Can I pull this off??????

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I worked as an orderly while attending mechanical design school in the 80's and returned to nursing as an RN after 25 years as a manufacturing engineer after my plant closed in 2009. I have completed 6 weeks under a preceptor on a cardiac floor. I am a 54 year old male.

I am used to having a high competency level in my past career. Right now I stink the place up as an RN. I would have expected the teaching staff to have let me go by now but they continue to encourage me and tell me how well I am adjusting.

Handing off to nurses with 20+ years on this extremely difficult floor is a daily lesson in humility. I am constantly behind and making mistakes.

My first night alone was last night 11pm - 7am. Had 3 patients, 2 on drips and got a new admission to make it 4 at the start of the shift from our ED. C'mon man, wth?? Picking on the new guy or what??? Came real close to getting in the truck.

I am hanging around to see if they will just fire me or offer me another position that is less demanding. I got this position by knowing a lot of people in key positions and killing the interview. I would have taken anything to get my first job.....this is not pleasant.

I was inspired to become a nurse by mom , an RN I hospiced and a couple of friends who are RNs. I feel comfortable and caring with my patients and I wanted to do something special with the last decade of my career. Nursing school took its toll.....this stretch is just torturing.

I would be nice to hear from someone with similar experience.....Thanks

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You probably have unrealistically high expectations for yourself!! I think us 2nd career RNs are super hard on ourselves because we are used to being uber-successful in our previous lives. It's difficult to go from top of your game to low man on the totem pole. I know I also kept waiting to get canned, but got promoted to supervisor instead.

So....if they say you are adjusting well- take their word for it. In time you will feel like you "own it". You likely bring tons of people skills and maturity- exactly what your floor needs. Take it easy on yourself.....

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Why would they fire you? Are you or are you not a warm body?!? bwahaha!!! Welcome to the world of nursing aka the world of wondering if you're competent/experienced enough....

Ok, so you're scared/unsure of your skills/experience. We've all been there, done that. Just remember you have your entire facility's help if you need it. Call your house manager/supervisor if you have a question. Use your rapid response team if need be. Call someone to get some feedback. You are NOT alone with your patients; you have your entire facility/staff on hand to help you. The more you ask, the more you learn.

I'd be curious, btw, to know what you think "another position... less demanding" would be!

As far as handing off report, ask the nurses you're handing off to what they deem important/get their feedback so you don't waste their time. Keep in mind if you think something is important to report, report it! Giving report to more experienced nurses is a wonderful opportunity for you to learn.

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Specializes in Hospice.

If they are going to fire you .............its usually before you go on your own. It will get better.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Moved your thread to our First Year After Nursing Licensure forum, especially our FAQ thread: Hang in there new Grads and New Nurses it does get better..I PROMISE

Take a look around and you will see similar stories from many newbies. Hang in there as preceptors/other nurses see something in you that your overlooking + someone teachable otherwise you would have been terminated already as "not a good fit".

Three months...6 months...one year all key periods that you will look back and be amazed at your own growth

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Give yourself some time to adjust. This experience you are going through is what you called transition phase and reality shock. Patience is a virtue so they say. The confidence will come with acquired hands on skills and encountered with more challenging cases. Everybody start somewhere and make many mistakes in the beginning. YOU ARE NOT ALONE in this journey. If you talk to seasoned nurses and ask their stories when they were new. You will find out you are not alone in this world of doubts and uncertainties. Even the best of the best have blooper stories to tell. If you have the passion for patient care and if you have the common sense to prioritize patient safety then embrace Nursing world with optimism. Let go of the past and stop comparing the old career to your new life. You are re-born! I am taking MSN in Nursing Education online and learning all the available technologies for students to utilize in their teaching strategies, and oh boy I feel your pain and struggles. Sometimes I hit my self in the head for this, why can't I be content to be a staff RN. No I have to fulfill the prophecy and dedication to life long learning. I responded to the calling of nursing educator shortage. If the hospital are hurting with staff shortages so is the academic institutions. The unrealistic demands of producing competent nurses with limited resources, higher expectations from board of education and accrediting boards, avoiding lawsuits and licensures, etc., are driving everyone insane. However, I have to stick to the ideals and stay focus so that I can hear the calling loud and clear. If it's meant to be then it is meant to happen..... By the way I am new to this allnurses.com community. This is part of my orientation to blogging, again moving out of my comfort zone feels uneasy but I take it one day at a time. Good luck to you and continue this support system in pouring your hearts out by blogging. It is therapeutic. When that time of AH-HA moments come, you will say to yourself- Now I get it!

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Wow! I noticed you used many anchors in your response, that is cool. I am learning how to do it in my technology in nursing course and we have a team project via Wiki. Oh boy it is hard to teach old dogs new tricks. I am using all the breathing exercise for relaxation LOl! Thanks I like your reply very much and I will visit the thread you included. Thanks

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Thank you all for the insight. I thought I would see if my rant produced any feedback at the end of a long difficult night. Our computers were on a planned outage. I got a new patient and was logged off during my admission process. The ED of course had 4 different lines running into 2 different PIVs, cardizem, heparin, potassium w/lidocaine and a bag of saline off the pump and they did not scan anything before the outage. My morning med pass had to be backcharted as well as all of the above with 3 patients and a new admit. Even the most helpful co-workers were stressin' over thier own issues and no help. The added stress produced some bone-headed mistakes like a mis-count of controlled substance at the Pixis and a strange one I still have not figured out and just walked away from 1 hour after my shift ended.....somehow a scanned bag of cardizem was producing 425 ml/hr in the I & O log contrary to the corresponding order.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

The bad news - we've all had nightmare shifts that seemed endless. It comes with the territory - no matter what clinical area you work in. But the good news:

* There are far more 'good' shifts than bad ones

* You now have a basis of comparison for stressful times..... "this isn't nearly as bad as when ____"

* you now have a great war story to share with colleagues & you will gather more as time goes on

Moving from a place of experience/expertise in your former career to a place of beginner in a new field takes GUTS! Not everyone can do it - but you did. It's no wonder your colleagues are expressing confidence in your ability - you need to trust their judgement.

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HouTx:

Thank you for the kind words. Tonight I am on my 3rd of 4 nights in a row. When my job satisfaction varies like a roller coaster as it has been your posting really picks me up. I am certain I can do this I just dred the process of being a new nurse.....and you are right, war story shifts are rare. I have the shed my feeling of inadequacy I get when I have to aks for help. Nursing school was so competitive I suspect needing was sign of weakness, I am finding that there is great strength in becoming a functioning member of a team.

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Don't get on the truck. Never get on the truck! (My son the Marine told me he learned that in boot camp, haha!) It is gradually getting better. I have been on my own since October on a busy oncology floor. So much to learn.

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