OMG...Off orientation and freaking out

Nurses New Nurse

Published

So I'm off orientation and am soooo unsure if I'm ready. Granted I've had about 2 months of orientation and working with a preceptor. The last 3 weeks I was pretty much on my own but still had questions. I think I'm always gonna have questions. I feel like I don't know everything but how does one know everything. I'm scared a parent is gonna ask me a question and when I tell them I'll find out they'll think I'm incompetent in taking care of their child. There are also a great bunch of nurses on night shift that I can use as a resource but I'm still scared. I always felt anxious the night before and the day of work when I was on orientation and it's even worse now. I worry about the type of patients I'm gonna have, types of medications I'll have to give, labs I'll have to draw, care I'll have to do, questions I'll have to ask, and oh no what if I forget something...the list goes on and on.

Does this madness ever stop?!!!

What a great thread - I'm a 2nd year student but the thought of being out there on my own scares me to death so I worry how I will be when the time comes. Reading about your experiences and anxiety helps me to feel like it's not just me who feels/will feel this way. Thanks everyone!

0 Votes

I haven't graduated yet.. i will graduate in may and I feel your pain. I am worried to be off of orientation and I haven't even started it yet! I'm sure this is a common feeling every nurse goes through though.

0 Votes

I'll be starting orientation really soon, and I'm already dreading coming off it.. :uhoh21: It's definitely normal though. :) All the best to you!

0 Votes
Specializes in Neuro, Critical Care.

I am absolutely dreading coming off orientation. I have been orienting for about 8 weeks now. I have about 4 left and I feel like my preceptor will have to drag me out of orientation kicking and screaming.

I'm a new grad in the neuro ICU and it is definetly challenging. Every night could be the night I screw something up and end up killing my pt. plus neuro is one of those areas that there aren't always hard fast rules for. A lot of being a good neuro nurse is experience, and I have none!

I have good days and bad days. My preceptor assures me i'm doing well but im so unsure of myself. Im so afraid of harming my pt. The other night my pt. went into a-fib and almost coded....I almost coded as well! I know that its a process though. I just try to be like a sponge and soak everything I can up. I know it will come. Good luck to you!

0 Votes

Well, I actually just started orientation this past week...and boy do I feel overwhelmed! There are a lot of great nurses on the unit, so I'm not alone...but I can't imagine being on my own.....I just hope it gets better! I go in again tomorrow and I'm actually a nervous wreck now! But hopefully it will be ok. I just have to try to tell myself that I'm still new and I can't possibly know everything. Tomorrow will be my third day on the floor and second day taking 1-2 patients. All the best to everyone!

0 Votes

I thought I was the only one stressed on orientation. Tomorrow is my second day.

0 Votes
I thought I was the only one stressed on orientation. Tomorrow is my second day.

Good luck Paleobug! It's been about a week and a half now and I guess I'm doing ok. I actually met with the nurse manager, my preceptor today and the clinical nurse specialist to follow up on me. They've all said I've been doing a good job.....I dont know.....I guess...??? Things are going ok though. I still get overwhelmed of course, but I'm sure things will come together some day.

0 Votes
Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.
I used to say that I was new to the floor and didn't know the answer in as much detail as I liked, and I would get another nurse who had been there longer, when a parent asked a lot of questions. I would even say "do you mind if I listen in?" to the parents, and no one seemed offended or upset when I was honest about not knowing. They DID get upset when I only was able to answer halfway or tried to bluff. You can tell if someone is bluffing.

I just wanted to add that even though I'm only a first semester student, this statement struck a cord...I think what canoehead writes is true in most situations...coming from an IT background, there was scads I didn't know, but I would tell my users that I'd check and get back to them and then would follow through with that promise. The fact that I followed through always seemed to be the biggest thing they appreciated....communication, honest and straight-forward is always much more appreciated than BS....people can see right through that and resent it...

Good luck...reading this thread makes me petrified!!

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment