I am not good at nursing

RNperdiem, RN · May 27, 2019

My preceptor one told me "You gotta crawl before you can walk". She was right, I was not good at being an ICU nurse at first. I was also a clumsy dancer, bad cook, incompetent musician at one point too. Most of us start out bad at nursing.

Six months is too soon to give up. If you are still working. Keep trying. Ask your coworkers for help. Find the policy and procedure website. Expect to start weak and then improve your nursing skills.

SteelGrey · May 27, 2019

Who is good at something only doing it like 3 days a week for 6 months?

The demands in nursing are insane, but don't let them take away your sanity. You can absolutley be a floor nurse and a good one.

Look into your options, and use your resources! I'm sure there are other floors and if you don't want to be a bedside nurse, there are a ton of other options.

Don't give up!

NightNerd, MSN, RN · May 27, 2019

Don't let the stress get away with convincing you that you're not good! You are new, and if the mistake that's occupying all your attention is giving a med at the wrong time (which DIDN'T harm the patient), you are not unsafe. Being new to nursing, especially in such a stressful environment, can make you feel like you're a failure, but I can basically guarantee that you're not. Give yourself a bit more time to adjust, take a deep breath, take it slow through meds, procedures, etc., and give yourself time to learn. I can totally understand wanting to move on - this is a tough life - but let yourself at least get a year or two of experience on your resume first. That will help you in leaving the bedside eventually.

As for other options, maybe research? Informatics? Both of those might be good especially if you're willing to go to grad school.

Lostinorlando · May 27, 2019

I gave IVP ativan to a patient who was scared of an MRI. I gave it at the time it was scheduled, instead of holding it for the MRI, which hadn't called yet. Although it was scheduled, the parameters stated to hold for MRI. How can I explain this to my assistant managers and manager? I know I was wrong, and I was rushing. Luckily I was able to get the patient to the MRI right away, but it doesn't excuse a mistake.

KarenMS · May 27, 2019

You are being insanely hard on yourself. Your story is no indication that you are unsafe as a floor nurse...you are NEW as a floor nurse. It’s literally impossible to be perfect 6 months (or any months) in.

I was just included on an email detailing a mistake several nurses made over the course of a week with one patient. One of the nurses has 30 years experience, 2 of them were over a decade, and a few of us were under 2 years. Mistakes happen and we learn.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · May 27, 2019

I think it's safe to say that there's a universal truth in nursing: the first year SUCKS. It always does. We don't know what we don't know. It takes time, lots of it, to feel competent in this field. Please give yourself a break, and a chance to become a great nurse. You clearly take responsibility for your mistakes, almost to a fault---stop beating yourself up over this one, nothing bad happened to the patient and it was a very minor error in the grand scheme of things. You will make more mistakes; every one of us does. Just give yourself some time, six months is hardly enough to get your feet wet. Listen to the wisdom of nurses like those here and don't be so quick to dismiss your abilities as a nurse!

I wish you luck. Viva

Davey Do · May 27, 2019

4 hours ago, Lostinorlando said:
How can I explain this to my assistant managers and manager?

Find someone else to be the scapegoat, put all the blame on them, and you'll never have to grow personally or as a nurse.

Works for me.

Now that I have your attention, I'll let you know that I'm being absurd. Sort of. Some are not willing to grow personally or professionally because they don't want to have to face their humanness. You, Lostinorlando, are facing the fact that you have your share of foibles and imperfections. Granted, as KarenMS said, you're being a little too hard on yourself, but it sounds as though you want to be a conscientious nurse. That motivation to want to be a good nurse is an integral part to becoming a good nurse. Just add some time and experience an you've got the recipe.

Heed what the others have written and don't be so hard on yourself.

Unless you're into that sort of thing.

Otherwise, carry on!

The very best to you, Lostinorlando!

panurse9999 · May 27, 2019

This post screams of a new grad with unlimited potential and zeal, who is being systematically cut down and put down by a toxic nurse manager. I am sad to read a post like this. I have walked in these shoes. I have had my confidence robbed by a pack of dysfunctional unhappy nurses, whose only goal was to deep six a new nurse. They want you to doubt yourself and ultimately walk away, so that they are perceived as "indispensible" goddess nurses within the organization.

This is the toxic culture that lives in the hospital systems like a pandemic virus that is near impossible to eradicate. Its 20 years since I walked that walk, and it seems nothing has changed. My advice is keep your chin up, keep your confidence up. Do not let them destroy you. I would also document your experiences as a new nurse, with specifics , dates and times. When the time is right FOR YOU, and you can get out with enough time on the job to lead to something else, hand that documented list into the appropriate people at the highest levels of hospital management.

I remember one time using a 5cc syringe nss flush instead of a 10cc syringe nss flush on a PICC line, (because we were out of the 10cc flushes) and was told that I was incompetent, and could have blown a hole in the line. DO NOT LET THEM TAKE YOU DOWN.

Kallie3006, ADN · May 27, 2019

10 hours ago, Lostinorlando said:
I gave IVP ativan to a patient who was scared of an MRI. I gave it at the time it was scheduled, instead of holding it for the MRI, which hadn't called yet. Although it was scheduled, the parameters stated to hold for MRI. How can I explain this to my assistant managers and manager? I know I was wrong, and I was rushing. Luckily I was able to get the patient to the MRI right away, but it doesn't excuse a mistake.

I once gave a 1x dose of ativan for a patient that the neurosurgeon wanted to watch his EEG on. The doc told me he was ordering it and for what so once it came up to pull I did so and pushed it, then told the doc. Was the doc ready to go? Heck to the no. The day was crazy and I was trying my best to stay afloat. I had been a nurse for 3 years when this happened.

A nurse I used to work with guy a patient from PACU who was in a lot of pain when they got to the floor so she gave the ordered prn pain med. She failed to look at the mar to see when it was given last, and it was to soon. She had been a nurse for over 10 years.

I went to a new hospital and learning the charting was horrible for me. This system was awful, and I still stand by that. I missed a whole rotation of antibiotics, new orders and lab results. I swear being experienced was a disadvantage, it was horrible. I now charge on that same unit.

Book smarts is wonderful until it's not. You are learning to draw connections between what you learned in school and how it applies to your patient population. A+B=C or D or Y and YLMK, school teachers you A+B=C and the rest comes with time and practice.

If you can go in early and read over your patients info, get labs and imaging results, write meds and times down, and your orders for the day, then use this to get you a game plan down. Cluster your care when possible, and ask questions. I used to write down different diagnosis and meds used and studied them, then when I would get a patient with said dx I would have an idea of what to expect. Get you a brain, one that works for you so even through the chaotic times you have a reference of what is due and when. Get organized.

Have you thought about nights? Nights has it's own set of advantages and disadvantages but generally the pace isn't so fast like days, you usually don't have many admits or discharges. This could help you feel more comfortable in your work environment and you critical thinking.

You sound like you are someone that is willing to learn, accept when mistakes are made to learn and grow from. Don't give up yet, you're still new.

beekee · May 27, 2019

10 hours ago, Lostinorlando said:
I gave IVP ativan to a patient who was scared of an MRI. I gave it at the time it was scheduled, instead of holding it for the MRI, which hadn't called yet. Although it was scheduled, the parameters stated to hold for MRI. How can I explain this to my assistant managers and manager? I know I was wrong, and I was rushing. Luckily I was able to get the patient to the MRI right away, but it doesn't excuse a mistake.

If this is your major mistake that is leading to believe you suck as a nurse, I got news for you. This ain’t nothing. None of us are perfect, especially not at the six month mark. This mistake hardly makes you unsafe. It does make you human.

I bet every single one of us has made a mistake somewhere. My personal favorite of mine was when I accidentally gave a med meant for diarrhea for some who was constipated. Not my finest moment. You live, you learn, and you hope you don’t do the same mistake twice.

Start keeping a journal of the good things you do. Try to come up with at least one good thing a shift. It’ll help remind you that you aren’t the world’s worst nurse. Because I’m quite certain you aren’t.

KonichiwaRN · May 27, 2019

14 hours ago, Lostinorlando said:
I need advice please. I’ve worked as a nurse with a BSN for 6 months; and I’m terrible at it. The patients like me, but that’s just bedside manner. I continue to do things wrong. I made one medication error where I didn’t have the correct time. No one was hurt, but this mistake is huge and I have really tried hard to be a good nurse however I just can’t cut it. I work on a busy telemetry stepdown floor for mostly cardiac patients post TAVR. I am book smart, not nurse-on-the-floor smart. My question is what can I do with my BSN career now? Are there any options? I’m willing to go to graduate school but what can I do to with a BSN besides this?
p.s I doubt the hospital would hire me on any other floor, even an “easier” one. I failed here, I’m unsafe as a floor nurse.

Allow me to share with you one of my Nursing codes when it comes to Nursing.

I actually got it from a line from reading Manga. ? It was a cooking chef-type Manga where the main character goes around making sushi. Anyways..

"For you, the person may be one of many customers but for the customer, you are the only one and experience."

Ask yourself why you became a nurse in the first place. A nurse is to nurture if you just look strictly at its meaning.

Do you "have" to stay as a Hospital nurse? Aren't there other options?

Aren't there a place in the community, where the "customers" are dearly waiting for someone that would "listen" to their voice(s)?

Don't fall into the hole of self defeatism. You're walking and not running in this profession. It's way longer than a mere Marathon. It's like fine wine that ages with time. How you do that, is up to you of course.

Just don't pop the cork and spoil it too soon. ?