Med-Surg Wasn't So Bad!

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

Well, did my first day of orientation for med-surg per diem. It was on the same floor with the same people that I worked with during my short temporary 6 week stint as a new grad. In fact, the same girl oriented me again, which was cool. I am happy, because I was not a goofball with the IVPBs (you should have seen me the first few times I hung them-I was a freaking MESS...wasting many bags of expensive medications!). I am now more comfortable hanging them and manovering them. We didn't have that many, so, I spent time on the new computer system with charting the medications we gave (we didn't have that the last time I was there). That wasn't so bad, either, really. What is nice is that they have a computer screen attached to the medication cart, so, I get to look up the medications I don't know very well, check labs and new orders all while in front of the patient's room. Not bad! I have to work that computer a bit more, but, I feel confident that I can navigate their system very well.

And, I had a chance to do a straight cath on a patient to collect two urine samples...taught and guided by a WONDERFUL CNA!! I hugged her and had tears in my eyes, because I was so nervous, and she basically said "It's okay, we all learn from each other!". I go back next Wednesday for the second day of orientation and from then, I am on my own. I'm a big girl, now, folks!!

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Specializes in acute care.

I'm glad things went well!

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Good deal.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

It sounds like this will be an excellent place to work! :)

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

Well, I'll say that it will be a spring board to other opportunities. Bottom line, they look for med-surg experience, and no one has to know that it was one day a week ;0). I came there with a sense of maturity that I didn't have when I did the six weeks as a new grad. That was a help.

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Pagan, we have a saying on my unit (we're basically surgical), if you can work my unit you'll survive anywhere in the hospital.

So, you'll do great where ever you work.

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Congrats pagandeva2000. It will get easier for you with each passing day........I worked on a med surg unit for many years, and although I like my job in the ER, I really miss taking care off the patients on the med surg floors......

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

My second (and last) orientation day will be 7/2/08. I'll start scheduling shifts after that...may even do a shift on 7/4 if they need someone. I want to pad my resume to say that I have worked med-surg, and get the bedside experience under a more controlled environment (meaning when I feel like it). I'll probably schedule myself every other weekend, preferably on evenings for awhile in order to get my confidence up. I noticed that during evenings, the medication passes are not as large, therefore, I can get better at it. I am excited about it thus far! Thanks, everyone for the advice and well wishes! Love this site!

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Specializes in I think I've done it all.

I believe any new grad should start out on a med/surg unit. When they say you can do that, you can do anything, it's true! You never know what's going to walk in the door on one of these units and it really does give you a good base for the rest of your career.

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I believe any new grad should start out on a med/surg unit. When they say you can do that, you can do anything, it's true! You never know what's going to walk in the door on one of these units and it really does give you a good base for the rest of your career.

I think it depends on the person. I started out as an LPN 19 years ago working at a LTC facility, until I became comfortable with giving out meds and doing wound care. After a year I moved on to working on a Trauma unit in a city hospital. Looking back, I can honestly say that doing it that way, really helped shape my career as an LPN.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

Based on my brief (and negative) experience on med-surg as a new grad, I would say that LTC would have been a better place to start, simply because it took me a great deal of time to get used to administering medications, and I would have liked to have gotten more time to do g-tubes, catherization and dressings in a more predictable environment. However, the high nurse:patient ratios was enough to turn me off. I think that it was best to get the med-surg experience in a facility where people know me, and there would always be SOMEONE to advise me before I have to brave the world elsewhere.

If a new nurse has a great preceptor, then, great, but these days, I am seeing that there is no one around to watch for you, and the expectations of the senior nurses is that we should come out of school raring to go, but now, education and preparation for the units seems to be really poor to me. I'm just appreciative to be able to do it, now while I have the interest and energy.

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Wonderful to hear about your endeavors, keep moving forward! :up:

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