2nd career, new nurse to med-surg and need help

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I've posted this in an older thread, but thought this may get more replies..

Definitely need help here.....I've just become an RN after a long career in another field. I've just been hired to start on a med-surg floor and have now completed my 6th shift with my preceptor.

I'm very frustrated with myself and can't help but think that my preceptor is going crazy, even though I continually get positive feedback.

I'm finding that there is so much to "take in" throughout the day, while I normally keep up, I know it's only because I have someone "holding my hand".

I feel as though I'm always asking some of the same questions before it finally "sinks in", while I know I'm slow because I'm scared to death that I'm about to kill my patient by giving the wrong med, wrong time, etc.

During hand-off there seems to be so much info given that much of the info starts to get lost on me, and I feel as though I'm shutting down before I even start the day.

I really want to succeed at this, but am wondering if the stress of this is worth it at my age.

Any advice out there?

Thanks in advance

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Floor nursing is demanding. Maybe working as a nurse in a doctor's office would be less stressful.

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I'm also a new nurse in my 2nd career! I've had many of the same feelings. I can tell you it does get better. I have 2 more shifts w my preceptor and then I'm on my own. I still feel like I have a million things to learn and I'm a bit scared to fly solo. But if I compare myself now to that first month on the floor I have come a long way!! It definitely is not easy and there is so much to learn but if your preceptor is giving you good feedback trust it and continue working hard! Mine told me I was slow but I was too afraid of making a mistake to speed up too much and I find myself getting quicker as time goes on. I also just started on night shift which I find much better for learning! as the nurses on my floor keep telling me I won't be all alone after preceptorship and will have support. Luckily it seems to be a great group of nurses and I would feel comfortable asking 99% of them a question. Hope yours is a good group too! I keep telling myself I had to work hard to do well in school and if I can do that I should be able to do this. But it's a struggle to stay positive some days when I feel like I'm only getting by bc my preceptor keeps me on track! Good luck!

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Keep your chin up and keep plugging away. I was you a year ago and wondering what I had gotten myself into.

They say it takes 6 mos to a year for a new grad nurse to start feeling somewhat comfortable. I know it may feel like you are overwhelmed at times, but things will gradually fall into place, you'll start to get a feel for the "flow" of your unit, you'll learn where things are and not feel so lost, and one day everything will just click. Yes, it sucks getting to that point, but it is in the rough patches where you will truly learn about yourself and this nursing career we all chose. My preceptor was worried I couldn't handle the patient load in the early part of my orientation. Now, here, a year later I'm taking on 6 patients on a busy Med/Surg floor where we are lucky to have PCT much less a unit secretary most days. It's still challenging, but I've learned more in this one year than in all my years of schooling, and the compliments I get from the good and even some of the bad pts (lol) confirm my decision to pursue this profession.

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

It will get easier. I am second career (nurse for almost 4 years) but at first when they start throwing around acronyms that you don't know, it is hard, I still struggle when I have off service pts (I am in ortho)

When we get float nurses, they struggle because we have abbreviations that make NO sense at all.

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Katycar,,,, You have stated exactly what I'm feeling. I'm half way through my preceptorship, and yes, things are getting better. However, I also feel as though I'm only surviving because my preceptor has kept me on-track.

I'm always concerned about making a mistake, that I catch myself checking, double-checking, and sometimes triple checking whatever I'm doing.

My biggest hurdle is catching up with whatever new orders the Dr. has prescribed or inserting new orders and all the other "little things" that need to be done. It gets overwhelming.

But, I just keep going in with a positive attitude that I'm learning something new each day....and hoping to survive.

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