New grad, needing encouragement!

[hettink]

Oh my gosh. I have worked my first ever shift as a nurse on my own. I had 5 days of training but 4 of them were night shift and I am working day shift now. I feel like I don't know anything about anything! It is so overwhelming. I know this is a normal feeling but how do I survive this stage in my career?

[amo96]

I am in the same boat, one shift under my belt and my orientation was cut short by a week... I left work crying my first day because I was terrified I had forgotten something important or made an error. I'm very overwhelmed... Feeling anxiety all the time and trying to keep it together.

[RN 033]

I just started at a LTC last week also. They asked if I would cut short my training by two days and I said no. I'm taking the full 8 days I was told I would get. I mean, really? 58 residents!!! I'm the only night shift nurse for 58 patients with just two CNAs. It's not my fault they can't schedule with the employees that they already have.

[mzwest83]

Feeling the same way. I am still in training right not if that what you want to call it. I do all the med pass and charting while she sits behind a desk. I cry to work and when I go home because I am so over whelmed i am afraid I did something wrong or forgot something.

[PediatricRNTX]

Just left my first job after one yr...prayer is what helped me through and guided me to a new job...praying this one is better

I got a full training, but I worked ALONE at nt with sick children as soon as I finished my last orientation day. Scary and risky.

[Julia77063]

It's completely normal to feel the way you do. I have been a RN for over 10 years and I still remember my first job and how I had to ask for a different preceptor to get the best experience. You are human; if you weren't anxious that would be kinda scary. My suggestion is if you have a question or question an order, ask it? Good luck in your career!

[al586]

I agree that it is perfectly normal to feel the way you do right now. I would be worried if you didn't have concerns! I still do!

If you don't know something, ASK. Don't worry that you should should already know the answer, or that you will appear "stupid." It will make you a better nurse in the long run.

Also, I have found time management and prioritizing essential. When coming on day shift, I try to find out during report which residents are diabetic (they may need accuchecks & insulin before breakfast & lunch), how each person takes their pills, which residents leave the floor for meals (so I can be sure to give them meds before they leave), who has labs & appointments that day, who has IVs running, emergent conditions and so on. After a quick check on any emergent patients, I go for the diabetics & residents who leave the floor first. That way, I don't have to chase them all over the facility to give them what they need. If there's time, I'll flip through the treatment book and mark who needs what treatments. I also systemically mark off each resident on my list as I give them their meds, noting the ones I will need to return to later. ( Each nurse has their own way of noting this - I use a highlighter to block off only the room number if I need to return, or block off both the room number & the resident's name if I don't need to give them any more meds.) I then assist feeding, do charting, some treatments, etc. Then, I do my second pass, remaining treatments & charting.

Of course, the inevitable SNAFUs will through a monkey wrench in my system on a daily basis...falls, changes in condition, a barrage of orders, and so on, so I try to remain flexible.

I hope this helps!