Been at it for 6 months, when does it get better???????????

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Specializes in ED.

2 months on my own, 4 months orientation, havent killed anyone, have made STUPID MISTAKES, EVERYTIME I HEAR THE AMBULANCE ALERT BELL, I PRAY that the charge nurse doesnt put the patient on my team, because I am afraid of what may come in..................When does it get better......Once I get the patient, Im Ok, but the fear...................When will I feel comfortable?????????????? I always ask questions, when Im not sure.....But Im just not that comfortable yet.............Some of the nurses dont even seem to care about which type of patient they get............but Im fearful.............when will it get better? Some of the older nurses are so confident, I hate that I can honestlly say that Im not....OH boy, i say this but remember I TRULY LOVE ED.................BUT WHEN WILL IT GET BETTER...................

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oops ended up w/ 2 posts, must be tired after night shift, seriously, a year on Med/Surg teaches new nurses how to lake all the knowledge they have learned and use it practically. The ER, OR, ICU, OB are VERY busy departments and they are a lot harder than they look. Sorry about the double post folks! (originally signed on to see the debate on nursing uniforms white vs whatever, but don't get me started)

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This is why in the old days they made you work on a Med/Surg floor for one year before they would even consider letting you into a specialty unit such as the ER, OR, ICU, etc.! But let's just throw the new nurses to the wolves...

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Specializes in home health, dialysis, others.

Any job has a break-in period, and the more complex the job is, the longer to reach your 'comfort' level. Figure about a year before you realize that you have a reasonable level of competence/confidence. When you realize that the newbies come to you for answers, and you actually HAVE the answers!

Don't get down on yourself, keep truckin'!

Best wishes!

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I dont have a response to the question above. However Iam new to this website and I want to know from experienced nurses how do I go about becoming an RN. I would like to know which school is best for me to attend with regards to obtaining my certification or license to be an RN. Please advise. Thank You

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Specializes in A and E, Medicine, Surgery.

You so need to be gentle on yourself. I say to any new nurse that it will take at least a year until they even begin to feel like they are not drowning all the time. By the time you have learnt where everything is, how it all works, who is who time has flown by.

However confident more experience nurses look trust me it's what we call the learned "swan" trick. On top they are a sea of tranquility and calmness and experience does make things look easy but underneath they are paddling like hell!!!

It does get easier over time BUT the day that fear goes completely then that's the day to get out of ED. Patients lives depend on us being thorough, quick and on our toes.

I tend to find the nurses that suffer most with confidence turn into best :)

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Pain, End of Life Care.

keep up the good work...before you know it you'll be orienting the new nurses and you'll wonder at the mystery of it all.

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Specializes in mental health, military nursing.

The fastest way to get over your fear is to do exactly what you are afraid of. Take the most challenging patient - once you prove to yourself that you can handle a difficult patient, or a surprise patient, your self-assurance will skyrocket.

Nursing is challenging, and scary sometimes. Think of how much time and energy you're wasting by being afraid! Let your team members know about your fear, and tell them that you need help - they can hold you accountable when you try to duck a difficult assignment...

The great thing is you can do anything - we rise to the challenge every day, stretching our capacities for caring and learning and paperwork. Don't let fear keep you down.

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you grow when you step out of your comfort zone. the fact that you're scared, you're probably learning and achieving great heights. keep it up :)

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

In all honesty?

5 years.

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Specializes in med/surg, ER.

I am still a relatively new nurse (6 mos) and, hence, new to the ED. We have a wonderful charge nurses who makes sure I get difficult patients and can learn in every situation. They remain available to me as resources and keep me on the right track. They answer my thousand questions and give me hands on help when needed. We also have techs who are worth their weight in gold. So, the answer to your questions is...I don't know. We have so much to learn, but having supportive, knowledgeable, experienced people around who will help you will get you there.

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This is why in the old days they made you work on a Med/Surg floor for one year before they would even consider letting you into a specialty unit such as the ER, OR, ICU, etc.! But let's just throw the new nurses to the wolves...

What if you feel like the OP does but you are all ready in Med-surg..?

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