Am I not cut out for nursing?

ICUnowOHN · Dec 8, 2004

Wow, I didn't realize how diverse I am

dansdoll · Dec 8, 2004

We have all been there! You are being way too hard on yourself!!!! I started out as a new grad in a level 1 trauma center, talk about in over my head! It took me 2 years before I felt like I had a good handle on things. Never know what will walk in the door of a trauma center, have to be prepared for anything, and just when you think youv'e got it down here come the new interns from med school on their trauma rotations to screw everything up. Hang in there it gets better, promise. :mad:

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Dec 8, 2004

This is called "Nursing Reality Shock"

This is a problem that goes way back. there have been lots of papers and books writted about it:

Abstract

Mirella Pancia undertook this literature review as part of the Bachelor of Applied Science (Nursing - Conversion) Course.

Education of nurses is thought to lack reality orientation, which is reflected in the difficulty graduate nurses experience in their transition from an educational to a work situation. The phenomenon of "reality shock" is defined by Kramer (1974) as this lack of reality orientation. On graduation, "neophyte" nurses are confronted with conflicting roles of professional (from education) and bureaucratic (from work environment). Adopting a particular role is part of the socialisation process graduates undergo. Methods of adjusting and improving the experience of "reality shock" have been suggested by Kramer (1974) and developed using a theoretical model, by Neuman (1982). The quality of care provided by graduate nurses needs to be examined as this is the ultimate role of the nurse.

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http://www.clininfo.health.nsw.gov.au/hospolic/stvincents/1991/a08.html

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Dec 8, 2004

Here is a really short, concise writing on Nursing Reality Shock from Columbia School of Nursing that is especially good:

http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/nursing/preceptors/realityshock.html

Joeknee · Dec 8, 2004

As a student who will be starting my last semester/preceptorship in January, it is very reassuring to know that I am not alone in being nervous about how well I will fair once I graduate. I think I'll have to re-read this thread once I get into it to remind myself that I am beginning a whole new learning-process.

Nursemary9 - You sound like an great preceptor to work with. :)

Inspired_2b · Dec 8, 2004

OMG - I felt like you were describing there Leisa.

I'm a new grad nurse also (hence the nick) working on General Medicine floor. Our patient load is the same as yours, 5-6 with no aide. My on unit orientation was to be 4 weeks (+2w in class) but I still feel as though that wasn't enough. I've been working almost 3 months now but I haven't gotten many shifts in the last month - I'm still on a casual basis. How is it gonna get easier if I'm not coming into work every week? :rolleyes:

There are days I don't even get time to eat lunch. I'll notice feeling light-headed and remember I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast. It's a torture, I tell you. Most days I come out thinking what the hell did I get myself into? I'm so drained of energy by the time I come home (after a 12hr shift), I dread the thought of climbing the stairs. I crash on the couch, aching all over till I get the strength to conquer those steps. :eek:

I have to really give it to my fellow colleagues though, they've been all so helpful. I don't feel intimidated to ask a question, no matter how trivial it may seem at times. They're probably sick of me by now, but as long as they don't show it, I'll keep bugging them. :)

Anyways, thanks for posting this topic. I am glad to have found it and read the encouragements of the members. Glad to know I'm not alone in feeling this way.

Thank you all!

ednursedee · Dec 8, 2004

hang in there! you learn more just being a nurse than you ever did in nursing school. nobody knows everything, nor should you be expected to know everything. if you tough it out, you will take away invaluable skills from your med/surg experience.

when i first became an rn over 12 years ago i worked on a med/surg floor with 33 patients - 2 rn's, 2 lpn's and one aide. back then we were gn's for a couple months until our license came in. the very first night my license came in the other rn called in, she wasn't replaced, so i was the "rn in charge" for that night. in mississippi back then (i haven't lived there in almost 10 years, so i don't know how things are now) lpn's were not allowed to do anything with iv's except dc them, so part of my responsibilities was iv therapy on all patients on the floor. if i remember that night correctly, i freaked out, hyperventilated, cried, and, i think, threw up - all in the first hour. but everyone was very helpful and the night was ok.

by the time i finished my 3 years in med/surg, i felt like a pro at giving blood (usually 1-3 patients a night were getting a unit) - but that's not to say i didn't have to pull out the policy and procedure manuals the first 100 times i did it. :chuckle keep up the good work and keep asking questions - you'll eventually be great!

good luck!

maythen · Dec 8, 2004

I've been a nurse just a little under a year now. I also work a diverse med/surg unit, 5-6 pt with no aid or other staff (night shift). There are nights I drag home in tears, certain I've made the wrong choice. Weeks when I ache so bad inside and out that I'm convinced I'll be a broken mess by the time I'm 30 (I'm 27 now). I feel batterd, used, abused, worn out and everything awful you can imagine.

But not every night. There are nights when I feel so sure of myself, so proud of myself. Nights when I walk out into the sunrise and think "today I made a difference". Nights when I do some little thing just right and then remember that it took me so many tries and questions before I got that down. Nights when the iv slips in perfect on the first poke.

When it's bad... it's usually VERY VERY BAD. But I swear, it doesn't stay that way. It's can't rain all the time. Tonight I've got 3 fresh post ops (all very complicated with bood, irrigations, etc), a confused pneumonia, and a confused bowel obstruction that's incontinent and wants up to the BSC every hour. And you know what... I'm ok!!! Heck, I'm typing to you right now!

I actually managed to get a lunch break. I'm caught up on my charting. I'm doing just fine. It really does get better. Ask questions. Find a mentor, or at least people you work well with. Try to get scheduled to work on the same hall way (or at least roughly the same days). Take time out to be just yourself. Be gentle to yourself. This is a difficult profession, and it takes a lot more out that most people realize. Sleep, eat well, exercise. Do something special for yourself at least once a month. You worked your tail off to get here. You deserve to have good things too.

Be strong. It takes time. There really is a huge difference between student and staff. But you'll get there. Remember how hard you struggled in school? But you made it! And, in time, you'll get this too. There will still be questions, bad shifts, all that stuff. But it isn't the only thing out there. If the path were smooth and easy... would it really be worth walking? You're not alone. The learning is never really over.

-Maythen

TracyB,RN, RN · Dec 8, 2004

12 years & I still am asking questions... When you quit asking, then it's time to get out.

Hang in there & give yourself time. School does NOT prepare anyone for real world nursing, I don't care what anybody says.