Last semester of Nursing school-freaked out!

[JerseyGirl2010]

Hello fellow allnurses.com members,

So I've made it to my final semester of Nursing school. It's very exciting, however I am concerned about something. I've been working at a hospital for a little over 4 years as a Cardiac arrhythmia tech. My job duties consist of monitoring patients' heart rhythms from a monitoring station tucked in a corner between two fast paced telemetry units, one being a step-down. Most units, especially cardiac units, are no stranger to Code Blue(s). As a Cardiac tech who is responsible for monitoring heart rhythms, sometimes we will actually see activity related to the heart rhythm before, during or after the code. In all cases, we are expected to go to patients' rooms and ensure that the heart monitor is securely in place on the patients' chest so we are able to accurately monitor patients. My concern is this, one time I had a code on a patient whose heart rhythm I was monitoring. Since it was 4 minutes into my shift and I was still "scoping" my patients' rhythms, I failed to notice activity on the heart rhythm so I immediately ran out to the unit to see what was going on. Of course, I got there and saw about 50 people in the patients room- doctors, residents, nurses, managers, etc. My concern is this, I noticed that during code situations where I feel I am of no help (in this case, there was no way I was going to push the doctors and nurses out of the way to fix the patients heart monitor, especially since the patient was already hooked up to the code cart with its own heart monitor)- I become somewhat flustered. Actually I become really flustered. I know that part of it is because codes are just plain and simply scary! and also because I don't like feeling useless. It comes to a point where I beat myself up about it afterwards. Is this normal? Will I be a good nurse? What if I get too flustered during a code and don't do what's right?

Thoughts?

[RunBabyRN]

Remember that this is new for you. You are learning how to approach cardiac care from the perspective of an RN, not a tech. It's different, and your role is different. Go easy on yourself. The more you do this, the more you'll have it down. Don't expect yourself to have it down from day one. :)

[Do-over, ASN, RN]

Codes are run by teams, not an individual nurse or doctor. Then, unless you are part of the "code team" (ICU nurses, often), you won't be the team lead, and you certainly will not be when you are new.

If you do something wrong, someone will set you straight.

[jcarl12]

I wouldn't be too hard on yourself. You are still learning and it is scary! Anything you experience the first time in my opinion is scary and nerve wracking. It's hard being a new nurse but remember just that, you are NEW. You are still learning just like everyone else did at some point in their career. I always feel that after situations like that it's important to reflect on what you could have done next time so when it does happen again, which it probably will, you can at least think back to that first time.

[JerseyGirl2010]

Thanks everyone! Your thoughts are highly appreciated and I really needed to hear this. I think part of the reason I was beating myself up about it is because I've been working as a tech for 4 years and STILL get flustered during Code situations- almost like I feel I should be some type of pro at it or something, but now that I think about it, there really isn't much I could've done other than what the other nurses, doctors, etc were already doing. So I simply asked the managers if there was anything I should do and they even said it was ok since the patient was already hooked up to the code cart monitor. In the end I still allowed myself to get flustered. I really do need to remind myself this when I am a New RN- Thanks again!!

[MedicalPartisan]

As others have stated, you won't be alone. Don't stress too much!

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

As a member of the entire care team, you can rest assured that if they need you to do anything, they'll tell you. :) For now, they're good, and your job description as monitor tech does not include serving on the code or rapid-response team. Once they're on the scene, you have no reason to expect they'll need you, so you're off the hook.

When you are an RN and have a job in a similar unit, they will be glad you know rhythm strips but they will not assume you have any higher level of experience or knowledge in ACLS. You will get it when they send you to class, and even then you won't be on your own for a good long time. Does that help you relax? :)