Do nurses know everything they learned in NS cold turkey?

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Specializes in Taking one day at a time....

I consider myself a reasonably intelligent person but certainly no master mind. I was just curious for anyone who has already graduated RN school & has a job-- Do you ever have to go back & say "HMM what was that again?".. Do you have to still look things up? Do you ask coworkers questions? I feel really scared right now, because of course everything we are learning is important and could save someones life! I cant imagine having that kind of power when I am an RN on a floor. It sounds exhilerating, but also terrifying... I feel like while I do well in school & in class, information doesn't stick to my mind like I wish it would. I could really think I know something very well, not just for "test purposes" but I mean really know something... but if I dont use that information for a month or less, it goes right out the window. I am almost done with my first semester, and I do feel like I learned a good amount already!... I just dont want any of this information to fly out of my head during xmas break, let alone for the future semesters & when I am a nurse. Is anyone else afraid of this also?......... I plan on reading over all my notes during break to keep things fresh. I think I'm just being paranoid. Keep in mind that this is coming from someone who just spent five hours studying electrolytes, so my brain is a bit frazzled... lol :bugeyes:

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I feel the same! I start nursing 1 in Jan, i am so scared. Im the type of person that just gives up when stressed and i really dont want to do that. I love learning and being in class, im just afraid that when i actually have to do something im going to freeze and mess up or forget. I started nursing 1 two years ago, but dropped. I was getting good grades and had about a month left, but i was SO nervous at my clinicals! I ended up getting sick, so instead of talking to my instructors i just dropped. If i drop this time, i won 't be allowed back in the program. I know this is what i want to do. I have been a CNA for the past 6 years and i love helping people, but im bored. I love watching discovery health channel. When i was younger i used to watch "the operation" every friday :D Im so glad i found this site, i think the support here will help me succeed.

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No. You will adapt to your specialty and gain even more knowledge in that area of nursing. What you find is you will gradually lose most knowledge if you do not actively use it, what information you retain will most likely become obsolete as new studies are always coming out.

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

I ask TONS of questions..seasoned nurses even ask them often.

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Specializes in NICU.

And what's more...they want you to ask questions :). You are expected to have a base of knowledge when you graduate from NS that will allow you to practice safely. There is no way that you will be able to walk out of graduation and onto a floor knowing how to be a nurse. Only being a nurse can really teach you how to be a nurse.

The stuff you learn in NS will make a lot more sense once you apply it as you work as a nurse. We look stuff up all the time and confer with colleagues.

Just get through school and the rest will follow. Promise.

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Specializes in Taking one day at a time....
And what's more...they want you to ask questions :). You are expected to have a base of knowledge when you graduate from NS that will allow you to practice safely. There is no way that you will be able to walk out of graduation and onto a floor knowing how to be a nurse. Only being a nurse can really teach you how to be a nurse.

The stuff you learn in NS will make a lot more sense once you apply it as you work as a nurse. We look stuff up all the time and confer with colleagues.

Just get through school and the rest will follow. Promise.

Wow, thank you so much. That makes me feel a lot better...! :nuke:

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Im glad to hear that, i was worried i might ask too many questions and i might annoy the nurses.:D

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Specializes in Taking one day at a time....
I feel the same! I start nursing 1 in Jan, i am so scared. Im the type of person that just gives up when stressed and i really dont want to do that. I love learning and being in class, im just afraid that when i actually have to do something im going to freeze and mess up or forget. I started nursing 1 two years ago, but dropped. I was getting good grades and had about a month left, but i was SO nervous at my clinicals! I ended up getting sick, so instead of talking to my instructors i just dropped. If i drop this time, i won 't be allowed back in the program. I know this is what i want to do. I have been a CNA for the past 6 years and i love helping people, but im bored. I love watching discovery health channel. When i was younger i used to watch "the operation" every friday :D Im so glad i found this site, i think the support here will help me succeed.

Normally, I give up when I am stressed also. I feel like certain things in life are more challenging for me than others just because I am a nervous, paranoid, unassertive & shy person. I can understand how you feel during clinicals... As much as I love clinicals, I have never been so nervous in my life! NS has been quite an adventure, and i'm only in my first semester. DONT GIVE UP.... You can always come to allnurses.com, I come here everyday!;) Or you can message me for support if you would like. Good luck, we are in this together.

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Specializes in NICU.
Wow, thank you so much. That makes me feel a lot better...! :nuke:

I'm glad. :icon_hug:

Im glad to hear that, i was worried i might ask too many questions and i might annoy the nurses.:D

If you do, no big, we'll just come and vent on allnurses. :cool:

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

Been doing it for 27 years, if I didn't look things up I would know next to nothing about the current drugs or treatments.

Do I remember everything? no, but I have learned enough that when I look up things, I understand what I read without having to have it explained to me.

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I am a new nurse of just close to 5 months. I have had seasoned nurses asking me questions because something slipped their mind and they couldn't recall something. I guess they figure since I just graduated most of the info is still fresh, and most times it is, other times, I have to tell them, you know I don't really recall, let me look it up.

To be honest, at least a time or two as I read the forums, I'll crack open a book from nursing school, to refresh the info, and ya know it really helps.

Its like anything else, certain info you learned in school you just don't use all the time in the real world of nursing, so when the time comes that, that info is needed, you need to refresh.

I would rather someone ask before doing, than do and cause harm. And you can bet, I am always asking questions of my more seasoned co-workers and my shift super. They love that I ask. I love that they answer, a win-win situation.

I went through school thinking the same as you, how will I ever learn and retain all this info. The answer is, you won't, but as you practice, you will regain that knowledge you have lost. I have asked some really basic questions, info that I could not recall although I knew that I had been taught it, tested on it and passed it. It just wouldn't come up from the cobwebs of my mind. Nothing wrong with asking, nothing at all. Best of luck to you during your travel though school.

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Thanks so much, im sure i will be on here venting a lot come January. Sorry it took so long to reply, im new here. Im just figuring how to navigat here. :D

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