New grad on busy med surg floor needing some advice.

[CM91]

I recently graduated nursing school in May of this year and I'm now working on a med surg floor at a smaller hospital. I was with a preceptor for 6 weeks and just recently started working alone a couple of weeks ago. I have 5 pts every day and feel totally overwhelmed to the point where all I do is stress about work (even when I'm at home). I just constantly feel behind, like I'm never going to get all of my charting done, and like I'm going to miss something with one of my pts. I feel that I am doing everything in my power to be a better nurse but I always feel so behind and overwhelmed. They say it gets better but it isn't. Any advice would be greatly appreciated... I dont know what I am going to do if it doesn't get better...

[TruvyNurse]

Welcome to Med Surg! I promise it gets better! It's the toughest job you'll ever love. I felt unorganized until I made a brain sheet for my patients. Between med passes and treatments I'd research their case. Review their labs, understand doctors orders. I tried to think ahead so I could multitask in one trip to a patients room instead of 5 times. Just keep swimming!!