Looking for information from current nurses...

mama_d, BSN, RN · Sep 10, 2008

1. What was it like when you got your very first job as a nurse? Were you nervous? Were your colleagues helpful?

I think that if you're not overwhelmed and nervous as you transition from student to full fledged nurse then you aren't recognizing the responsibility that's been handed to you. It's why so many of us leave the field so quickly. I was fortunate to work in a place with a good, supportive staff (except the manager). Sometimes I think that's the only reason I survived my first year; I try to pay it back by being willing to help out and educate our new nurses now whenever they need it.

2. Have you had any patients who have impacted you in a personal way, good OR bad?

I work on a floor where we get alot of oncology patients. As such, we have several patients that we get to know well because of their frequent trips to see us; unfortunately, we get to see many of them deteriorate as their cancer progresses. I will never forget B., a patient we took care of who had lung cancer with mets. Over a period of the last six months of her life, we'd see her for about two out of every three weeks. She was a real pistol, had a lot of character, a good sense of humor, and was always fun to take care of...the stories she would tell! In late December last year, she went into respiratory failure while on our floor. She wasn't ready to go yet and agreed to be tubed. It took a couple of weeks to wean her off of the vent. She eventually went home, only to return in mid-January. I was at her bedside when her doctor told her that unless she wanted to be tubed again, she would die within 24 hours; if she was tubed, she'd buy some time but she'd be sedated until the end. She said hell no, no tube again, she wanted to die aware and with no machines. I held her while she cried, then I cried at the end of the shift when I told her goodby for the last time. I was glad to hear that she was allowed to pass later that day how she wanted, with no machines. I was happy that I was one of the nurses there to comfort her when she needed it; she wanted her family to see her with it all together when the time came, and she had enough trust in the staff that had cared for her so many times to let herself go and share that vulnerability with us that she wasn't willing to let her own family see. It was humbling and yet so powerful emotionally to be let in to share this with someone who months earlier was a total stranger. I remember thinking at the time "THIS is why I'm here, this is why I put up with all the crap...for times like this".

3. Can you think of any aspect of nursing that surprised you, or in other words, something about the job you didn't expect or were not taught in nursing school?

They sure the heck don't teach you how to deal with verbally/physically assaultive family members and patients. Or how many times you'll be called things I can't even put into writing on here. Or how many times, despite the fact that the health care team has done all they can, you'll get blamed for patient outcomes that the family does not want. Or how to stand up to management or docs when you feel that they are compromising patient care, or are being unfair to you or the staff in general. Or how the current customer service atmosphere of nursing actualy impedes our ability to care for our patients at times.

4. I am considering working as a trauma nurse or a neonatal nurse in a NICU. Can anyone who works in these fields tell me if there is specialized training or requirements for these positions? Also, would you recommend these areas of specialization? Why or why not?

I haven't worked in these areas, although I would love to eventually try NICU or pediatric oncology. Keep in mind that any area you work in, there will be specialized training and requirements and on the job training.

5. What is your favorite aspect of being a nurse? Least favorite? Was there anything that was particularly difficult about the job that you were able to overcome?

My favorite part of being a nurse is being the one to help a patient heal, and being able to educate them to care for themselves better. I also enjoy the fact that you're always learning!

My least favorite part is dealing with those family members, patients, and doctors who prevent me from taking optimum care of the patient. The fact that there are so many people out there who think that bullying and intimidation are an effective form of communication amazes me. It takes a whole lot to bother me, but I've seen new grads crying in the med room after a family member reamed them out when they did nothing wrong.

My first job, the manager was awful...I seriously think she had undiagnosed psych problems. She would try to play the staff off of one another, was extremely passive aggressive, and thrived on creating an atmosphere of strife. I finally got the cahunas to quit that toxic environment and move on; it was one of the best decisions of my life.

Hope all that long-windedness helped! I'm back in school myself right now, best of luck to you!:heartbeat

locolorenzo22, BSN, RN · Sep 10, 2008

1. Considering I just got my first RN job, it's been interesting. I've been nervous, anxious, and wondering if I can do this job. I am blessed to work with MANY supportive coworkers who are more than willing to answer questions if I bounce a question or thought off of them. I've been a CNA for the last 2 years before I got my RN license, and I believe that cut down on some of the nervousness.

2. Almost every patient impacts me when I'm at work. one of the good was a standard late 70s woman who came in to have her knee done. I took care of her for all 3 days that she was in the hospital, and she was the first person I did discharge teaching on by myself. As I went over the paperwork, and wrapped it up and said goodbye, she said, "ok, now come here." And promptly proceeded to give me a hug and said "Thanks for all the care you've given me. You are a great nurse and I know you will be outstanding here. The hospital did a good job when they hired you." (Had to go cry in the bathroom for a couple minutes after that.)

The bad? I work neuro, so we get a lot of "itractable back pain." A gentleman came in and was on our floor for 9 days! He would refuse to try to work with PT, or roll around, claimed he couldn't sleep, etc. One of the last days I had him, he was on the call light asking for meds every few minutes. I got him up with PT. I went in and at one moment he was twisted at a impossible angle for someone with back issues...and up on hands and knees stretching. I never withheld pain meds, but it just seemed odd to me.

some patients suck you dry and constantly do not wish to be compliant with what you recommend. You just have to educate and talk to patients to try to get them to follow instructions.

3. Again, I worked as a CNA. At first, the whole "ideal" way that nursing is supposed to be practiced wears on you. Then you learn how the "real world" is. Almost 95% of the job is physical and doing tasks. it's the 5% that is workplace politics, customer service, and family issues that wears you down.

4. don't work there.

5. The favorite aspects are many. One of the most glaring is that I help make people well. I ease their pain, provide comfort, talk to them about what they have concerns about, and sometimes cry with them. I'm a person, but also a professional. I have a wall that helps distance me, but I'm told I'm one of the most caring nurses at the hospital. My co-workers and patients tell me that they can see I care.

The least favorite is dealing with difficult families. At times, they want to know why I can't do x, y, or z. Often, it's because I don't have the order to do so, but they don't understand why I can't do everything they want. Sometimes, they want to stay in the room the entire stay. If the patient is stable and it's not their first night, we say no. The first night post surgery, we usually try to be as accomadating as possible.

Good luck on your paper, and in the field!

fjw68 · Sep 11, 2008

Thanks soooo much, both of you, for answering my questions so honestly and thoroughly!! You both really gave me some insight that I didn't have before. Even knowing that there will be difficult times, I still want to be a nurse. I guess the 8 years I spent working in the bank was probably a blessing. We had to deal with the same mean, screaming people there, and it was really what caused me to finally get a thicker skin and be able to deal with that stuff and not take it personally. Actually I doubt the fact I could have handled the job had I gone to nursing school right after high school (I'm 39 years old). I probably would have ended up getting stressed out and quitting.

Anyway, thanks again for everything!!!:heartbeat