Already frustrated on my 4th day off orientation...

[ricannurse13]

OMG... I feel so frustrated already. I work day shift on a telemetry unit. The unit is so busy, and some nurses are just not considered at all. I forgot to initiate some orders, including some BT orders and of course they were so mad, because they needed to spend the entire night taking vitals and checking for adverse reactions. I know that is just not right, but as a new grad I'm trying to find the best way to arrange all the tasks, admissions, D/C, new orders, etc. Yesterday I was caught up with everything and bam... I forgot to initiate yet another order, for the second time. OMG! I'm just frustrated! Any advice on how to arrange my time???? Please help!

[philliesfinest]

I'm a new grad to with a BSN working at a LTC facility.. I wish I worked in a hospital but one step at a time I guess... Anyways I suggest writing down notes on paper of what you have done and haven't done

[philliesfinest]

Believe me it will get better I no exactly how you feel

[schnookimz]

What is "bt" ?

[miisz]

Quote

What is "bt" ?

Breakthrough

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

((HUGS)) It takes time the first year is the hardest.......organization is key....you need a good brain sheets.......here are a few.

5 Pt. Shift.doc

1 patient Float.doc

MTPMedSurg (2).doc

Report Sheet.doc

FinalGraduateShiftReport.doc

DAY SHEET 2 doc.doc

[Gr8Nurses]

I am an new LPN. When I say "new" I mean I just passed the NCLEX exam and recieved a license. Now I need a job! As a new LPN I thought during an orientation process you are assigned a preceptor (???) Is there someone there that can see and understand your struggles and provide mentorship? We all have to jump in and start somewhere and I believe that good proactive preceptorship is paramount and vital to the future of nursing.

[luckydaisy84]

I am a big fan of the good 'ol check box. My report sheets would look like a game of check the boxes.... and trust me.... that box sitting there, starring at you, un checked... it gets to you ... you will WANT to check it off. I would do that with my orders that needed to be filled and any new orders I got. I would also look and see what times each patient had meds due. I would write the times down with an empty box next to them. It really helped me! I am also a new nurse :)..... a new nurse who ran from one hospital and is hoping to get into the tele unit (interview next week!!! :)) at a different hospital. Good luck!! It takes time, and that is what I keep telling myself too :).

[iPink, BSN, RN]

I'm on a busy acute care floor and it's a must to create check boxes! Yup, it's a broken record but it'll save you the frustration and the peeved stares by the oncoming nurse. The first year is brutal, but we must hang in there!

[daisygirl5]

Do you guys have a system where you check for new orders... Say every 30 mins?

[amoLucia]

I was thinking bt = blood transfusion?

Another example when crazy abbreviations are not understood. Oh to be standardized!

[Swellz]

I thought it stood for blood transfusion too. The other night I got the order to transfuse at 5:15. This patient is easily overloaded, and it is nearing change of shift, so I decide to "quickly" finish with my other 3 patients first. Well, of course, my routine q2 turn becomes a clean up, bed change and redoing her wound care on her sacral stage 4s. By the time it was all said and done, it was 7am and I didn't even know if blood bank had called to say the PRBCs were ready. All I got after report was, "wait, WHEN was this order put in? And the blood hasn't been started?" On the plus side, the nurse who got the patient with the sacral wounds was thrilled since she was a D8 and didn't have to do the wound care during her shift lol. At least one of them was happy.

It is really frustrating, because whether it is day or night shift I am handing off to, there is always the implication that I should have done more. It's ridiculous.