First night off orientation...

lakerette01,

i promise that it will get better, I graduated in may and started working as a nurse in july. I have been on my own since October and it's get better by the day. everyday is a learning experience. You will be and do just fine. good luck.

As a seasoned nurse, I feel you will do well. You got off orientation, first step. You are new and you know that and are nervous, also a good sign of a future awesome nurse. The frightened but hopeful message is the key that makes me know that you will do well. Welcome to the nursing profession, I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

My first couple of weeks off orientation were hell. Thinking back, I know that I'm more efficient now, but those were some rough times.

take it from a veteran nurse;you are never alone someone is always willing to help just find the right person and good luck.

If only I'd have known how tough orientation could be...Glad to know you got through this test (mini nursing school condensed into a few weeks) Good work and triumph!

If We nurses were Pirates we'd hear our Pirate instructor forewarn us,

"Aye, Matees! You'd be ever good rascals to do your best to get through this tattered school of pungent sea scum, but wait till captain blood sees your goods, he'll make a tomb rowser of ya, but don't lose harttt, ee means well to follow around your moppins of the deck...eh ehhhh?!!!"

PS. Private Pyrate Mort adds this bit of wisdom: "Oh, ye might be proud of your clever accomplishments, but don't get off to a hazardous plunder; ask questions a plenty and confer with yer comrads in white for two skulls are better then one....ahhhhh!"

(This is a reprint from another post of the same subject in the OB zone)

A little bit of nerves is a good thing. Hand in there it will get better.

Being nervous is good.

Being scared is also good.

Being so nervous and scared that you literally lose confidence in youself, is bad.

You've passed nursing school and NCLEX. This doesn't mean that the rest of your career is a "cake walk" - but it DOES mean that you have 'what it takes' to take on the challenge day by day.

All you need to do, is believe in yourself. Helpful colleagues are a great asset - remember to bounce ideas and questions off them. We nurses on night shift tend to rely a lot more on each other because we don't have the ready recourse to others off the hospital.

Sometimes, you already know the answer to your question; but feel somewhat 'unsure' just the same because you are new and 'doubtful'. So you 'bounce' it off a fellow nurse ... just to bolster your confidence.

Trusting your judgement is CRITICAL. We new nurses often chastise ourselves too much - this may not really be a bad thing on a supportive floor with good co-workers but can be hard on a floor with not too many supportive staff.

However, the presence or lack of "wonderful supporting" co-workers doesn't negate the fact that you DO need to rely on your own skills and knowledge. I've caught stuff my 30 year old veteran charge nurse has not. Let me put it this way: YOU were the nurse on the scene - and only YOU know what was going on. I've always maintained that "assessment is half of nursing".... it's probably not a very accurate description of nursing, but something I think defines a good floor nurse - good assessment skills.

The "other half of nursing" - is critical thinking. Before you know it, you'll be doing things you never thought possible.

Like handling situations - which you thought were "CRISIS!" a few weeks ago - with a calm, measured demeanor. Or taking on greater patient loads or assuming more responsibility in terms of patient aquity during shift report time.

No longer will you react with "fear" after report on your patient load after report - but will measure assessment on their probably risks/needs and start assigning them mental "priority numbers" - which you will soon also learn to bolster/alter based on your OWN assessment of the patient [E.g. you come out of report thinking Mr. so-and-so is probably a low aquity but when you assess him on rounds, you detect somethings that make YOU think that he should probably rate Medium or High priority].

So,

- Be true to yourself. Have confidence in your judgement.

- Never be afraid of standing up to what you think should be right. Risk the phone call and the "angry tirade" from a physician rather than have a serious complication happen to your patient.

- Don't ever be afraid of asking "stupid questions" ... rather you ask the 'stupid question' than have something serious happen to your patient, right? If you are still in doubt - go higher up. Contant your house/nursing supervisor. Remember, their JOB is to help YOU.

- NEVER stop learning!

all the best,

Roy

tonight is my first night off orientation.. i am all nerves.. i am slow at everything, especially meds.. i hope it gets better.. thanks for reading.. :)

show confidence to your pt's evn if you don't feel it. it's ok to take that extra bit of time to check your meds, your technique, etc.

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[color=#483d8b]we all go through this and made it, you'll be fine!

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