Will there ever be a day that I won't forget something?

Nurses New Nurse

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As I approach my one year mark I am still coming across times when things happen that I feel I should of known after the fact. Example..I worked Med/Surge for 7 months b/4 going to ICU (Honestly wished I would have stayed on the Med/Surge floor). About a month ago towards the end of my orientation-once again I was put by myselft d/t a call in. I had 2 pts w/ floor orders so I took the new admit. When this woman got there she was intubated, fighting mad, BP was low, HR was low, RT was telling me possilbe pulmonary edema, RN's that were helping me check this pt. in were upset b/c the general family practice doctor who admitted the patient from the nursing home who was a ward of the state would not consult a pulmonologist. SO.. when I did my actual admission I was concerned about all of THOSE things and charted accordingly. I get a call from my clinical manager yesterday--ripping me a new one as always---b/c I did not chart a bruise (which I do remember being really, really, really small) on her left side. I had this patient one day but helped another nurse with her care afterwards. I do remember talking to her new nurse about the bruise getting bigger when we were turning her. But I didn't think about MY charting from the previous day. Anyway, in our pt's confused state of mind she said a nurse had beat her up. Long story short, the nursing home admitted she fell at thier facility the day before she was brought into ours after state has stepped in. My previous clinical manager --who now has this lady--has pretty much taken care of this. I am from a Med/Surge floor, the one thing I should have known to chart on was her skin!!!! It just seems like I can't bring it all together all the time. I get one thing in my mind and completely forget something else. Is anyone else have this problem?

Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

I frequently remember things I forgot to chart on, sometimes days later. :o

I forget things, too. My managers seem tolerant, even positive towards me, but some of our other staff seem to think I should have it all down-pat from day one. Friday was particularly bad, and after having the weekend off I'm not too keen on going back in tomorrow. I've had off all weekend, but I might as well have been at work as I've been dwelling on it ever since whenever I'm idle. I also wonder if this stuff will ever come together. Our clinical nurse specialist tells me that I'm not expected to have a seasoned RNs level of expertise, but again I'm not sure everyone I work with would agree, and in any event I feel like my patients need me to have that expertise, immediately!

I'm sorry this isn't the most reassuring message, just letting you know that there are others who feel "under the gun". It's bound to get better, and that's something I hear from everone, so trust in that!

Specializes in Hematology/Oncology and Medicine.

Tell me about it. No matter how hard you try, you can't beat the learning curve. You can't. There will always be something, but learning and accepting that you get paid the big bucks to be an RN because the job is DARN stressful at times is something that keeps me going. Not everyone can do what we do. Being new sucks! Will it get easier, yeah, will you feel comfortable down the road... yeah. But even my charge nurse who has worked on my same unit for 20 years still runs into new things that she has never seen before. That was a sobering experience for me, that you have a lot to learn when you are new, but you can never stop learning, there will always be something new to document and so on. But putting it into perspective... You got a hard pt admitted, and stable. So you missed a bruise, it'll get easier for see these things when you have experience in dealing with similar issues. It'll take time, but in the end it'll be worth it when you are training the next new nurse coming onto the unit, and you can make it a safe and exciting experience for them.:mad:

Specializes in Tele, ED/Pediatrics, CCU/MICU.
I forget things, too. My managers seem tolerant, even positive towards me, but some of our other staff seem to think I should have it all down-pat from day one. Friday was particularly bad, and after having the weekend off I'm not too keen on going back in tomorrow. I've had off all weekend, but I might as well have been at work as I've been dwelling on it ever since whenever I'm idle. I also wonder if this stuff will ever come together. Our clinical nurse specialist tells me that I'm not expected to have a seasoned RNs level of expertise, but again I'm not sure everyone I work with would agree, and in any event I feel like my patients need me to have that expertise, immediately!

I'm sorry this isn't the most reassuring message, just letting you know that there are others who feel "under the gun". It's bound to get better, and that's something I hear from everone, so trust in that!

It's comforting to know that I'm not the only one who goes home and dwells on work during days off... it's as if there is a tape playing in there and I can't shut it off!

Specializes in ICU.

it sure is frustrating forgetting things - and i usually remember them around 2 or 3 am in the morning, then i can't get back to sleep ; that ever happen to anyone?

Specializes in RN- Med/surg.

My NM told me to stop comparing myself to seasoned nurses. Make a list of every system/thing you need to chart. Use it. I prabably go into my patient's rooms more often than any other nurse on my floor...but I chart on everything. It works for me. We can't possibly remember everything. We're still learning even if we're out of school.

Don't be too hard on yourself...and just know that it WILL get better. Experience will only come with time.

good to know i am not the only newbie RN forgetting things too.

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

If your supervisors and managers are not speaking of firing you, or if you are not getting terrible evaluations, try not to worry so much. It takes time to transition from being a student to a nurse; especially because the real world is so different from textbook and school nursing.

I forget many things. Here is an example. I was recently assigned to send STD reports to infection control. We get a big list of all of the chart numbers that have to be reported to the state via infection control, and each clinic has a 3 digit number. Each clinic is responsible for their own. I have to look in the computerized chart to see when the results came back positive, and document if and what the patient was treated with. Had one patient who did not have a document as to whether he received his three shots of bicillin. I got in contact with his physician, told him, and was about to send him a telegram,but then, I remembered I administered shot #1. The patient had a distinct story, so, I remembered him when I saw my name in his chart. Then, I remembered that he was supposed to get his second one while on vacation visiting his home country; I had documented that. Then, it was hazy to me, but I seemed to remember that I administered the third one, but it was not documented. I always write a list of all of the medical record numbers (not names) of patients I cared for in my clinic, and sure enough, his medical record was on it (from THREE days BEFORE), and for administering the bicillin. I had to eat crow and go to explain to the doctor that he did in fact, receive his meds, that I administered it, and forgot to chart it. AND, that was THIS WEEK. The doctor had a good laugh, I had egg on my face, laughed later and moved on.

Again, if you did not do something dangerous, and they are not speaking of firing you, be patient and forgiving of yourself.

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