First Day On The Job!

Spydered · Jul 11, 2011

Congrats on your first day...I'm still looking for that first RN job...Good luck...:)

gorgenurse · Jul 11, 2011

You may feel excited, overwhelmed, confused, scared, happy all at the same time! Just remember it is all normal to feel that way. Just absorb as much as you possibly can and know that the dust will settle and you will settle in as well!

kukula · Jul 11, 2011

Good luck to you for landing that job. I know exactly what you are going though since today was my first day on the job too =)

ERRNinMI · Jul 12, 2011

Congrats and I hope your first day went well! Just take in as much as you can and TRY not to get overwhelmed. Get your organization system down, and remember your priorities. You will have good days and bad days, it's part of the job!!

dizzyray822 · Jul 12, 2011

I have no advice as my first day is Wednesday but wanted to say GOOD LUCK!

steelydanfan · Jul 12, 2011

Hopefully, it all went ok.

As a 30 year nurse, I give you this greeting:

I am thrilled to see you here, and I vividly remember MY first day as a new RN.

If I can remember those anxious feelings and use them as to identify teachable moments, I will do well.

If you can have respect for me as a seasoned professional who was picked for this assignment because her peers decided that I was qualified; instead of picking apart EVERYTHING I say or do; we might be able to learn and grow with each other.

BronxRN28 · Jul 12, 2011

Today is my first day as a RN. I am nervous as heck! I don't know what to expect, but I am excited and willing to learn at the same time.. I hope things will go well. Just wondering how everyone else treated their first day. Any failures? Any positives?

I wish you the best of luck. :yeah: I remember my first day my anxiety level was a 10 (I think I'm down to a 6-8 now). Just try to soak up all the knowledge you can. I'm sure you will do fine. Are you working in a hospital or nursing home?

BronxRN28 · Jul 12, 2011

Never mind I just realized you posted in the LTC nursing forum.

sn543 · Jul 12, 2011

Thank you for all your responses. Boy, I hit the ground running yesterday! Before my shift, as what gorgenurse posted, I did feel many feelings and emotions at the same time that included fear, anxiety, stress, and excitement. However, all the negative feelings dissipated when I actually started my shift. It was as if there was a on-off button that shifted me from being scared into being a professional. I was so surprised!

I can tell that LTC is a very demanding specialty that requires much prioritization. I agree with you ERRNinMI, and also aside from prioritization, organizational skills are just as important. To make it a little more tricky these are concepts that cannot be taught in books. Work is now the learning tool and the syllabus is my job description.

Like I said, I hit the ground running during my evening shift yesterday! I was lucky enough to catch a 1.5 hour in-service and learn how important time is in this field. Although the meeting was helpful, this pushed back a lot of time with patient care and medication passing. The morning shift RN's (7-3pm) left at about 5:30-5:45 because of admissions and charting. Indeed, that one hour was very valuable for the shift.

My preceptor was very great last night, despite the high stress and pressure to do meds and treatments in very little time. She was very patient with me and even answered all my questions. However, I would have loved to hear from her mouth what steelydanfan had posted (that would have helped with all the initial feelings of anxiety).

I give LTC nurses much credit. Caring for 20-30+ patients is no easy task. Last night I had 30 patients with my preceptor and I cannot imagine doing this on my own (at this point). This aspect still seems so overwhelming. With passing meds, doing treatments (wounds, RT, trach, GT tubes, IV's, etc), teaching, assessments, charting, admissions... Yeah I hit the ground running yesterday.

I am glad to hear that some other people also had their first days also. kukula, how was your first day? I hope it was as teachable as my first day.

Again, thank you for all your responses and sharing, I really appreciate it!