Advice to a new nurseI I

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I have been told several times, by different people, that I seem to struggle with time management and organizing my shift. I work on a very busy cardiac med-surg unit. Most times I don't even get a chance for a real lunch. I'm constantly on the go and always tending to patients. I have between 3-5 patients. They just dropped me down to 3 for now. I write down all the times and drugs each patient has throughout the day to keep track of that. When a new order comes through I write it down on a post-it note. I don't know what I am doing so wrong to make people think I am not doing well and pulling my own weight. I've been on orientation for 3 months now and I'm being told that I may not be able to keep my job if things don't turn around for me. My preceptor said she things "something is missing or not clicking." What does that mean? Going into nursing is a second career for me. I was a top selling- regional leader in pharmaceutical sales. I'm not a new learner or new to the work force. I hussel every second of the day. Advice please? I'm am so sick over this. I've feel depressed and horrible about myself.

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

Welcome to AN.com, Evil2twin.

Sorry to hear about your struggle. The closet I can come to identifying with you and your situation is when I worked in surgery thirty years ago. The first three months were a struggle. I was all thumbs. The assistant supervisor came to me and caringly suggested that maybe I wasn't cut out for the OR. I was deflated!

But then, all of a sudden, everything turned around! It all came together! This could happen for you too, Evil2twin. Just keep plugging away. It sounds like your conscientious, taking notes and such. I admire that.

It's like an auto mechanic I was learning from one said, "Everything is hard before it becomes easy".

Keep on keeping on, Evil2twin. And let us know how it goes.

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Thanks for your story. I keep thinking one of these days I'm going to have a spot on day, where I don't give a drug too late, or I remember to open the IV lock.. I know I'm awesome with the patients. They tell me everyday how much they love me and that they are glad they got me as their nurse. When family members walk in their loved ones room in the morning... they give this sigh of relief when they see me.. they are truly happy I'm the nurse. I wonder if I spend too much time with my patients, and if I just acted like a robot, I wouldn't get behind. 90-95% of my day I'm on the mark with what needs to be done. It's when I am falling behind because I ended up spending 30 mins in a room when I budgeted 5 mins. Then my preceptor starts complaining that she isn't going to get out on time. She said it's like I don't have a sense of urgency. That if I'm behind, I just smile and say it's going to get done. Everything we do is an urgent. When everything is urgent and is supposed to be done at the same time, how can I be in five places at one time. I'm aware of the time... but I have a patient crashing in the bathroom and calling a rapid...

of course I'm behind on my 7pm meds! What am I missing?

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