Disappointed New Grad

joanna73, BSN, RN · Apr 23, 2011

Make the most of your experiences and try to be as positive as you can. Be thankful you have employment, and know that at some point you will surely move on. Give it a fair shot. This market is terrible. Whenever I have a bad day, I remind myself why I went into nursing in the first place. That, and I'm thankful to be able to make a good living, at something I enjoy most of the time.

KalipsoRed · Apr 23, 2011

The show one, do one, teach one technique of learning is actually a very good way to learn. The military uses it all the time. The hectic feeling you have from an inability to keep up will aleveate in 6 to 12 months. You will still be staying over more often than not even as you become more capable in your nursing ability. Poor staffing is everywhere....more common than not. Give it a year and you'll feel better. It's okay to cry...even if you do it every single day you come home from work and before you go to work. That's what I did my first entire year of nurseing. Then I learned the whole, "you can only do what you can do" mentality and it got a little better. Good luck.

1lpn2rn · Apr 23, 2011

Thank you so much I feel much better, and will continue to make the best of my learning experiences @this hospital and everywhere I go. I guess I was just feeling sorry for myself." Thank you Lord that I have employment", and thank you for listening:D

Chin up · Apr 23, 2011

I think you have a better opportunity than many. Yes, it will feel overwhelming at times, but that is how we learn. That is how it is everywhere in any field. Push yourself and don't get into negative mental battles. Yes, you can do it, will do it, is what will take you to victory. Not, this is too much, I can't do it, it is not fair. You will find, in six months, that you are beginning to master things. I love the "be shown, do and teach another" model very much. By being shown, you understand what to do, how to do it and why. When you then do it, it makes you realize you can, and that feeling alone reinforces what was just taught. When you then teach another, you reinforce the belief, that you are able and will begin to master with continued practice, what you have just taught. Also, you feel some responsibility for the one you taught and begin to want to see her succeed. It is a win-win. When you all are doing this, it brings bonding and certain ones of the group become "experts" at one thing' while others become experts at another. Soon all will find their niche and as a team, you will be prepared for anything. Now, this may sound rah, rah, and only suited in a perfect world. But it does work, in spite of breakdowns in the process, that will come. The success lies in the wanting to acquire and share new things learned. The team must not operate from negativity, but from it's strength which is willingness to share what has been learned and the support of wanting each other to succeed. I don't know if this made sense, my articulation ability is off today, but it really works well. Good luck, peace!

elkpark · Apr 23, 2011

What you're describing sounds pretty typical for the point you're at in your career. Things will get easier, and you will feel more comfortable, as time passes and you continue in the job. Best wishes!

SkiMama · Apr 23, 2011

I have always heard that we best learn a subject or skill by teaching it to another. I have found explaining topics learned in school to others a great way to reinforce my own retention! I am sure you are doing great, or your preceptor wouldn't be so quick to let you teach a skill. Keep at it and get a good year or more of experience and then reevaluate your goals! Good luck!!

1lpn2rn · Apr 23, 2011

Thank you all so much I really feel so much better about my job and my new career. I know this to shall pass!

WIN007 · Apr 23, 2011

I think you have a better opportunity than many. Yes, it will feel overwhelming at times, but that is how we learn. That is how it is everywhere in any field. Push yourself and don't get into negative mental battles. Yes, you can do it, will do it, is what will take you to victory. Not, this is too much, I can't do it, it is not fair. You will find, in six months, that you are beginning to master things. I love the "be shown, do and teach another" model very much. By being shown, you understand what to do, how to do it and why. When you then do it, it makes you realize you can, and that feeling alone reinforces what was just taught. When you then teach another, you reinforce the belief, that you are able and will begin to master with continued practice, what you have just taught. Also, you feel some responsibility for the one you taught and begin to want to see her succeed. It is a win-win. When you all are doing this, it brings bonding and certain ones of the group become "experts" at one thing' while others become experts at another. Soon all will find their niche and as a team, you will be prepared for anything. Now, this may sound rah, rah, and only suited in a perfect world. But it does work, in spite of breakdowns in the process, that will come. The success lies in the wanting to acquire and share new things learned. The team must not operate from negativity, but from it's strength which is willingness to share what has been learned and the support of wanting each other to succeed. I don't know if this made sense, my articulation ability is off today, but it really works well. Good luck, peace!

Great points. Count me in as well as a fan of the shown-and-show method of teaching and learning. It's actually very valuable as it reinforces what you've learned and your skills and IMHO, given the infrequency of complex clinical orders, is probably the only realistic way of ensuring that people retain what they're shown.

WIN007 · Apr 23, 2011

Hi All, Im a new grad working in an community hospital where the population of patients is mental health. I currently finished my 6week orientation. We also are a teaching hospital where medical students are everywhere with charts:eek:. So the "new grads all work same shift and share 1preceptor (which I never expected it to be this way). So to make a long story short I dont really feel like I have learned to much, but Im not really sure, the clinical skills aspect I have. I work Med-surg so I have hung blood, CBI, started several IVs and Im fine with that. But what the preceptor does is she will so you a skill then after that if you have that skill again y ou do it on your own. Also if she shows you something you are responsible for showing the other mew grads. So in right now I work 8hrs then will soon start 12, the computer charting that we do on our own is not that difficult but the thing is that lately I have had 7-8 pts @ times 2-3 discharges/admissions so im having trouble balancing it all. I dont finish til 6 or 7p because preceptor is gone by 330p. Is this how it is everywhere? Will I eventually get the hang of things. I am very dissappointed in this hospital and myslf right now,but because I have to work I have to stay. This is the only hospital that gave me a shot.What should I do?

You've already been given ample evidence to why the show-and-be-shown method is superior for retaining and reinforcing skillsets so there's no need for me to be redundant. Yes, nursing can really suk in these times with the loads and cost-cutting and that you have patients with mental ailments to is a very tough position you're in. It will get better tho as you learn to prioritize, become more famililar with orders and managing patients, and your confidence builds. Some units are crazier than others tho and if the experience nurses around you are feeling overwhelmed than that's probably a good indicator of this. It's unlikely to be better at another facility unless say, it's unionized with specific patient to nurse ratios, and those are rare. Hang in there and if it's still insane in a year then transfer to another unit.