Hi, I need some encouragement I've been working as a Nurse for 4 months. Lately I've been leaving work feeling incompetent. I'm just not sure if I made the right career choice. The past couple of days my head nurse brought to my attention of things that I should have done. As I sit here at home I ponder these things and just feel so stupid. I know what to do but my critical thinking just has not been kicking in these past few days. I hate it when the Doctors (interns and residents) ask me questions and I give them the best answer that I can and they just look at me like I shouldn't be there. I use to look forward to going to work but now I dread getting up to go there. I just don't want to feel like a moron.
As I discuss my day with my husband I can't help but cry. He trys to console me but I just don't think he truely understands how I feel. Will it get any better? I don't know, this was a bad week for me. I just needed to put my feelings out there............. Am I cut out to be a Nurse?
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
I agree w/sjoe.
good courses on assertiveness will help.
so will good ole experience. took me nearly 2 years to feel any semblance of "comfort" at what I was doing. Meantime, don't be hard on your self!!!! It DOES GET BETTER!!! Hang in there. This normal at yourpoint in your career.
"what kind of courses would help nurses be more assertiveness? I thought a biology degree would help with in nursing classes"
Assertiveness Training Courses! Check with your local college/university/women's center/mental health center for local courses. Check with your local librarian for suggestions about the many books they carry on the subject.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
You can have a PhD ( or am MD), grin----
and be a VERY POOR human relations person.
Assertivness is about your behavior-----not about your degree or background, necessarily. It is a LEARNED skill, like anything else. An entity unto itself. And it is invaluable in careers where you deal with the public an potentially aggressive coworkers, supervisors, etc. IT IS ESSENTIAL.
Check out what sjoe said and get some training. It will help you SO much, no matter WHAT career path you choose.
Good luck-----
also----some good BOOKS (this is way to do a self-help program) on this subject abound. One that comes to mind:
I've been working as a Nurse for 4 months. Lately I've been leaving work feeling incompetent. I'm just not sure if I made the right career choice. The past couple of days my head nurse brought to my attention of things that I should have done. As I sit here at home I ponder these things and just feel so stupid. I know what to do but my critical thinking just has not been kicking in these past few days. I hate it when the Doctors (interns and residents) ask me questions and I give them the best answer that I can and they just look at me like I shouldn't be there. I use to look forward to going to work but now I dread getting up to go there. I just don't want to feel like a moron. 
Peppermint
32 Posts
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