eek! ur scaring me

DudeNurseRN · Oct 21, 2007

:eek:Wow! I WAS really excited to start nursing school until I started reading about all the scary experiences some new grads are having, especially in their first year.
I have worked in many poisitions (secretary, phleb, ER tech, interpreter), and I feel I have a wide knowledge base to build upon. I know I still have much to learn, but I think I have some of the basics down. I expect at least being familiar with some things will help me through school and the beginning of what I hope will be a long nursing career. Where previous experience and school fail me I hope to rely on those around me to help me get the hang of things at first. I've never been afraid to ask questions, and I've seldom had anyone treat me like I was stupid for asking, what seemed to them to be, a simple question. Of course, there are people I tend to approach first, and some that I would only ask if I think it is REALLY important...like life and death...or simply if no one else knows.
I plan to work in the hospitals where I have had all my training when I first graduate because I already know the staff (and most importantly they're fantastic!), they're very supportive of me, and I would feel 'at home'.
I wonder if these new grads that are having such a difficult time had worked in a hospital (or whatever they are in) environment before? Or had they worked with the staff before? Or am I just blind to the horrors that lie in store for me? Should I re-think things? How should I prepare? Is it even possible to prepare? I have a week before I start school and I'm freaking out! Worst thing is I haven't even started yet!
l I thought I had a really good idea of what I was getting into, but maybe I don't.:uhoh21: I don't doubt this is my calling in life, but should I expect to have the same horrible experiences?
**thanks**

It's going to be stressful, and scary at times and exciting and fun as well. I won't lie to ya.

It's a matter of coming to terms.

You are going to feel like you don't know anything when you start, and that school didn't prepare you for what nursing really is. A profession of taking care of people, where the patient to nurse ratio could be much better, but that would cost the hospital too much money. So you are going to have to learn the skill to take care of many patients and not have a lot of time to talk with them. But in the 4-10 minutes that you have each shift to JUST talk and be with patients, you will learn to make a difference in their lives, and you will have to go home and realize that you did what you could, and you can't do everything, but that BEING and CARING is the difference that you will have made in this world.

And then you'll go home and be with your family, go to bed and do it all over again tomorrow.

We are what we are, not what we do.

karlita · Oct 21, 2007

Thanks Dudenurse! I guess the RNs that I have worked with have had sooooo many, many, many years of experience that they make it look super easy although they too struggled at times. It wasn't until I began reading the boards that I realized what others thought. I just can't imagine puting so much work into school and then deciding in the end it's not what you want to do...that is the part that scares me. From now on I will try to be a little more receptive to what really goes on, and think more about where I'd like to start off in nursing. And..Thanks for the big eye opener to everyone.

HealthyRN · Oct 21, 2007

With your experience in health care, you already have more of an idea of what you are getting yourself into than others. As the above poster stated, you will still go through a period of shock and frustration. I think all new nurses probably do. But the majority of us do make it through (relatively) intact.

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Oct 21, 2007

I wonder if these new grads that are having such a difficult time had worked in a hospital (or whatever they are in) environment before? Or had they worked with the staff before?

I was a PCT in an ICU for 10 years. Did phelbo, EKGs, dressing changes, foleys, ACTs, FSBG, etc. In addition to that, I was an EMT with experience in the field.

I also thought I'd be immune to some of the 'new grad horrors' that are seen on this board.

Nope.

Nursing is a very hard job. Tough transition. And what I learned from my PCT experiences is that RN and PCT aren't alike at all. I cant' just go report things to a nurse like I did when I was a tech. No, I am the nurse now-and I have to deal with everything.

Pharmacy, lab, radiology, the doctors, family, the manager...you get to learn how to manage them-all at once. In addition to the patient, and what is going on with him.

Nursing is very stressful.

Good luck!