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Discussion

Another newbie ;)

Hello all...

I think its probably time i formally introduced myself to everyone...

I graduated nursing school in December. For the last six years (and up until Wednesday), I had been working at a pediatric cardiology practice as a MA. The practitioners i worked for were wonderful, letting me do much more than the usual duties of an MA. They encouraged autonomy, they fostered learning, and they were my biggest fans throughout nursing school. They helped me get in touch and talk to some of the nurses in the pediatric cardiac ICU, while i was considering going in that area.

The hospital that they were affiliated is a major children's hospital, so needless to say, they really helped me navigate the system, and helped me get the job (although i hope my grades and the many interviews i had to endure helped me get it too). I decided to go for a PCICU 1 year internship there (thank you Jan for all your fantastic advice!). I have heard really great things about their program, about the nurses (first hand, since the majority of my old patients had their surgeries there).

So i now i get to work. I start this Monday and I am sooo nervous!!! So much to learn...i am afraid of how much i may have forgotten in the 4 months that i've been out of school. I've been following Jamonit's post, and i'm really encouraged by how she is doing, and hope to be in her position soon. I guess starting anything new is the hardest part, and i'm really excited...but for now, my stomach is in knots...I just remind myself of how hard i worked to get here, THIS is what I've always wanted.

Anyway, here I am :)

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You're going to be just fine. So much of what you've been doing as an MA will be carried over, with a few new things thrown in to keep it interesting. No one expects you to walk in there and function the way people who have been doing it all for 10 years can. Ask questions, admit when you're having a hard time and use all of your resources. Knowledge is a funny thing. You can "know" something inside and out, and not be able to remember it when you need it. Other times you might not "know" something, but other things that you do know will point you in the right direction. I worked in a level II nursery many years ago, before I moved on to PICU. I figured I had forgotten most of what I knew about that environment until last Tuesday evening, when I discovered that it was all still there, hiding away in a mental drawer waiting for me to need it again. I have been working prn at a community hospital that has only 2 peds beds, and a serious staff shortage. The other evening we had no patients so my preceptor and I helped out the LDRP nurse with the well babies. One couple started asking me a lot of questions that I haven't had to answer or even think about in nearly 10 years, and it all came flooding back. So don't worry. You'll be just fine. They're lucky to have you.

working with critically ill children should scare you but you have worked hard and I am sure you will do fine. Just remember to ask for help and if something does not feel right, it probably is not. If you are not getting the response you want keep asking, the same person, different people whatever you need to do to advocate for your patients. The great thing about ICU's is there is always help close by. Good luck and before you know it you will be precepting a new grad yourself!

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