I feel like nursing school didn't prepare me for work

chacha82, ADN, BSN · Mar 8, 2016

Many of us will feel this way. Every facility you work at has its own environment and set of rules. As you move on, take the best lessons with you that served you well. The rest you learn and adapt as you go.

One thing to remember (and I am no expert, have only been a nurse since June) is that school is school. WORK is not at all like school, and the test is definitely not like work. If you feel there is a disconnect, there is! You want to strive for the ivory tower nursing but reality sets in. School is not work but you CAN be a safe and prudent nurse even if you feel like it isn't like school. If school was like work no one would come back Take a breath, you passed your test, you will do fine. Ask for help and always be careful. Stick close to your mentor and in time you will get the "flow" of your clinic. Good luck!

amoLucia · Mar 9, 2016

I think what the biggest disconnect is that new nurses see those 'OTHER' older experienced nurses and all they see is the CONFIDENCE that experience delivers and is exhibited by those 'OTHER' nurses.

Then the newbie nurse sees him/herself (WITHOUT the experience) and just doesn't see that it's not an equal comparison. Newbies are NOT experienced, but the newbie just doesn't see it. YET!!! Only the disparity/difference. NOW!!! And boy, it's a MAJOR discouragement and HURT.

OP, I think this is where you are. Very hard NOT to measure yourself against the others you work with. Nursing is a career-long effort in ongoing learning. Some 40+ years since graduation, I'm still learning neat new things almost daily. (I love google!)

Hang in there! The worst thing is not knowing to know to know to know. You're halfway there - you DO know. Good luck!

djh123 · Mar 9, 2016

Yes, yes, yes - I don't feel like nursing school only prepared me for the NCLEX, but a) I didn't learn 'everything' (which is nearly imposible, and especially in the timeframe of school), nor b) do I remember everything I did allegedly learn. :dead: But, what I do - and I'm sure every conscientious nurse does as well (probably more than me) - is to try to learn whatever I can at work, do at least some CE's that will help at work, and occasionally look up meds/side effects, procedures, diseases/conditions - whatever (and it happens often) makes me think 'now what was THAT again?'. I don't mean it to sound like I spend all of my time trying to improve my nursing skills - I don't, and I still don't know everything by any means, but doing the above a little at a time will slowly make you better & feel more competent.

Gem1984 · Mar 9, 2016

I think what the biggest disconnect is that new nurses see those 'OTHER' older experienced nurses and all they see is the CONFIDENCE that experience delivers and is exhibited by those 'OTHER' nurses.
Then the newbie nurse sees him/herself (WITHOUT the experience) and just doesn't see that it's not an equal comparison. Newbies are NOT experienced, but the newbie just doesn't see it. YET!!! Only the disparity/difference. NOW!!! And boy, it's a MAJOR discouragement and HURT.
OP, I think this is where you are. Very hard NOT to measure yourself against the others you work with. Nursing is a career-long effort in ongoing learning. Some 40+ years since graduation, I'm still learning neat new things almost daily. (I love google!)
Hang in there! The worst thing is not knowing to know to know to know. You're halfway there - you DO know. Good luck!

Thank you for your words but I am definitely not there! I completely understand the difference between myself and an experienced nurse! I am just simply realizing that I didn't have enough clinical experience to feel even 80% confident, I feel like if I hadn't had years wearing many different hats (but predominately patient care related) in healthcare, I'd be completely drowning at work. I think its just the nursing school that I went to. I truly feel like you should be atleast 80% prepared for the job because the other 20% is of course dealing with the real world issues that nursing school cant teach you etc.

After reading the replys from people on here, it has allowed me to realize that I need not worry about what I cant control, and just do the best that I can and not harm anybody.

Thanks again for your response, despite the fact that it doesn't describe me!! ðŸ˜Š

SarahRN2013 · Mar 9, 2016

Even with 2 years of experience, there are many skills at which I am not truly proficient and make me nervous if I have a patient requiring that skill. On my current unit (a cardiac progressive care unit), many of the nurses are nervous to manage PCAs or to care for post-op orthopedic patients with their various braces, but both of those skills sets were a daily experience in my previous job on an orthopedic med-surg unit so I help them out with those and they help me with skills that aren't second nature to me. Six months in on the CPCU and chest tubes no longer stress me out and PEG tube feedings are becoming less stressful. When I have a patient who requires a skill that I haven't used much (if at all) in the last 2 years, I just ask for help. I go home and read up, jot down applicable policy numbers (with "my" keywords and the weird ones the hospital actually used) and maybe even watch a couple videos to reinforce the skill that I "relearned". You'll get it. You just have to give yourself some time!!

**NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN** · Mar 9, 2016

I had to bust out books and use google almost nightly the first year I was a nurse. There is extensive on the job learning after. It gets better :)

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · Mar 9, 2016

I think a lot of the anxiety and self doubt that comes with being a new nurse can be due to the very short term orientations that some employers given to a nurse-even knowing that the nurse is a new grad.

Things have changed a lot since I've become an LPN. At that time, many LTC facilities wouldn't hire us unless we had experience, and many of us started out in a hospital. The typical orientation was 6 weeks full time with a preceptor. Now, most hospitals won't hire LPNs and the typical orientation for a new RN is 12 weeks-at least where I'm located (graduating from an RN program next week, I've done my research). As for typical LPN orientations in LTC facilities here- I trained (well, attempted to in the time and crappy staffing conditions that the place had) a new grad in the same amount of days that a seasoned LPN got with the facility-3 days- and then she would be on her own with no other licensed staff on site for guidance. I can tell you that if that was me when I first started I wouldn't have been able to do it. If a home health company were to 'train' for private duty it's typically a few hours with the nurse who has the patient that day when you meet the patient.

If if someone is lucky, they find a place that is willing to invest the time/money to help them adjust from the student to the assigned nurse role. With the competitive job market today though, those opportunities aren't as abundant as they were years ago.

Hang in there. You've made it this far and each day you will become more confident in your skills and critical thinking abilities. A little bit of fear is good- it can help keep you alert to what could be going on with a patient that overconfidence may miss.

bgxyrnf, MSN, RN · Mar 9, 2016

I once read nursing school just teaches you how to not kill someone.

I'm not sure I'd even give it that much credit.

I'd say it just teaches you how to learn how to be a nurse. The actual learning takes place at the bedside.

bgxyrnf, MSN, RN · Mar 9, 2016

OP, you'd be amazed at how much some very experienced nurses still don't know or don't remember or are simply wrong about.

The best nurses are the ones who are open to feedback from their colleagues and who ask questions.

Just last night I had a very competent, experienced nurse ask me what I consider to be a rudimentary question. I didn't cop a 'tude, I just answered her question and we both went about our business. She is no less competent or experienced because she didn't know. Indeed, quite the contrary... the fact that she *asked* the question *demonstrates* her competence... and helps us build a bond of trust and collaboration as new colleagues.

Somebody whom I respect immensely recently stepped into my room where I was dealing with a STEMI and, in a somewhat exasperated fashion, placed the patient on supplemental oxygen despite the fact that current evidence and standards recommend *against* use of oxygen in normoxic patient. I think no less of him and plan at some point to show him the present recommendation that MONA has lost its "O". I expect that he will take it in the same manner that it's offered: As an opportunity for professional growth and improvement.

There is a reason that physicians earn an undergraduate degree (generally) and then a doctorate (or 2) and *then* spend 3-9 years actually learning their craft at the bedside before they become licensed, independent clinicians. Nurses don't do it that way... we receive a broad survey education and then learn the craft *as* licensed clinicians.

I think most nurses feel like nursing school was just the introduction and didn't prepare them to practice so much as it prepared them to learn to practice.

dynamogirl65 · Mar 9, 2016

What you are going through is a perfectly normal process. It is horribly uncomfortable especially if you have high expectations and standards for your professionalism. It can feel really embarrassing at times when you fumble or when you don't know something. My hope for you is that some wonderful, kind, caring and experienced nurse will take you under their wing and gently mentor you and help mold you into all that you can hope to be. God bless you on your journey and keep swimming Nimo!!

littlelimabean01, LPN · Mar 9, 2016

I agree, you do learn most of your "skills' on the job. Don't be discouraged unless you do not have a passion for caring for your patients. I truly understand it is stressful and when you ask for help, some will look at you like you have 2 heads. If your passion is there I promise you will excel. I was a nurse from 2007-2012 and quit and just came back this January. So, I feel very out of sorts at times and feel discouraged. But, I have one strong point that most nurses I encounter rarely have is medicine. My charge nurse was complaining of a H/A I said there is no shortage of of OTC products here. She replied I take Excedrin (which we don't specifically have). I said so take a Tylenol, an aspirin and drink a coke. She replied oh, no I won't take aspirin. I had to inform her that that is an ingredient in Excedrin (tylenol, aspirin and caffine). Find aspects of nursing that you can excel at and polish those to a form and keep on trying you will gain your confidence.

Gem1984 · Mar 9, 2016

I agree, you do learn most of your "skills' on the job. Don't be discouraged unless you do not have a passion for caring for your patients. I truly understand it is stressful and when you ask for help, some will look at you like you have 2 heads. If your passion is there I promise you will excel. I was a nurse from 2007-2012 and quit and just came back this January. So, I feel very out of sorts at times and feel discouraged. But, I have one strong point that most nurses I encounter rarely have is medicine. My charge nurse was complaining of a H/A I said there is no shortage of of OTC products here. She replied I take Excedrin (which we don't specifically have). I said so take a Tylenol, an aspirin and drink a coke. She replied oh, no I won't take aspirin. I had to inform her that that is an ingredient in Excedrin (tylenol, aspirin and caffine). Find aspects of nursing that you can excel at and polish those to a form and keep on trying you will gain your confidence.

Thanks ðŸ˜