Any tips from experienced nurses about my last semester

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Specializes in Skilled Rehab.

Hello,

So yesterday was my very first day on my own with my mentor, no teachers around just her and I. I'm envious of her and her skills/knowledge I hope to be just as good as her one day. I have a few questions and any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

We have six patients and I can't for the life of me remember patient name and associate it with their room number and admitting diagnosis? I'm used to one patient and it was easy to mentally picture them (if that makes sense)

Working a 12 hour shift is exhausting, I don't think I sat for more than my lunch break. The nurses on this floor do it all, I feel like someone beat me when I woke up today. After time does your body get used to it?

As for charting we were taught real time which I was told yes some try it but rarely succeed at it. So now I'm confused are you allowed to perform patient care at 8 a.m. and chart it later on in the day say around 2 p.m.?

Any tips to you can give? Thanks

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

We ALL graduated thinking What have I gotten myself into :eek:.....eventually you get used to it....but nursing isn't for the faint of heart. Yeah...real time charting while Ideal....it isn't practical...so yes you can bathe someone at 8am and document at 2PM

What you need are brain sheets.....

doc.gif mtpmedsurg.doc

doc.gif 1 patient float.doc‎

doc.gif 5 pt. shift.doc‎

doc.gif finalgraduateshiftreport.doc‎

doc.gif horshiftsheet.doc‎

doc.gif report sheet.doc‎

doc.gif day sheet 2 doc.doc

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Specializes in Skilled Rehab.

Thank you, those brain sheets are great. Please tell me that in time I will get used to 12 hour shifts won't feel as if someone beat me up the next day.

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Specializes in Skilled Rehab.

One other question how can I delegate (nicely and not come off as lazy) to the Cna's on the floor who see me as the "student" nurse and they seem to scatter when a call light comes on and help is needed? I want to focus on priority and organization skills not basic care skills that I've been doing since day one of clinical.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

You will in time....but I am not going to lie...you will have days like this..... 12 hours shifts are hard. They just are....the physical and mental acrobatics that nursing entails is exhausting. That is why I tell people all the time the pay sounds great from the outside looking in....however it is NEVER enough for what we d.

I would Go to the aids...say to them.....I need your help....I have to do xyz...I need you to to ABC please.....then we ca do LMO together.

While your focus is your skill set....the CNA's don't really need to listen to you. You my have to engage your preceptor to let them know what you are there and that your role has changed. Most CNA's are told when the student are on the floor....let them care for their patients so they may learn. It also helps to show them that you are not "above" doing your fair share and that you are willing to "get your hands dirty". Lead by example so to speak.

Good luck...talk this over with your preceptor.

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I'm glad you asked this question. I'm in my last semester too and just can't imagine knowing everything the nurses seem to need to know. I was there for the transfer of a pt from OR and they were talking in pure gibberish to each other and my brain went into "I'll never be able to do this"... we'll get there, though :)

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