--that you would ever feel so tired (both mentally and physically)
--that you could not go back another day (because your confidence was shaken)
--that you are so afraid to make mistakes
--that you'd lay awake going through the day feeling like you forgot to do something or that you did something wrong
--that you're preceptors haven't prepared you for having a full load of pts
--that management/HR recruiters/educators/professors have lied to you, promising all these great opportunities but really nursing is full of horizontal abuse and has a crazy learning curve
--that you will never learn how to manage your time/organize your day
--that you were thrown to the wolves
--that this profession is harder than anything you've done in the past
--that you wish that staffing ratios were more fair
--that the floor gossip would be this mean
???
i have been a nurse for 5 months and i already feel such a lack of confidence, security or hope. i was wondering if these thoughts were common, or if it's all in my head.
I'm glad other new nurses feel the same way I do. I've been out of orientation for a couple of weeks and I wish I'd had a little more time. I had good preceptors but I still feel like I don't know very much at all. I'm still always asking questions. A lot of times patients will ask me questions and I don't know what to tell them. I'm still fairly awkward with everything, sometimes I feel like I'm all thumbs. I like my unit but it's scary being on my own and feeling like I still don't know what I'm doing. I don't want to mess up and end up hurting a patient. It's really scary. I feel like I should know more than I do and I don't know what I'd do in an emergency if a patient started to go down. Ugh. I know everyone feels this way at first but I still feel like a really crummy nurse sometimes and I don't know if I'll ever get the hang of this.
Specializes in med surg, tele, ortho, preop, recovery.
I worked on the telemetry floor at a hospital for 4 months as a graduate RN and quit. I was sick of the cut throat nurses (only a few I could trust) the unreal workload and the long hours. I graduated last december and I am at my 3rd job at a surgical hospital doing preop and pacu and I'm hoping its my last move for a long time.
Life is way too short to be miserable all the time. If your job aint cutting it, make that move.
Is there room for one more in there? I think I need a padded room. I am so tired every day. I don't know if I can keep up with the pace.
Y'all are making me worry. The only thing I know is that I know nothing (am about to graduate in December), even though I've learned everything. Make sense? I hope that you all will find your confidence soon. Don't be too hard on yourselves. I know, easier said than done. Sigh. Best wishes and the best of luck to all of us who are about to enter your realm. We're all in it together.
I have those days too. I do this to keep myself organized.
1. get a copy of the cardex ( ours is computer generated) on the inside of the cardex, i write the report I get from the nurse ahead of me. I also write the nursing dx so It is written down and I can refer back for reference and that is my planning and my focus
2.I fold it to see the patients name and the room number.
3. I lable the back side of the cardex with times of when medications are due, PCA readings, Centeral line changes and even assessment times.
4. on the other side, I make notes of all intake and outputs, meal % and PRN medications given.
Our MARS are individualized per patient.
So, open my MAR many, many, many times through out the day.
I do this so, I dont drive myself crazy thinking I forgot somthing. I double check my information. I am not saying it is fool proof, but, I keep my sanity by this system.
Hope you find a system that helps you keep yourself in order so you dont think you are forgetting somthing.
Also, take time out for yourself. take care of yourself. Invest in a great pair of shoes. When I had just tennis shoes to wear, I concentrated on how bad my legs and feet hurt. I invested in a pair of Dansko shoes, and I have to say I am not concentrating on how bad my feet hurt.
As far as the floor gossip, please dont get yourself involved with it. And walk away from it when you are able to. If I hear it in our lunch room, I just eat my meal and leave. I dont want any part of it. Takes to much of my energy to listen to it.
I hope some of these suggestions help you. I am a newbie RN, but LPN prior. So, I know how it feels. Bubble baths, and an extra hour sleep helps with allot of the frustration that I know we feel each and everyday. I am not sure about you, but, at times I can feel it coming from my feet and brew's up....
I drive home from work( 45 min) without the radio on. No noise. However, on the way to work, I play my favorite songs... Jam out.. me time....
Specializes in Nursing Ed, Ob/GYN, AD, LTC, Rehab.
This was a relief to read. I am a new nurse only 4 weeks on the job. I want to cry when I come home at night. I feel like every time I pass meds Im going to kill someone. I had only 6 days of training and I bug all the senior nurses all the time with my questions. I am lucky though everyone is so supportive, checks on me through out my shift, answers all my questions, shows me where things are, yet I feel like I am such a pain to everyone. It comforting to know all of us new nurses are all in the same boat of doubt!
Specializes in Emergency Room, Cardiology, Medicine.
Thank god for postings like this. It helps justify when I come home feeling sad, defeated. While there are good days, there are sometimes just as many bad.
Hi I've been in Medsurg for 8 months and yes it is so frustrating! Eventhough I'm adjusted its the people around me I can't figure out! Especially the nurse educators that bullies you since they want to prove that they're doing their job well! I hate med surg!
:oI totally agree with the original post. I graduated in May and started a med/surg job in June. This is my first health care job, I changed careers completely. I was so looking forward to a job where I could make a difference and now I am so depressed. I feel overwhelmed 90% of the time, I feel clumsy, slow, inept. Today, I actually started crying at work because I just couldn't keep up. I've spent years earning my BSN while working full time and now I'm afraid I've made a huge mistake. I'm really trying so hard to do well and I'm just exhausted. I'm lucky if I can get in a 20 minute break in 12 hours. My preceptors let me handle a full pt load, and I understand that they are trying to prepare me for when I'm on my own, but I really wish they would jump in a give me a hand once in a while. everything takes me so long! Thanks for letting me vent here.
I qualified as a learning disability nurse 5 months ago and the unit i was forced upon (as none of us had a choice in where we were sent!) is the most bitchiest place i've ever been on!
The clients are lovely, hard work on occasion but i expected that - what i didn't expect was the attitude of the staff!
If there is a silver lining on the dark cloud i fail to see it - i've actually thought about demoting myself and go back - at least that way i had patient contact and wasn't stuck in the office all day and night! Either that or apply to ASDA! (which doesn't sound like a bad idea at the moment!)
I am a RN with 25 years experience on Med/Surg floors. After today I am still feeling some of the feelings you are all venting. Of course I am much more comfortable in my roll than a lot of you are. I feel so sorry for these new nurses coming in with such inadequate orientation. They don't give you a chance to even get slightly comfortable in your roll before they throw you in. All they want is a warm body.
I am also tired of Administration being allowed to treat us (yes, even experienced nurses) like morons, talking down to us and being total bitches! We are professional educated people. Why do they have to push their weight around and try to intimidate us? Do you see this going on with administration at your facility. We have so many unhappy nurses right now. The worst I have ever seen.
shmoofins
33 Posts
I'm glad other new nurses feel the same way I do. I've been out of orientation for a couple of weeks and I wish I'd had a little more time. I had good preceptors but I still feel like I don't know very much at all. I'm still always asking questions. A lot of times patients will ask me questions and I don't know what to tell them. I'm still fairly awkward with everything, sometimes I feel like I'm all thumbs. I like my unit but it's scary being on my own and feeling like I still don't know what I'm doing. I don't want to mess up and end up hurting a patient. It's really scary. I feel like I should know more than I do and I don't know what I'd do in an emergency if a patient started to go down. Ugh. I know everyone feels this way at first but I still feel like a really crummy nurse sometimes and I don't know if I'll ever get the hang of this.