New grad nurse - how long did it take you to feel like you knew your job?

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I'm in my 2nd week of my first nursing job in the psych unit. I know the meds, their actions, etc. I wrote out notes to remind myself how to discharge patients, admit patients correctly, and do other things on the unit. The unit is friendly and don't mind helping me which is great but I hate that I can't remember how to discharge the patients on my own, admit patients. I haven't done it on my own yet but I still feel like I'm asking too many questions or like maybe I should know more now. How long did it take everyone to feel like you did your job at least competently?

Specializes in BMT.

About 9 months in I started realizing I was consistently eating lunch, meaning I had also mastered time management. That was my breakthrough moment.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

At about six months the next batch of new grads started. It helped me see how far I had come.

At about 15 months, I recognized that I was multitasking better, critically thinking through situations more and in general having a great deal less anxiety and stress.

It isn't really an "a-ha! NOW I am good!" thing - it happens in increments.

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Specializes in IMCU.

I knew I was ok when we had a complex, critical admission and the charge nurse said she’d prefer I take it rather than the less complicated one (she gave to a different nurse). That was the day I realized I had a clue. I was at 9 months and so pumped. Still I had tons to learn.

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Specializes in Adult Primary Care.

Almost one year!

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Back when I started in med surg, I don't entirely remember. I know I was super slow for at least 6 months. I probably was confident and vaguely competent within a year and a half and actually good at the job after maybe 3 years.

When I switched from med surg to critical care, I was useless for the first 3 months, pretty shaky for the next 3 after that, and semi competent in one year, though I'm sure the years I had already put into med surg substantially sped up that process. I probably wasn't good at the job until about 2 or 3 years in.

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