Am I Too Nervous????

BadBird, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2006

Sounds like normal growing/learning pains. Good luck to you.

White Shoes · Apr 17, 2006

i don't want to look stupid by asking another nurse: what do you do with this lab sheet or what do you do with this completed dose count narc sheet?

i've been an rn since 1982 and have worked in multiple settings. let me reassure you, it is normal to have to ask questions. i am currently working at a new job, and even though i have been there a few months, there are still some things that i have to occasionally ask someone about... like things i "learned" during orientation,but haven't had to use since. that's normal. just try to organize your questions and ask them in times when it isn't an interruption to those around you... most people are happy to help as long as you are sensitive to their situation, too.

you have learned a lot of things in your orientation period... but occasionally you may forget where a form is kept or if you got everything documented the way the facility wants you to. it is generally fine to just say something like ,"you know, i know you showed me this before, but i am just drawing a blank on where that form is kept, (or how to document this, etc..)... could you clue me in again?" as you continue to work with your staff, you will get to know their personalities and this will make it easier to sense how to approach them.

i hope it goes well for you. i have to agree with badbird... these are growing pains that you are going through, but your confidence will grow as your experience continues.

blessings,

white shoes

LPN1974, LPN · Apr 17, 2006

Are you just newly graduated?

IMHO, the only stupid question is one that didn't get asked.

I used to feel the same way when I was new. Everyone does, I'm sure, to different degrees.

If you don't ask you won't find out, and you might end up putting something somewhere that others can't find it or something.

Just ask............it's not the end of the world for you to not know these things. And the ones working there already should know that.

I know where I work, I always try to answer any questions new nurses have, because I want them to have a good beginning and hopefully they will stay with us.

I've been on my job 26 years the 20th of this month, and I'm still asking questions. Things change...routines, policies, the DON is always coming out with something new. So you will never stop asking questions.

Praying for you.

Corvette Guy · Apr 17, 2006

IMHO, if you were not feeling anxious as a new GN about to go solo, then you would be fooling yourself. You have been told your doing a fine job and it is time to leave the nest. They did not say fly south for the winter by yourself. It is always safer to ask a question & think you look stupid, than not ask a question & end up looking real stupid, and even worse.

BTW, relax & be proud of how far you've come since your first pre-req college class.

Now, go save the world young lady.

brown eyed girl · Apr 17, 2006

Please forgive me if my spelling is off this morning b/c Im crying now as I am typing but, yes I am a new graduate. I have a real big issue and always have with anything that I have done with looking, being and feeling confident. In my opinion you need to have all of the above mentioned things to be able to do your job well; you can only "fake it till you make it" for so long. In other matters it wouldn't matter to me what somebody thought of me cause I feel like "what you think of me is not any of my business" but, knowing what all I went through to finish nursing school, so it does matter. I have no negative thoughts about being a good nurse b/c I know I am and it took me a long time to figure out that this is what Im supposed to be doing, but I feel and know that I need to measure up to the expectation to seasoned nurses and unit managers as these are the nurses who tend to snub you or are rude to you (all the time) for not knowing certain things that they feel like "YOU SHOULD KNOW."

What I want to do is "blend in"; I dont feel it is necessary for everyone at the job to know that you are a "new grad." Yes I would ask questions before I did anything to a patient b/c their safety depends on it; it's just the other stuff that has me "frazzeled" more than I even begin to explain to you even if you were sitting here with me. This whole thing is just very upsetting to me. I want to do a good job b/c Im a good nurse not just "you're doing a good job for a new grad."

How can I get over this? I know I need to, I just don't know how.

beautifulb · Apr 17, 2006

Being a new grad is so frustrating. I am sorry that you are so sad. In time you will get more comfortable. Just remember that everyone has been there. Don't be so hard on yourself. It takes a while to blend in. Keep putting everything you have into what you are doing.

RNinSoCal · Apr 17, 2006

I am a little concerned about your desire to blend in. As great as you may be doing there are a lot of things that you need to learn by experience which is the one thing you do not have. As a med/surg RN who precepts last semester BSN RN students and newly hired nurses I like to know where a nurse is coming from. If I know that a nurse is seasoned then I will leave them be until they ask a question. If a nurse is a new grad or student then I know that they have had little experience with paperwork, routines and time management. You can't learn a specific hospital's routines and paperwork without asking questions and going through the motions yourself. I always have my students/preceptees do ALL of the work needed to get through the shift with me shadowing them. That way I can see what they need to learn and give them the confidence that they can complete all of the tasks and paperwork for the shift. Maybe you should suggest that your preceptor shadow you and only jump in if you need guidance. Work a whole shift taking a full load and do everything yourself from report to the last nurses note with your preceptor observing you. A good preceptor is there to support and encourage you NOT to criticize and embarass you. Being a nurse is a life long learning experience and no one should expect you to know everything.

Even seasoned nurses ask each other questions. I still ask questions to make sure that I am doing the right thing if the situation is uncertain. I hope I don't sound too critical. I love being a preceptor because I want to help nurses entering my unit to feel confident and supported by the other staff members. I wish you well in your career!

Katnip, RN · Apr 17, 2006

Please forgive me if my spelling is off this morning b/c Im crying now as I am typing but, yes I am a new graduate. I have a real big issue and always have with anything that I have done with looking, being and feeling confident. In my opinion you need to have all of the above mentioned things to be able to do your job well; you can only "fake it till you make it" for so long. In other matters it wouldn't matter to me what somebody thought of me cause I feel like "what you think of me is not any of my business" but, knowing what all I went through to finish nursing school, so it does matter. I have no negative thoughts about being a good nurse b/c I know I am and it took me a long time to figure out that this is what Im supposed to be doing, but I feel and know that I need to measure up to the expectation to seasoned nurses and unit managers as these are the nurses who tend to snub you or are rude to you (all the time) for not knowing certain things that they feel like "YOU SHOULD KNOW."
What I want to do is "blend in"; I dont feel it is necessary for everyone at the job to know that you are a "new grad." Yes I would ask questions before I did anything to a patient b/c their safety depends on it; it's just the other stuff that has me "frazzeled" more than I even begin to explain to you even if you were sitting here with me. This whole thing is just very upsetting to me. I want to do a good job b/c Im a good nurse not just "you're doing a good job for a new grad."
How can I get over this? I know I need to, I just don't know how.

To think and look confident, you have to be confident. And to ge the confidence you're looking for you have to gain indepent experience. And yes, that includes making mistakes. Any nurse tells you they never made a mistake is either lying or dangerously oblivious.

Once you're on your own your colleagues aren't going to leave you to drown. Nobody expects a new grad to get off orientation and suddenly know everything there is to know about nursing.

Heck, I've seen nurses with 30 years behind them and still ask questions about procedures.

And you're doing a good job for a new grad because you are a new grad. You're being way to hard on yourself and your expectations are a bit unrealistic. Give yourself a break. You don't suddenly graduate from school and know it all.

LPN1974, LPN · Apr 17, 2006

Please forgive me if my spelling is off this morning b/c Im crying now as I am typing but, yes I am a new graduate. I have a real big issue and always have with anything that I have done with looking, being and feeling confident. In my opinion you need to have all of the above mentioned things to be able to do your job well; you can only "fake it till you make it" for so long. In other matters it wouldn't matter to me what somebody thought of me cause I feel like "what you think of me is not any of my business" but, knowing what all I went through to finish nursing school, so it does matter. I have no negative thoughts about being a good nurse b/c I know I am and it took me a long time to figure out that this is what Im supposed to be doing, but I feel and know that I need to measure up to the expectation to seasoned nurses and unit managers as these are the nurses who tend to snub you or are rude to you (all the time) for not knowing certain things that they feel like "YOU SHOULD KNOW."
What I want to do is "blend in"; I dont feel it is necessary for everyone at the job to know that you are a "new grad." Yes I would ask questions before I did anything to a patient b/c their safety depends on it; it's just the other stuff that has me "frazzeled" more than I even begin to explain to you even if you were sitting here with me. This whole thing is just very upsetting to me. I want to do a good job b/c Im a good nurse not just "you're doing a good job for a new grad."
How can I get over this? I know I need to, I just don't know how.

Brown Eyed Girl....listen to me.....I have been on my job 26 years. I have orientated MANY new nurses. They were not new grads to this job, because this particular job requires a year's experience before being eligible for hire.

But some of the nurses that I helped orientate were nurses with many years of experience from other jobs.

I can tell these nurses things, when they first come to work, but invaribily, EVERY TIME a new nurse starts...............she might ask the same question OVER several times before it sticks in her head.

To any job, there is alot of information that you have to absorb at the beginning. NOT all of it will stick in your brain until you've asked the same question several times and until you have actually performed that particular task several times........it just doesn't work that way for people.

It's too much at the beginning to remember everything. You HAVE to ask several times.

NOBODY expects you to remember everything or know everything at the beginning. This is just part of orientation. You start a new job, they orientate you, and they may forget to tell you certain things, also. You will run across many things that you may have to ask.

I don't know what to say to convince you that you will be okay.

Nothing is going to happen just because you don't know where this is or that piece of paper is. JUST ASK. IT"S NOT HE END OF THE WORLD.

The only suggestion I have is that maybe you can get a little notebook and take notes. When you ask someone a question, jot it down.

Another suggestion is....just be nosy. Go around and look in drawers and cabinets, and see what is stocked or kept there.

Look in closets, the supply closets, the drug or med room......just be nosy and see where things are kept. That might help you some.

But the world is not going to fall apart because you don't know some little something or how they do something exactly.

You can also show confidence by asking questions........that shows that you want to know and are willing to find out.

I don't what else to say or how to convince you in a letter over the internet.....like I said, just ask. It's not the end of the world if you don't know something. It might take you 2 or 3 months to learn everything and know where everything is kept and all the routines and policies.

It's a learning process.

Corvette Guy · Apr 17, 2006

To think and look confident, you have to be confident. And to ge the confidence you're looking for you have to gain indepent experience. And yes, that includes making mistakes. Any nurse tells you they never made a mistake is either lying or dangerously oblivious.
Once you're on your own your colleagues aren't going to leave you to drown. Nobody expects a new grad to get off orientation and suddenly know everything there is to know about nursing.
Heck, I've seen nurses with 30 years behind them and still ask questions about procedures.
And you're doing a good job for a new grad because you are a new grad. You're being way to hard on yourself and your expectations are a bit unrealistic. Give yourself a break. You don't suddenly graduate from school and know it all.

BINGO!

OKay, this time I'll take the firm approach. Yes, you are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too nervous.

You are not supposed to blend in... your a new grad nurse. Not a disrespectful title whatsoever. Every single one of us have been a GN at one time. It is not an insult. You have to crawl before you can walk. If another nurse looks down on you, or you perceive such, they are the one's at fault, not you. Pay those looks no never mind. Maybe they don't remember, or choose not remember, how awkward it was for them as a GN. No one suggested to fake it. Nonetheless, you did not get where your at w/o making the grade.

I will say your honesty regards to your tears are admirable, yet frankly they need to dry up, ASAP. Try this approach. When you finish your shift think back on the positives, FIRST. Instill in yourself confidence via reassurance that hey I did a good job today. Then, think back on some of your nursing task you could have done more effficiently, and learn from it.

Replace those tears with a smile young lady, thats an order.