End of shift frustration

Nursing isn't a profession that doles out the hero cookies...sure you get some thanks and once in a while there is a pat on the back, but for the most part, you have to realize that you have done the best you can and take comfort in that.

Taking on a full assignment is a daunting task for all new nurses. Even experienced ones forget things sometimes and end up frustrated with themselves. It took me almost two years just to figure out a cheat sheet that worked to help organize my time. You see the older nurses that can handle 5 heavy patients just as easily as baking cookies and you wonder "Will I ever get to that point?"

The answer is yes. It takes time...you learn the tricks of the trade (NOT to be confused with shortcuts), you learn who to call and when, you learn to organize and prioritize and you learn that it is easier to ask then to call radiology fruitlessly for 45 minutes.

Finally you learn to pat yourself on the back after a tough day's work because nobody died and Mrs Smith had a really nice bed bath and feels better.

You realize you are having difficulty and that is SO much more then many nurses (even seasoned ones) ever do (remember that "critical thinking" thing in school? They weren't just whistling dixie you know).

Good luck in the future. Give it time.

Orientation is very stressful. You will feel relieved when you get off orientation. You will also know that there will be no one to do you job for you and that makes a huge difference. Autonomy is a good thing. You'll be fine. Don't be so hard on yourself.

It gets so much better when your on your own, believe me, it was such a relief for me for orientation to be over. You will still have plenty of people around you to ask if you're ever unsure of anything. And be sure to ask, don't ever do anything if you are not 100% sure.

Frankly, you are doing alright! MY ! Some nights will be good ... Some nights will be long ... And some nights will be very daunting... Just hang in there! The only thing that I would recommend is: talk to your preceptor to review what you could have done differently to make matters better and learn from this experience. And... Don't leave before your preceptor, as your preceptor cannot leave before you either.

You are almost cut loose to be on your own. When you start solo, you'll feel even more overwhelmed and "forgetful." But that's OK! Stay calm as best as you can so that you don't make any big mistakes. It is better to go slow, and do things right to prevent hurting anyone. Speed will come as you gain your skills. Work on figuring out a system that will suit you best in managing your time. You will get the hang of remembering details with your assessments to chart later.

For example, every RN-to-RN report is given differently so I found that by making my own report sheet (as many other RNs do), it helped me find info more quickly. And when I assess a pt, I quickly scan my sheet to verify what was given to me was correct, and I make corrections so that I could chart later. It's more pages to carry, but I dedicate 1 page per patient so that I can reuse these sheets until the pt discharges or transfers off my unit. I recommend that you also check out blogs on time management and/or report sheets.

I think it took me a good 2-3 months on my own before I was able to leave before 8pm! I solicited other seasoned RNs to learn of their routines and see what components I could use for myself. Now?? I think there has only been a handful of times when I left on time (i.e., just 12 hrs to my shift), but for the most part now, I am content if I only run 15 min. late.

Hang in there!