First day coming up, really nervous.

[lizzlebizzle]

Hey, guys and girls, thanks for all your support in my recent posts! I got a job on an adult acute unit, and I started hospital and nursing orientation this week. It's going just fine.

Thing is, my first day on the unit is Friday. I don't have psych department orientation until Tuesday, and there's this irrational part of my brain that's freaking out, like something will go horribly wrong because I haven't been oriented to the unit yet. But I tell myself, okay, my preceptor proooobably won't let that happen...and yet I'm still anxious.

Can anybody tell me about their first day? Or maybe just some words to alleviate that anxiety? Thanks.

Liz

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

Most people are worried the first day, in fact, lots of days! It comes with being a person who wants to do the best job possible. As time goes on you'll trust your skills more and will feel less worried. I'd advise you to make a goal for yourself each day. It can be something very small, such as, "find out where things are kept." It can be bigger, such as, "try to talk to the scarey man with the beard." At the end of each day mentally evaluate whether you reached it or not. Then set the next day's goal.

There's a big learning curve in any new job. Step by step, inch by inch you'll make it your own!

[Mish56, BSN, RN]

Liz, So tomorrow's the big day!!!

I wish I could tell you about my 1st day, but that would have been in June 1978, I guess it must have been unremarkable...because I don't recall it. I will tell you that what I do recall from the years between then and now are the days when something went "horribly wrong". Some of those days, in vivid detail. Those were the days that I learned the most.

If you were coming to work on my unit (also adult inpatient), and you were NOT anxious, I would be very worried. There is a lot to learn, and as Whispera says, it takes time, and the learning process should never end, in my humble opinion.

So, one step at a time, and before you know it, you'll be the 30 year vet, welcoming the new nurse to the unit.

Good luck!

[Mr Ian]

Not exactly my first day - but I went for a look around the unit I got my first job in before I started - Forensic Medium-Secure - and I'd never worked a locked ward before.

The CN left me stood on the ward a moment while she nipped into the goldfish bowl office before taking me for look around. I felt a patient hover behind me while I was pretending to read the not-at-all interesting patient activity board so I didn't catch anyone's gaze - I turned to him and his opening lines were softly spoken Hannibal-esque;

"I know you. I've seen you before" ... after twice trying non-offensive ways of saying that it was unlikely (he was an out-of-area patient too) - I said "well perhaps you've met someone like me in another place" - to which he replied "yeah - I know where it was - I've seen you in my dreams". To which I quietly farted and looked for an exit.

Of course he turned out to be a lot less frightening when I got to working there. And nowadays, as per Whispera's advice, I'm the scarey one with the beard.