My 1st LPN job!!!! Night shift...FREAKING out!!

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Hi! So, long story short... I graduated from nursing school last May but didn't get up the nerve to take my boards until THIS past March! I passed on the 1st try and feel SO dumb for waiting so long. I had some other reasons as well which included getting promoted to a full time position at the group home that I worked for during chool and my hubby REALLY needing health insurance. This thing is I am SO scared that I have totally lost my clinical skills?! I mean, at the group home, I was med certified to pass oral meds and stuff like that BUT it's been OVER a year since doing anything like injections or straight cath's and that sort of thing! What if I SUCK?!?! What if I can't remember everything?! Am I being paranoid?!

Also, I will be working the night shift. I think that won't be too much of an issue as I am by nature more of a night owl BUT I could use any advice/tips from you night shift nurses would be willing to offer!?

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You will orient with another nurse on your job. You should have plenty of opportunities to give insulin injections, straight cath for urine samples, and perform other tasks that you are currently rusty on. PLEASE ask for help and supervision if you don't feel comfortable with a task. Most nurses are happy to hover as you perform. A big plus ~ VOLUNTEER to help others with the things you aren't comfortable doing, you'll not only ease another's burden, you'll gain experience. Practice makes perfect ~ I do hope that your coworkers will be helpful to you.

Remember the Golden Rule. .....the second Golden Rule is CYB!

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Specializes in Med-Surg/urology.

I know how you feel ! It took two months for me to find a job & I wasn't reviewing my skills like I should of during that time. I had to give an IM Haldol injection on friday at my job, and I wasn't amiliar with the process (slow push, don't aspirate, etc..) so I asked another nurse and the DON for assistance (she's really helpful). If your uncomfortable with things, there will be people around to ask. You can even review by using your old books (which is what I've been doing), and watching videos on youtube will help too.

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Ask for help. I tell new grads/new employees this over and over. If you don't know ask. I also suggest looking though your old nursing books, study guides, etc. You will remember things that you think you forgot. Congrats on passing!

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Thanks for your kind words! So far so good at the new job. Everyone seems really nice & cool and work together quite well! Let's just hope it's the same on the night shift. I won't know for sure for another 2 weeks since that will be the last week of my orientation. BTW, they also had us go offsite to do a "lab" style competency assesment where we had to do catheters, trach care/ suctioning & G-tube insertion on the mannequins, lol! I passed all the stations with 100%!!! Go me,!! = )

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Specializes in hospice, HH, LTC, ER,OR.

You will be fine. I agree with everyone else, ask for help. Review skills online or read about them,I keep a procedures book with me at all times. Learn at much as you can about your residents from CNAs and nurses. Most of these patiens know how to pull the wool over a newbie nurses eyes. Keep a notebook on patients that you need to chart on, follow up on, or whatever it is that was given in report.

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