There are little facilities all over the US where this is not the case and MD's are allowed to get away with whatever behavior they desire....as the lowly nurse is expendable.

Believe me...... I don't tolerate it and I will walk away. I could careless if they are "upset and offended" you will speak to me in a civil tone or you will not speak to me at all......I have walked away and walked straight to HR to file a complaint for harassment and conduct becoming. Many nurses do not and cannot do this without losing their jobs.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Quote
You are very lucky that you have the physical strength, the fortitude, and an administration that stands behind it's nurses. There are little facilities all over the US where this is not the case and MD's are allowed to get away with whatever behavior they desire....as the lowly nurse is expendable.

*** Oh I have been in those little hospitals where the physician is the cash cow and the nurse better tow the line and just take whatever the almighty doctor dishes out. That is EXACTLY why I developed the "catch them alone in the parking lot" tactic. If nurses were valued and administration would respond appropiatly to cases of physician bullying there would be no need to "explain" things in a dark parking lot without witnesses.

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Believe me...... I don't tolerate it and I will walk away. I could careless if they are "upset and offended" you will speak to me in a civil tone or you will not speak to me at all......I have walked away and walked straight to HR to file a complaint for harassment and conduct becoming. Many nurses do not and cannot do this without losing their jobs.

*** Of course you do. Good for you. After years of reading your messages it never occured to me you would be a door matt just meekly accepting bullying.

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I was a nurse for 47 years and then, i retired. I retired because i was just tired of fighting management in order to maintain good nursing care for my patients and a safe, satisfying work place for my staff. The one rule i always worked by is "People treat you the way you let them". I told all my new nurses to stand up for themselves ( hard to do when you are new) and always respect yourself. My first day i was scared, unsure of my ability to care for others, alittle awe struck by older staff BUT i knew how i was going to be treated by others. I was not unsure of my worth as a person. I have had some bad times when i just turned and walked away from a yelling doctor, nurse, patient but i did walk away and loved myself more for it .

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"People treat you the way you let them" - true!

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