Just started my first nursing Job in a Community Health Center!

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Specializes in LTC.

On Monday I started my first nursing job (pediatrics unit):uhoh3:, I am little confused because the nurse I that is training me has been working in that community health center for 30 years. She does not let me do anything on my own. Everytime we have a patient she stands behind me and tells me what to do with the computer. Thursday and Friday we practiced on vital signs which I feel she testing me. While taking the apical pulse I was of 2 beats off and she said something to me. She does not let me give shots and she only let me prepare the vaccines. Monday she is going to quiz me on the vaccine chart and ages and when they should get it. I feel that she thinks I don't know anything. What do you thinK?

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why not show her your willingness to be more hands-on?

tell her you're ready to start doing more, and it's the only way you'll truly learn.

she can always ask her questions whether you're doing something, or not.

best of everything.

leslie

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why not show her your willingness to be more hands-on?

tell her you're ready to start doing more, and it's the only way you'll truly learn.

she can always ask her questions whether you're doing something, or not.

best of everything.

leslie

Hi prituba,

it's me....I agree with the above post. make her feel good by giving her praise for really training you....and then let her know that you feel you are ready to do the actual vaccines, etc. Also since having a preceptor watch you....makes one nervous, suggest to her that you will draw up the vials in med room by yourself and she can double check after.....before you give the shots.......

you will be great.....:monkeydance:

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When all to other new grads are having so many issues with non-existent orientation and preceptors who don't care or are just plain lousy, I think you lucked out. You have an old school nurse who wants to make sure that you know what you are doing and keep both her license and your license intact. Pediatric patients are very challenging. And that is without having a freaked out, impatient, demanding parent with them. Since nursing schools are spitting out lots of nurses unable to function in the real world, she has no idea what she ended up with when got you. You may be the brightest in the class and wouldn't screw up, but she may have had a nurse from your same school before that screwed things up really bad. Frankly, I think she is doing exactly what she should be doing. You haven't even been on the job but a few days and are complaining because she hasn't thrown you out there to do stuff on your own. Few newbies get the opportunity to learn from an old nurse and actually have that nurse try to make sure you know something before you're left on your own. Chill out! There are days coming when you will wish that you didn't have to do it all on your own. For now, let her watch you and see how you perform. Let her teach you so that everyone is on the same page. Go home and read your pedi books again so you can answer her questions intelligently, correctly, and without having to say "Hmmm, let me think....". I bet a lot of your newbie peers would kill to have a preceptor that actually took the time to care about the kind of orientation they were getting.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

I used to work in a community health center and I loved it. One small word of advice: read that pink book from the CDC. If you have to, make notes on it. It is your best friend and will come in very handy when your preceptor does quiz you.

It is scary at first. But all of a sudden it (especially the vaccine thing) will just click and you will 'get it.' Then you will be a vaccinatin' fool, and you'll love it. I used to love the screamers. I saw it as a challenge.

You will do fine. Apical pulse off 2 beats = don't worry about it.

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