Published
The last two days at work where colonised with mistakes. I timed a medication wrongly, forgot to to give a med (totally did not see it in the MAR!) and forgot to label my TF. I had two though critical pairs and before the night nurse left that morning she told me "you will be busy, this is a though pair" Well she must have jinxed it for me because I was busy, to the point where I felt as though I was checking off tasks instead of actually nursing my patients.
Anyway, since I got home I have been feeling down. I feel stupid and incompetent, although I know I am not perfect I expect more from me so it is hard to just 'learn and move on.' I want to be a competent nurse, and I know it takes time. But for how long? I guess I had a totally different expectation of myself at this point in my career (about 1.5 months off orientation), and now that reality has set in, it is hard to swallow it down. Plus, I feel like I am being evaluated and probably judged as a bad nurse for my mistakes ( I know, Im a little paranoid. But I have heard many nurses gossip and I don't want to be labeled). I have to go back in to work tomorrow and I am feeling a little insecure of my nursing abilities.
How do you pick up from something like this? Experienced nurses, do you remember your first mistakes and how you overcame them? New nurses, are you in the same boat, are my overanalysing myself?