how am i gonna make? newbie

ohmeowzer RN, RN · Jul 2, 2009

you have to give yourself some time. you have 12 hours to get all done you need to do... it will take a year for you to feel comfertable.. you are only human ... hugs to you !!

PAERRN20 · Jul 2, 2009

You'll make it. Trust me. One day you will go to work and the day will flow smoothly, all the meds will be given on time, report will be given and you won't stumble through it. How do I know this? Because I was just like you not so long ago. I think it starts getting better at the 6 month mark...by the 12 month mark I could go to work without chest pain (well at least most days). Try to hang in there. I had the preceptor from he** and I made it, you will to! Good luck.

tlc2u · Jul 2, 2009

I am just beginning to look for my very first nursing job. Thank You Erin01 for sharing your experience. I felt like you when I was in clinicals at school, I can't even imagine what my real world nursing job will be like. It is nice to know we can come here for encouragement. Thanks ohmeowzer RN and PAERRN20 for your encouraging replies.

Your encouragement boosted my spirits too.

Daly City RN · Jul 3, 2009

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Welcome to the "real world"! The previous posters are so right on the money. It takes about 6-12 months before a new nurse becomes comfortable with his/her new job.

Hang in there, you may not like your preceptor now but your preceptor is trying to teach you things that you did not fully learn in school, like time management.

As a nurse you never stop learning, ever! I worked in a busy county government medical center in Northern California for more than 27 years and I learned something new almost every day I worked there.

When I retired last year, I got a job in the private sector in a different field of nursing and I am very fortunate that I received the professional support I needed from my current nursing supervisors and trainers.

I am a former preceptor myself in my previous job and I understand how it could be very stressful for a new nurse starting in a new job and I appreciate the support that was provided to me in my new job. I survived the training period and I genuinely enjoy my current job in this field of nursing.

Just hang in there.

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**NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN** · Jul 3, 2009

I dont know if anyone else feels this way. But when I see preceptor's say "hurry up" all the time, I know they mean well. I actually take a second to think and sort of plan out my next few activities, that 30 seconds or so that I take to think things out, saves me many minutes later on of running back and forth. I think, well I'm going to see this patient to do this, I glance at the MAR, think of any other procedures and try to "group" as many things as possible, including bringing pain med if i anticipate they might ask for it.

It does take a long time to get comfortable. I am at the almost three month mark, and every week gets a little better. And yes there are crazy shifts that happen, but I have learned that even the most experienced nurses do get crazy shifts occasionally. Going to work each day is a dice throw as far as what you will encounter as a nurse.

Just hang in there! And look at all the posts under "first year in nursing" there is a lot of support there for all the new grads. Everyone is in the same boat.

onetiredmomma · Jul 3, 2009

I'm not sure your preceptor is being helpful by riding you all the time. How much orientation time do you have coming to you? Three weeks is awfully soon to be totally responsible for 4 pts in my opinion. Have you expressed your frustrations to your manager? Perhaps you need to work with someone else for a few shifts and see if that makes a difference in your abilities. Sometimes we preceptors expect too much too soon of a new nurse. What kind of unit are you working on? I so hope you don't give up! Look at how hard you worked to get through school to get to this point! As for your work sheet...the mess that my paper becomes over the 12 hours is directly r/t the way my day goes! Good luck!

Daly City RN · Jul 3, 2009

I'm not sure your preceptor is being helpful by riding you all the time. How much orientation time do you have coming to you? Three weeks is awfully soon to be totally responsible for 4 pts in my opinion. Have you expressed your frustrations to your manager? Perhaps you need to work with someone else for a few shifts and see if that makes a difference in your abilities. Sometimes we preceptors expect too much too soon of a new nurse. What kind of unit are you working on? I so hope you don't give up! Look at how hard you worked to get through school to get to this point! As for your work sheet...the mess that my paper becomes over the 12 hours is directly r/t the way my day goes! Good luck!

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Excellent advice! I agree one hundred percent.

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nyteshade, BSN · Jul 3, 2009

Slow down and breathe..

Now with that said, I want to help you plan your day. A bad report from the previous nurse can mess up your day. Asking the right questions develop with time, for example I always like to ask the offgoing what is pending for each pt...sometimes they forget/neglict to give this very important info. This will go a long way in planning your day. After report you can scan charts quickly for new rx that may have been missed. You could also do a quick survey of each pt (about 10 min) just to check the ABCs, what's going in the pt and what's coming out, as well as pain at this time. Next, take a good look at your report sheet figure out who needs meds first. Handle diabetics, pts for testing/procedures, etc. If it helps, get a pocket sized note book and write as you go. Group things like the other poster said. This is also critical thinking. A day probably won't be cut and dry like that, but I hope you are able to form some ideas and plan some kind of routine.

Good luck, and if after the first year you still feel like this, you can always look into other aspects of nursing. At least you will your year and be marketable. I never really liked med/surge...lol.

solneeshka, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2009

I agree with previous posters, a preceptor can be more helpful than saying "Don't you know what time it is?" Unless you're standing around doing nothing and not getting your work done, which seems unlikely! You won't get your time-management skills all whipped together in the next few weeks anyway. She could be more helpful by *teaching* you what she does that works for her, and then you could adapt her expertise to your own style. Everyone knows that a new nurse is like a little gossling. Mama can teach you and show you, but at some point you will have to fly all on your own! And everyone is shaky at it at that point.

Keep in mind that your orientation has a finite limit, you won't be on it forever. You may not be on it much longer! I come off of orientation in a couple of weeks and I can't wait. My preceptor tries very hard to help, and I like her a lot, but the truth is that I think I will do better on my own, when I can just go to people (including her) when I have questions or need help. She almost helps too much now. She will do things for my patients without telling me, or get new information about them and not pass it on to me (the first I'll hear of it is in reporting off). But then she has saved me plenty of time, too! So I can't complain, but I'm looking forward to having my patients truly be my very own.

Don't be discouraged! No one thinks they'll get the hang of it but then they do! Always keep in mind that there are many, many different areas of nursing where the challenges are different. Not every area has the intense time-management focus of med-surg (I'm assuming that's where you are). Best of luck!