Feeling guilty about poor practice

I applaud you for realizing this and attempting to remedy it. I would just start doing everything like it should be done, all the time. Practice is about the only thing to do to make it faster. One tip I do have is to do your assessment thoroughly, and include the IV site and tubing in your assessment. It also only takes a second to glance at an IV site and ask if the pt has any probs with it. If waking a pt up is a concern, use your penlight to check it. On pushing the meds, take the time required, no matter what. If the time frame is too long, see if it's a med that could possibly be mixed in a 50mL bag and PB'd. Again, I applaud you!!!

Hurray for you for having the courage to hold yourself to higher standards! Don't feel bad about what you USED to do; feel good about what you are improving on now. And, I don't think a day goes by where I don't think of something that I could of done better, or more efficiently.

When my Dad was teaching me to be a carpenter, one very good lesson he taught me was that if you start off doing quality work, you'll get faster with practice, but if you start off working as fast as you can, your quality won't improve over time.

He was absolutely right, and I try hard to bring that wisdom to becoming a nurse. But I have to admit, I do feel the pressure to try to get everything done on time, and it's awfully tempting to cut a corner here and there. I have reached the conclusion that it's better to occassionally give my last 2200 meds by 2245 and be sure the right meds get to the right patients, especially if the late ones are pepcid or colace. Still, I sure look forward to the day when starting an IV doesn't take half an hour and a dressing change doesn't require three trips to the utility room. Maybe then I'll be done charting before my manager comes in at 0800.

I think it's all too common to get a little "sloppy" because of the amount of work we have, the pressure we're under, and the high ratios. Also, sometimes you have to realize you can't do it 100% the way the book says.

It's tough when I precept "Now you're going to see it done this way........but I want you to get into the good habit of............". My mantra is get and use good habits until they become good habits.

I'm glad that you've made a commitment to quality. Good luck.

Good for you for noticing this. From your post you sound like a caring nurse who wants realizes past mistakes.

I'm a CNA. I rec'd my certification from a LTC facility. When I went to work in a hospital I thought the same thing you did. I felt bad for giving bad care but I realize now that it was the best care that I knew. I never abused pts. or anything like that but I probably didn't spend enough time with each one. I don't think too much about the care I gave in my previous job but I know without a doubt that I learned something. I learned how to slow down and think through everything I do. I've come a long way.

Since you recognize this you can do something about it. Good Luck!

Good for you!! Would you come be the manager of my unit? I am overwhelmed with examples of poor practice every day. Stupid things that can and have caused problems. I have done everything short of submitting them to the DON (in the process of compiling a list) and have gotten nowhere fast. It's unbelievable. I wish there were more nurses like you!:)

Med/Surg nursing is very hard work and most of the time you'll have admission, fresh post-op, MD returning phone call and bunch of family members asking questions, all at the same time. Now you realized, well this is not my best performance! I've started cutting corners where I really shoudn't! This isn't my best? Now you just need to find out is it really just you or is it nature of the unit? Go to your manager and tell her/him how you feel.Talk to your team in the staff meeting about it. Maybe you'll get extra help and whole unit will benefit, patients and staff as well. If nothing happens and you still have to cut corners, move on! PCU, 4-5 patients, CSU 3-4-5, ICU 1-2-3 or CVI 1-2 patients. Maybe you'll like it better there and you'll find your job more enjoyable before you burn out and start to hate your job.

I admire people like you very much! Thanks for sharing your feelings and beeing honest about it! You are an great nurse! :balloons:

Thanks for all of the encouraging words. It's good to hear from others who have felt this way before. Tomorrow will be my first day actually orienting on the unit. I'm nervous, I will have to start all over, developing a new routine for myself. I'm going to give it my best shot. I am feeling some pressure to be perfect though, because the manager said that the unit doesn't get the opportunity to hire nurses with surgical experience very often. I feel like they are expecting me to show up and hit the floor running, with everything under control. They did offer me 4-5 weeks of preceptorship, so I guess they are giving me time to get everything straight.

Way to go girl! Rock on!:) You'll feel better in the unit! There are days where you can, actually, sit down!

Good luck...:balloons: