New grad in the CVICU

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jul 17, 2016

Hello everyone!
I am a recent grad and have started working in a CVICU. I had been hired on the unit about six months ago for an individual internship through school that I needed to complete in my final semester. During those six months I worked two to four shifts per week and learned the basics as my clinical experiences really didn't give me any chance to practice nursing skills. I felt that this helped me out a lot, as I learned the layout of the unit, as well as the staff that worked there.
Since starting as a new grad however, I feel as though I have taken a giant step backwards. I've talked to the other new grads that were hired with me, and some have told me they also feel they are struggling to keep up. I've talked to seasoned nurses, my preceptor, management, newer nurses...anyone I can think of to get any type of advice on how I can push through this wall I've hit.
Right now I am finding that the biggest thing I am struggling with is time management, delegation, and prioritizing. There are also situations where I just have no idea what to do. For example my patient's blood sugar was low, and all I could think was "That's a low blood sugar....what do I do about that?". It makes me feel incredibly self conscious, and I know that I need to be patient, but I also need to find out what works best for everyone! What tips/tricks do you have for a new grad nurse starting in an ICU about time management, delegation, and prioritization?
I appreciate any and all feedback!

It's normal for new grads to feel as though they're struggling to keep up, as if you've taken a giant step backwards, as if you're the dumbest nurse in the world. As a preceptor, I'd be seriously worried about a new grad who didn't feel that way!

You've taken a gigantic step from student to nurse. It's your license now, and your patient. The responsibility is overwhelming. Don't let it overwhelm you.

You're with a preceptor, you're still learning. So relax and LEARN. Of course you're struggling with time management, delegation and prioritizing. We all did. But you're learning. Every day, you're learning something new and becoming more comfortable with an "old" task. The more you learn, the more you find out you don't know, and that's what we WANT to see. A new grad who realizes how little she actually knows is a much safer nurse than one who is overly confident.

Keep learning and asking questions. And feel free to PM me . . . the preceptor in me always loves to help.