Do you ever leave the floor satisfied?

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Oncology.

Every time my shift is over and I am at home, my mind is not at rest. I go through each of my patients in my mind and ask myself, "Did I do everything I could for this patient", and I always think of something that I could've done and I beat myself up over it. Especially on days like yesterday when we had only 1 aide on the floor, I just hate not being able to be there to turn a patient every 2 hours exactly or answer a call light as fast as I would like. If I come back the next day and I realize that I missed something the day before, I just can't let it go, and I start going through all of the typical new nurse feelings like "I suck at this", and "I'm not a good nurse", I work my butt off at work and it always doesn't seem like enough. Sound familiar to anyone?:o

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Specializes in Utilization Management.

When you're new, you really think you can get it all done in one shift.

As you work, you learn what you can realistically expect to get done and what needs to be passed on to the next shift.

Please remember that beating yourself up only wastes your energy. Much more constructive to write down what you did do each shift and what you might've done differently, and then

let.......

it.......

go......

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Specializes in ICU, ER.

When you walk out of the hospital at the end of the shift, clear your mind - your work is done. If it's not, someone will let you know.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

Some nights I do, yes. Some nights I leave knowing that I did the best possible job that I could do for my patients.

And then there are nights that I feel like I did a lousy job and still beat myself up a little.

As you age and grow as a nurse, you will come to realize that it really is impossible to get it all done on many nights, and you will get more satisfaction knowing that you did the best that you possibly could.

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This article on a "worry gene" may interest you:

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB120035992325490045-lMyQjAxMDI4MDIwMDMyNTA5Wj.html

I've also read that women are much more prone to "ruminate" & worry about past things than men are. I guess it's in our nature to ruminate... But have to nip it in the bud & distract ourselves when we realize we're doing it too much.

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