I am not the best, but I do my best!!

[NGYSUN, BSN, MSN, RN]

I started off working as an ER nurse few weeks ago, after being out of nursing work for almost two years and also from another country. I am still orienting.. yay!!!...Lots of things to learn and lots more to refresh....

My personality is this, I like getting things right the first time that I try, and I put my whole being in whatever I do. I believe that nursing is not just treating the physical person but the whole person.... Sometimes it burns me out, but, I am learning to deal with it..

When I got the job to work in the ER. I had my fears and my worries. I shared it with a friend and I searched online for help from forums made up of people who have gone before me and have been through what my fears for this new job were... I did get soooo much info..Yet, I was still anxious!!!!

I go to work and all I could think was how am I going to re-learn all these and still function in this fast paced, somewhat crazy department!!?? i felt like the too much information in too little time was drowning me..... Each last night before my next shift, I get so anxious, thinking of what kind of patients I will get the next day and IF I will be able to care for them EXCELLENTLY well.... What is the result?.. less hours of good sleep before my loooong 12hr shift.. and a dreadful day the next day...

Then few days ago.... I said to myself.. I may not be the BEST, But, I will do my VERY BEST, with the somewhat SMALL knowledge that I have, and still give the best care to my patients!!!

Believe me!! I started sleeping better and I certainly had good days.... When it seems that the patient is so critical and I dont know what to do, I tell myself.. this "I still know my vital signs and I still have the opportunity to ask questions and inform the Dr about changes in pts vital signs....and of cause.. I am not the BEST but I can give the BEST care with the knowledge I have gained so far"....

I may not know what my charge nurse who have been an ER nurse for 15 years knows.. but I sure can save a soul with the knowledge I presently possess... and that makes me proud of who I am now, while I work on who I want to be!!.....

[thevez]

I like the positivity! Just all I need at the moment.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

I started off working as an ER nurse few weeks ago, after being out of nursing work for almost two years and also from another country. I am still orienting.. yay!!!...Lots of things to learn and lots more to refresh....

My personality is this, I like getting things right the first time that I try, and I put my whole being in whatever I do. I believe that nursing is not just treating the physical person but the whole person.... Sometimes it burns me out, but, I am learning to deal with it..

When I got the job to work in the ER. I had my fears and my worries. I shared it with a friend and I searched online for help from forums made up of people who have gone before me and have been through what my fears for this new job were... I did get soooo much info..Yet, I was still anxious!!!!

I go to work and all I could think was how am I going to re-learn all these and still function in this fast paced, somewhat crazy department!!?? i felt like the too much information in too little time was drowning me..... Each last night before my next shift, I get so anxious, thinking of what kind of patients I will get the next day and IF I will be able to care for them EXCELLENTLY well.... What is the result?.. less hours of good sleep before my loooong 12hr shift.. and a dreadful day the next day...

Then few days ago.... I said to myself.. I may not be the BEST, But, I will do my VERY BEST, with the somewhat SMALL knowledge that I have, and still give the best care to my patients!!!

Believe me!! I started sleeping better and I certainly had good days.... When it seems that the patient is so critical and I dont know what to do, I tell myself.. this "I still know my vital signs and I still have the opportunity to ask questions and inform the Dr about changes in pts vital signs....and of cause.. I am not the BEST but I can give the BEST care with the knowledge I have gained so far"....

I may not know what my charge nurse who have been an ER nurse for 15 years knows.. but I sure can save a soul with the knowledge I presently possess... and that makes me proud of who I am now, while I work on who I want to be!!.....

This expresses it far more succinctly than I ever could!

I see so many posts from relatively inexperienced nurses stating how they know they're a great nurse (despite stated evidence to the contrary) or that they're the BEST nurse, they know more than their preceptors or they know everyone is picking on them because of their stellar nursing skills. That's a bunch of self-serving malarky. It isn't possible to BE the best nurse on the unit, know more than the senior nurses precepting you or inspire jealousy because of your vast nursing knowledge and talent without years of experience. We can agree to disagree on how many years that takes.

I see so many new grads putting pressure on themselves to be perfect (which isn't possible no matter HOW many years of experience you have) or to show off their vast nursing "skills" (which, since the death of the diploma program, new graduates no longer come equipped with). Those are futile pursuits. Instead, strive to do the very best that you can with the knowledge that you have now. Experience comes with time.

[NGYSUN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Thank you Ruby Vee. I am taking my skill acquiring adventure one step at a time and I'm always open to knew knowledge. We learn everyday..:)

[AmyRN303, BSN, RN]

This is so timely for me. Excellent post. I'm a fairly new grad, and I'm coming off orientation in a week on a very busy floor. I'm beyond thankful to the experienced nurses on my unit who have assisted me, taught me (daily!) and answered my requests for clarification at times. I'm definitely not the best, but I do my best. And I thank my stars for a fabulous preceptor and fellow nurses who are helping me to "get it", a little chunk at a time.