A little encouragement for new grads!

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I have been working as an RN for about two years now on a busy med/surg floor and tele. I have not forgotten the feelings that all new grads feel, yet few are willing to admit. This site is amazing and just by seaking out information you are all growing daily even if it does not feel that way. There is so much that I have yet to learn but do I feel COMPETENT? Yes I do, and so will you if you give it your all and stay focused. Nurses do eat their young. That is the most truthful thing I have heard. Never really understood it until I became a nurse. Remember this- you only ever will feel inadequate if you allow someone to make you feel that way. Try to stay away from the negative attitudes that some of the 25 year nurses have developed. We may not be as experienced as them but once upon a time they were the ones asking all the questions and feeling insecure. How easy some of them forget. My day came after about a year and a half of nursing and for the most of you your day will come to- I had a pt who was diophoretic, hypotensive and was complaining of pain in right upper quad of abdomen. Just had a feeling "something is not right" Ekg showed major st depressions- indicative of an MI. Called the doctor and he said to give him maalox. As an advocate for this person I requested that we please draw a troponin just to be safe, he insisted that this was not typical chest pain but agreed. This person ruled in for a massive MI and although I was sad for him it gave me great pleasure to call the doctor back with the results. His reply simply was send him to the unit and have them call me for orders CLICK. But that is ok because at that moment I knew I was a nurse. And your moment will come to and then there will be many more to follow. It's nothing that we have to brag about or even share with co-workers because in my opinion the BEST nurses are the ones that are seen consistently giving the highest quality of care they can- not the ones who talk about it. Believe in yourself always because we need more good nurses. In time it will all come- I promise.:)

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Specializes in ICU, Research, Corrections.

Thank you for the encouragement :) I am a new grad and just passed NCLEX-RN yesterday and start work Monday. I am happy to take any encouragement that comes my way :chuckle

Lu Ann

PS - I will be working in a MICU enviroment with a LOT of 25+ years of experience. I appreciate the good advice you gave

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Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.

I'm starting my GN orientation in a couple of weeks. I've been doing a lot of reading and digesting the shared experiences of the new nurses on this forum. Quite frankly, some of the writings have scared the bejeebers out of me and made me question the sanity of the life work I have chosen. I'm glad the OP gave us something positive to chew on. Thanks from an old new nurse.

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Thanks for the advice. I start my new job 1/23, ( I take boards 1/17), the hospital that hired me is taking steps to make new nurses feel welcome. Guring my interview the nurse manager told me she would not tolerate the nurses "eating their young", but I am not naive enough to believe this will totally eliminate it. I only pray my mentor will be taking me under their wing because they "want" to..not because they "have" to.

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Specializes in Child/Adolescent Mental Health.
I have been working as an RN for about two years now on a busy med/surg floor and tele. I have not forgotten the feelings that all new grads feel, yet few are willing to admit. This site is amazing and just by seaking out information you are all growing daily even if it does not feel that way. There is so much that I have yet to learn but do I feel COMPETENT? Yes I do, and so will you if you give it your all and stay focused. Nurses do eat their young. That is the most truthful thing I have heard. Never really understood it until I became a nurse. Remember this- you only ever will feel inadequate if you allow someone to make you feel that way. Try to stay away from the negative attitudes that some of the 25 year nurses have developed. We may not be as experienced as them but once upon a time they were the ones asking all the questions and feeling insecure. How easy some of them forget. My day came after about a year and a half of nursing and for the most of you your day will come to- I had a pt who was diophoretic, hypotensive and was complaining of pain in right upper quad of abdomen. Just had a feeling "something is not right" Ekg showed major st depressions- indicative of an MI. Called the doctor and he said to give him maalox. As an advocate for this person I requested that we please draw a troponin just to be safe, he insisted that this was not typical chest pain but agreed. This person ruled in for a massive MI and although I was sad for him it gave me great pleasure to call the doctor back with the results. His reply simply was send him to the unit and have them call me for orders CLICK. But that is ok because at that moment I knew I was a nurse. And your moment will come to and then there will be many more to follow. It's nothing that we have to brag about or even share with co-workers because in my opinion the BEST nurses are the ones that are seen consistently giving the highest quality of care they can- not the ones who talk about it. Believe in yourself always because we need more good nurses. In time it will all come- I promise.:)

Thanks for taking the time to post this for us new grads:) It is a scary ride in the beginning:uhoh3:

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