First Shift Jitters

Nurses New Nurse

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I'm a brand spanking new RN and almost done with my preceptor who is training me on the floor. :crying2: I only have a month with him and I am so petrified at the thought of being on my own. My greatest fear is that I'm going to forget to do something important, like miss a critical lab and notify the Dr... or forget/miss something during handoff and reversely forget to mention something to the oncoming shift. Or just...everything! I'm so overwhelmed! :confused: I know that most things will come with time, but the whole anxiety of being alone is really getting to me. I just feel that a month isn't enough time to train. Does anyone have any words of encouragement or tips to get me through the first week alone? :sorry: Or any advice of how to prep, both mentally and for the shift? I already come on to the unit a half hour early to read up before the handoff, but I still feel like a lost cause once the shift gets rolling. Sigh. Any tips would be SO greatly appreciated!!!! :)

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The first week is going to be hard. I was puking the first 2 weeks at work because of how scared I was. Hang in there! When I first started I would tell my sister I couldn't do it. I wasn't cut out to be a nurse but I stuck with it. I even cried before a shift once and I never cry. But you will get through it!

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Specializes in EDUCATION;HOMECARE;MATERNAL-CHILD; PSYCH.

Even after your orientation is over, please continue to ask questions. Find a fellow nurse that you can trust and ask for clarifications. Take your time. Remember to prioritize.

Trust your intuition. If something does not feel right, it is usually not right!

You can do this! Good Luck!

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Specializes in Cardiac, Home Health, Primary Care.

You'll forget stuff. You're human. When you do make a mistake LEARN FROM IT. I freaked out one night when I saw I was supposed to call ABG results to a doc per order. It was like 11 pm or midnight. I freaked and pages him. Then I looked at them...they were normal. I paged a doc and woke him up to report normal lab. Ugh. I learned though.

After a crazy shift I have report on my patients. It was as I was falling asleep it popped in my mind I forgot to give report on one of my patients cause it was the only patient going to a DIFFERENT nurse!! Thankfully that nurse was the sweetest person ever and apologized to ME for taking so long to get report on the rest of her group. She pieces together the patients story but I felt like an idiot. Again.

Yes you will screw up but we all do! You are educated to catch big things and as others said keep asking questions. I asked them every shift. Still do.

You can make it! So many before you have

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All of this advise is great! Remember this-the facility you are at has tons of experience training new nurses. It's all new to you, but it isn't to them. The preceptor is probably experienced as well. They aren't going to leave you alone if they don't think you are ready! They would never do anything to harm a patient! If they are letting you work alone then you are well trained and ready to work alone even though it's scary.

We all have been there (well not all of us-my first week alone is next week as well!) and I am scared too, but every I keep reminding myself that every single nurse in the hospital has been through this! And they are still here. If they can, I can and if I can-you can!

Also remember that you are in charge of your own patients, but you are never truly alone on a hospital floor. There are nurses there to ask questions of, and they want you to succeed...utilize that resource!

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You guys are great! Thank you all so much for your support! I love knowing that I can always come here to vent or share and receive encouragement!!!!!!!! :D I'm still petrified to start. I know we all have to start somewhere. Eek! Idk if even after I was training for 6 months if I'd ever be ready, so I guess I just better dive right in... :woot:

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Specializes in Med/surg, Onc.

I have received 14 weeks of orientation, floor and education both. I am still nervous.

I am slooooow. That's okay, taking my time is fine. If my meds are passed a little late that's okay. I think about what it would sound like if I need to explain to my manager why I didn't do XYZ...if it sounds ridiculous that I didn't check my patient's skin the. I better do it right!?

Ask questions! The other nurses know you're a new nurse. They would be worried if you didn't have ANY questions. Before you ask the question think about what you think the answer might be so you are taking through the problem and process and then ask "is this what you would do?" to someone else.

Above all breathe, and be safe!

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Ask questions if you don't know or forget something. Turn to your resources-charge nurse, new nurse friends. We don't expect brand new nurses to know everything. Heck, even us seasoned nurses still ask questions and need refreshers every now and then.

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I've been off orientation for about 3 weeks now. One of my colleagues told me before I came off orientation that the very first shift alone is the worst, once you get through that, it gets better.

I was skeptical, but it was true.

I don't go into work with an inordinate amount of confidence now, but I do know that 95% of the staff are very supportive and are there to answer any questions I have. I don't ever feel alone, and I think that helps with my anxiety a lot.

Just take it one shift at a time, and try to take care of yourself on your days off.

Remember to ask questions and ask for help. Nobody expects you to know it all or be able to handle it all on your own, you're brand new.

Deep breaths. Good luck!

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