New Grad- First week off Orientation

[pdanne01]

Okay,

So I finally have my first RN job!! Woohoo! It took me almost 3 months to hear back from this facility, and I am working in a LTC facility. I am a Night Shift nurse, and granted since I am night shift, I am the only nurse on my unit with 50+ residents. At first I was very nervous to know that I would be by myself with that many residents (especially as a new grad), and if something were to go wrong...well, who would I turn to? Yeah, there's a nurse on call, and I know I can call her if need be, but still. Any who, I had 4 weeks of orientation; they went great. I got into the swing of things and got a routine down rather quickly. I gave myself props for that, so when they asked if I was ready to come off orientation, I said sure! I was so excited to be on my own. Well, first shift I had to write up two incident reports..granted I did not have to do any during my orientation, so I was new to filling out all the paperwork. Second night, another incident report had to be filed, along with a few change in conditions. I never had to do changes either on my orientation. So after my first four days by myself, I started to wonder...man, my orientation period was a piece of cake and I felt I wasn't fully prepared since nothing "Major" happened during my training. I thought of it as a challenge. You know, oh God's testing me...first week on my own, he wants to see what I can handle, right?! Ehhh, well tonight he really tested me. Still, first week of being on my own, tonight was the first time I had to send a resident to the hospital. I didn't know how to feel, and granted I still don't. I know it was the best thing, because she was admitted for heart problems, but still....I got to thinking, God is REALLY testing me. I have been out of school for a year, so I am still a little rusty on a few things here and there, but for all of this to happen in my first week on my own, as the only nurse on the floor with 50+ residents, is it too much?? I start to wonder. I hear how for other new nurses the first couple weeks on their own, oh it's a piece of cake for them. Me on the other hand, I feel that the first week I get thrown on my own, everything happens. Like I am afraid to even blink because I feel something else will happen. It's been a very overwhelming first week.. Has any other nurses/new grads feel that the first week on their own, a lot of incidents happened, or you feel you were really being tested??

I am just praying my nights will get a little smoother. I just don't want to feel like I am too overwhelmed or suffocating:bag:. I want to be strong enough for this, but never expected all of this to happen in my first week!

[wanderlustnurse88, RN]

It does get better. I've been a nurse for about 4 years and have worked on different floors. I still feel overwhelmed when coming off orientation. When I started in LTC 2 1/2 years ago, I was by myself on nights. I kept asking questions to the the day and evening staff as they were coming and going. Keep asking questions. There is never a stupid questions, especially when someone's life is involved. Hang in there!