Absolutely incompetent...not so sure "it gets better".

IMOKAY, BSN · Jul 2, 2011

Poor honey! I can't give you advice (I'm still a student) but I'm feeling your discouragement and frustration through your words. I do hope this will get better. Thinking back to first months and first year of my previous jobs I was always unsure, insecure, ****** at myself for mistakes...this is normal when you care! Its clear you have the desire and concern. Decide to learn from these events and stick with it.

suanna · Jul 2, 2011

Sounds like a NASTY assignment for an ICU anyway. It gets better. I would bet the nurse wasn't asking you for the medical reason the patient hadn't been transfered to a floor, rather, it was a "what the heck is she still doing here" second guessing the doctors kind of question. My standard reply is " because her physician ordered her here and hasn't changed his mind" . As to lab quizzing, it's an old game to make the new nurse feel like a failure. "I haven't a clue, and didn't have time to look them up since they didn't have an impact on my immediate care." is always a fair answer. I could see if you were doing STEMI care on a reperfusion and didn't know your last enzymes, but as much as I'd like to know every lab value on every patient I have, I sometimes just settle for keeping them out of the body bag for my shift. I am not seeing the whole picture, so the nurse following you may not have been nit-picking, but more often as not, questions during report are more an attempt to make you doubt yourself than they are a real need for information. My advice, keep a card on each patient. As things come up that are something you want to pass on in report, make a note of it at that time. Make blank spaces for any labs you expect and want to follow-up on. Ask yourself before you start : what is this patients biggest problem at this time, and what problems am I solving, or watching for over my shift? If you can get that far you are well on your way to managing your patients.

opossum · Jul 2, 2011

Thanks for the words of encouragement; I'm pretty good at shaking off a bad day but this one just really got to me.

suanna, you're right about the nurse asking about why the patient was still there; we often wonder aloud why certain pts are still in ICU! It just hit me at that moment: I never even asked myself that question the whole shift. I missed "the big picture" - most of the time I just figure it's because the MD didn't feel like rushing to transfer them up or whatever. I wouldn't make a big deal of it anyway unless we needed the bed...but yeah, I just didn't even think of it. I'm still so focused on the little things, like getting all my meds done on time, etc.

vegasmomma, thanks again for the kind words...I've also felt like this in other jobs, feeling like I don't quite fit yet and that it's just a matter of time before I feel comfortable. But this...this is unlike anything I've ever done in my life. It's just so...difficult and draining! I sure hope it gets better.

NewRN2810 · Jul 7, 2011

Smh I was thinking the same! seems like nothing is going right for me,my manager is also very supportive but I'm wondering how long that will continue? I have not one friend at work and the one person I did call for advice,ignores me now,I guess I complain too much lol But this site has really helped me and if you know any support groups for scared new RNs anonymous then let me know! lol We need our own special support group.

hikernurse · Jul 7, 2011

Oh, that first year is TOUGH!! Just ride it out one day at a time. I'm sorry this shift was so bad, but you have to do what you can to get through and know that will be enough. Hugs.

Karl Farmer · Jul 7, 2011

It will not get better, only worse as the economy gets worse, more paatients per nurse, sicker because already people can't afford their copays an deductibles so are prolonging medical care, meaning sicker patients, with more pressure to get them out, and so on.

MelisRN · Jul 8, 2011

I myself am a brand new nurse. In fact I haven't even started my new job yet. However, I can tell you what I have been told. I was told the first year is awful. You constantly feel like an idiot that should have never been granted a license. It also doesn't help when the experienced nurses hound on you, however it seems to be a type of initiation for some nurses. Just stick in there, you know more than you think you do. And as you practice more you will develop your own routine and plan to find how you work most efficiently. When you're a brand new you are just trying to remember to give your meds at the right time. It will get better!!!! :up:

Karl Farmer · Jul 8, 2011

Nurses eat their young, always have, and always will. It's party due to envy (you may be prettier than they are, or rebuke their advances), partly job security fear (they can fire tham and hire new grads cheaper), and other reasons, and I'm sure we all could name a few?

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Jul 8, 2011

Nurses eat their young, always have, and always will. It's party due to envy (you may be prettier than they are, or rebuke their advances), partly job security fear (they can fire tham and hire new grads cheaper), and other reasons, and I'm sure we all could name a few?

It doesn't have to be this way. Not all places are like this and if being a new nurse is so bad I highly doubt the experienced nurses are "envious" that they can't be a new nurse again.

OP I am sorry you are having such a bad experience. Hopefully the time flies and once you are no longer considered a new grad you can try and find a better position or a better hospital. Don't give up and believe in yourself. You will gain more confidence and your skills will get better and your time management and so on. Everything you are feeling are echoed all over these boards by other new grad nurses that are working. :heartbeat

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Jul 8, 2011

Nurses eat their young, always have, and always will. It's party due to envy (you may be prettier than they are, or rebuke their advances), partly job security fear (they can fire tham and hire new grads cheaper), and other reasons, and I'm sure we all could name a few?

I feel the need to debunk. srsly . . "prettier than they are"... "you rebuke their advances" .. LOL - the Y chromo strikes again. As for the hiring new grads at lower salary - not in this HCAPS environment. Reimbursement is now tied to patient satisfaction & outcomes; higher levels of experience/expertise have a proven ROI & new grads are seen as a detriment to the bottom line that far outweighs any salary savings, especially in light of the salary compression among staff nurses (experience is not well rewarded).

I think the primary reason that experienced nurses dislike working with newbies is very simple... it increases their workload and job stress. The 'oldie' not only gets all the complex/difficult patients, but also has to prop up the newbie. They would much rather be working alongside people who can hold up an equal share of the load. Over time, this becomes a huge irritant and major source of job dissatisfaction. Eventually, experienced staff begin to lose focus on the (new grad) individuals involved and only see the impact it has on their own lives. It's not fair, but it's human.

NewRN2810 · Jul 8, 2011

I feel the need to debunk. srsly . . "prettier than they are"... "you rebuke their advances" .. LOL - the Y chromo strikes again. As for the hiring new grads at lower salary - not in this HCAPS environment. Reimbursement is now tied to patient satisfaction & outcomes; higher levels of experience/expertise have a proven ROI & new grads are seen as a detriment to the bottom line that far outweighs any salary savings, especially in light of the salary compression among staff nurses (experience is not well rewarded).
I think the primary reason that experienced nurses dislike working with newbies is very simple... it increases their workload and job stress. The 'oldie' not only gets all the complex/difficult patients, but also has to prop up the newbie. They would much rather be working alongside people who can hold up an equal share of the load. Over time, this becomes a huge irritant and major source of job dissatisfaction. Eventually, experienced staff begin to lose focus on the (new grad) individuals involved and only see the impact it has on their own lives. It's not fair, but it's human.

I think you hit it right on the nose with that statement and its sucks for both parties involved. It takes a HUGE amount of patience and compassion to deal with a new grad and even more when the new grad is "not getting it". this seems to be an ongoing problem,but I'll be one of the seasoned nurses who has the patience because I will forever remember the rough first year of my career.