What is a day like being a nurse!!

Rhoresmith · May 18, 2003

I to am a prenursing student and I just ordered a couple of books by Echo Heron, I was told by a couple of nursing friends that what she writes is pretty acurate so you might want to read some of her stuff!!!!!

I am anxious for August to get here to start but another part of me is VERY nervous and scared for it to get here is that how you feel?

Rhonda

Mahema · May 19, 2003

I do not have tons of experience to share as I am a recent grad (last May) but I have to tell you that I love my job as an RN. Yes the days can be busy and exhausting but there are also slow times too.

Currently I work in a Maternal Child Float Pool and have been trained to work in post partum, pediatrics and NICU. Since I never know which department I will be sent to, each day offers a little adjustment time. I work day/night rotation and each of these shifts are totally different. I rarely work an evening shift and to me that is the twilight zone, again totally different from the others.

Report lasts about 30 minutes in the beginning of the shift. This is where the previous shift passes on information about the patients on the floor as well as any concerns. On each of the floors the first thing I do is claim my patients from the previous nurse so they can go home. This lets them know that their patient has been assigned and gives them the opportunity to pass on any additional information not relayed in report. Then I quick check to see if there are new orders and any medications or treatments that are due. I then check in with all my patients and introduce myself. I do a full or short assessment (a short assessment will require a later follow up) and take care of ward order (make sure the room is in picked up etc) and answer any questions.

My day seems to lay itself out based on my duties and doctors orders.

Time management is the key to success!

Some days it seems I do not have time to even go to the bathroom and other days I am lost for something to do. Being flexable and adaptable are nessisary assests in a nurse.

In peds I have been assigned 4-6 patients, NICU 3-4 and post partum 6-8.

I hope this helps to answer some of your questions.

Good luck with your studies. Hang in there, it will get tough but look to your classmates for support and your instuctors for guidance. You can do it!

kats · May 19, 2003

One good idea of finding out what is involved in being a nurse is to volunteer at your local hospital. Tell them that you are taking classes towards being a nurse and would like to shadow the nurses to get a more realistic idea of what nursing entails. Hospitals usually have lots of need for volunteers and I am sure that they will be more than happy to help you.