As a nurse, do you ever......

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Specializes in Postpartum, L&D, Mother-Baby.

Do you ever come to work wearing the most adorable scrubs with a stethoscope around your neck, LVN or RN badge clipped to your lab coat, pen in hand ready to take notes, numerous medical supplies and devices in your pockets, and think to yourself, "I don't know what the heck I am doing!!!!"? For nurses with many years of experience, did you feel this way as a young nurse and did that feeling go away with time and experience?:uhoh3:

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Well, except for the "adorable scrubs" - yep I still do even after almost 19 years as a nurse.

It does get easier but there are still days or certain problems that come up that I wish I knew the immediate answer to.

Take care.

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Umm...like, every day. Except for the adorable scrubs. :cool:

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Specializes in Dialysis.

I must admit, I too have situations that come up at work from time to time that have me feeling this way. I have been an LPN for 3 years now and I have never worked in a hospital which is where you learn the most, I feel anyway. I feel so far behind those nurses who have that hospital experience but I want to be good at my job so bad that when they are doing something that I have less experience with I watch them like a hawk and take mental notes.

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Every day, except the pockets worth of supplies.

I make it a real goal to learn something new everyday at work.

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My scrubs are adorable. But I do peds. They weren't as adorable when I did adults. And everyday, there's at least one thing that makes me think I don't know what I'm doing. I worry about the day I don't think that, as it will probably be the day that I really DON'T know what I'm doing.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

Isn't adorable scrubs an oxymoron?:smokin:

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Specializes in ICU.
Isn't adorable scrubs an oxymoron?:smokin:

Nope:) Well, while my scrubs weren't adorable, I do boast the best scrub collection on my old unit. i always managed to find unique ones that don't look too scrubby.

I don't work at the bedside anymore, and if I did in my whole hospital they changed the dress code. I love my collection and can't let go.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Do you ever come to work wearing the most adorable scrubs with a stethoscope around your neck, LVN or RN badge clipped to your lab coat, pen in hand ready to take notes, numerous medical supplies and devices in your pockets, and think to yourself, "I don't know what the heck I am doing!!!!"? For nurses with many years of experience, did you feel this way as a young nurse and did that feeling go away with time and experience?:uhoh3:

Ahhhhh, the good ole days......so the answer is YES.

At first, as a new nurse (when we wore white) I remember some one calling "Nurse help please!" and looking around for the nurse and thinking......"What the heck was I thinking becoming a nurse:eek:!" As I grew more experienced we stopped wearing white and I loved my scrubs.......my passion became scrub jackets. It began slowly at first with subtle holiday references to character/cartoon/holiday/seasonal scrub tops when I worked the ED.

I have always been known for my pockets full of "stuff", which were full of cheat sheets and valuable (to me anyway) tidbits of information. I think it's a carry over from my flight days when you were like a pack rat and carried everything on your person from simple pen and paper to trauma shears, flashlights, IV catheters, glasses and personal pocket pulse ox as well as an independent supply of my own hemostats because when you need one no one has any...:lol2:. I joked that if I lost my "stuff" I would no longer know anything as all my knowledge was in my pockets.

I remember the panic I first felt when in a critical situation and critical decisions needed to be made by the person in charge when I realized that person was me!!!!:eek::eek: when the entire room looked at me for an answer and I thought....."Boy are you in trouble thinking I'm the the person who's supposed to know:uhoh3:" I remember looking in the mirror in my jumpsuit for my first solo runs as the "one in charge" for the flight crew and thinking....."Well :eek:........ at least you look good....":rolleyes:.

Even to this very day, every once in a while, in my mind I'm thinking.."OH, CRAP....OH, CRAP....OH,CRAP!!!" Have faith, trust yourself......allow yourself to be human, pay attention, use common sense....and the rest will come in time....;)

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

There are plenty of days I think to myself, 'Ok, now what is the first thing I'm going to do if the crap hits the fan? Who will I call?' And then I pray all shift that the crap doesn't hit the fan. (ETA - I have been a nurse for ten years, so maybe that answers your question. :) )

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I'm an August graduate and start my first job as an LPN on Thursday. You've described my feelings. I am so excited to finally go to work, but I am also terrified. All I can think of isthe what ifs!!!!!!! Good luck to you.

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Specializes in Postpartum, L&D, Mother-Baby.

Thanks guys and dolls for the honesty and support. At least I know I am not in this alone:redpinkhe:nurse:

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