My first job

Trauma Columnist · Nov 28, 2007

Relax and enjoy. I find that when I go into something with the idea that its going to be horrid - it usually is - lol. However, if I lay back just a little (hard for a type-A person), then I can just let things roll off.

Good luck and congratulations.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 28, 2007

Always ask questions if you are unsure. Coworkers will think that something is wrong if you are a brand new nurse who is NOT asking questions. In addition, don't pay too much attention to any coworkers who might behave in a petty, passive aggressive manner. With the passage of time and the cultivation of grace, it will all come together soon.

Congratulations on landing that first job. I know you were really pounding on the doors when you were job-hunting recently.

jean333 · Nov 28, 2007

Thanks!!! I am excited thats for sure and just want to be the best nurse I can be :)

I am really hard on myself when I make a mistake and I know its bound to happen. I remember my first mistake in clinical, I cried my eyes out.

jean333 · Nov 30, 2007

Okay so now I am getting a little freaked out. I went to work with my sister today to job shadow her. She has been working in a doctors office 3 months. She was teaching me how to draw blood on her and my hands were really shaking. Is this normal? Why am I so nervous? There was just so much to learn it was like being in school all over again. We did not learn how to draw blood, run the computer, patient referrals ect...I start Monday and I am scared, Is it normal to be scared on your first job?

Jean

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Nov 30, 2007

Yes. It's normal. I would worry about someone who is not at least a little scared. I remember when I first started, one time I had to hang a mini bag of some antibiotics on a patient. Simple task, right? But their family members showed up and were watching me, and I was really nervous, my hands were shaking, and I got tons of air in the tubing. It probably took a good fifteen minutes just to start a simple IV drip. Now it doesn't bother me at all to hang IVs or do flushes or IV push meds even with an audience. Confidence comes with experience and time.

eldragon · Nov 30, 2007

Congratulations on your first job!

I'm wondering, how come you weren't taught how to do venipuncture in school?

jean333 · Nov 30, 2007

They just never taught us. We did most of our clinical in a hospital and it was never part of it. There was a seperate course you could pay for to learn it, but with school and work, I never had time nor the extra money. Our instructor said it was very easy to learn and she could teach a monkey how to draw blood so I figured I would wait for my first job to learn it. They told me for the first two weeks that was mainly what they were going to have me do till I had it down. I guess I am scared of making mistakes and drving the other nurses nuts with all my questions. My sister said they would get really cranky with her because she asked so many questions at her first job.

Jean

eldragon · Nov 30, 2007

I'm in my last week of an LPN program, will graduate in two weeks and take my NCLEX in January, hopefully.

We had a venipuncture check-off in lab and one clinical day in an outpatient lab at a hospital.

I hated it. Honestly, I went in thinking it would be easy, but I missed more than I hit (the vein) and hated putting the needle so far in someone's arm!

I know I'll get used to that eventually, but I hate hurting people and everyone who came in for me to draw their blood, it seemed, was a fragile old person with rolling veins!

The first person who came in the lab that day refused to let a student (me) draw her blood, and perhaps that set me back on my confidence level. But after that, I got about 5 people who I couldn't hit the vein on. At the end of the day, I had only hit about 3 veins successfully.

I hated it.

The phlebotomist I worked with told me not to worry about it, because she said nurses are notoriously bad venipuncturists.

Anyway, that's my experience with drawng blood.

Butterflybee · Dec 5, 2007

:balloons:Congrats on your new job!!!:smiley_aa

blueberrybon · Dec 5, 2007

I'm pretty sure it is more the standard than the exception to feel nervous and anxious going into your first job as a nurse.

First of all, your whole being has been nervous and anxious for the last ??? many months/years. First just the whole getting into LPN school (no explanation need there), then the constant "oh my gosh, I have a test coming" studying until all hours, taking the test, then "oh my gosh, did I pass?" Then clinicals; "oh my gosh, what am I supposed to do now?" Trying to figure out the nursing process for this case and that, not to mention concept mapping. Then when all of the academic and clinical hurdles are cleared, theres the dreaded NCLEX!!! Study until all hours...."Did I pass?" Whew!

C'mon, you're used to being nervous and anxious. Now you just need to realize you did it! You made it! You're good enough, smart enough...or you wouldn't be where you are right now.

I felt like (and still do at times truth be told) I had a sign on my forehead that read "New nurse, sorry in advance". But I can't believe I've been a nurse now for nearly a year and for the most part, it's been great. I'm already switching to my third job, trying to find the right spot for me, but every place has co-nurses and other staff who enjoy new nurses and are wonderful teachers.

The absolute best of luck to you! I hope you LOVE it.

Blue