New Grad off of orientation....Struggling

[DH1234]

Last night I experienced my first night off of orientation. And I felt like I had no idea what I was doing. I kind of was overwhelmed the whole night, but it was not too bad because I had co-workers who helped me pass my meds. However, I felt bad because I do not want to be known as the person who can not finish her tasks and needs help all the time. I called my charge nurse a few times with questions to double check that I was doing everything right. I just have a hard time feeling confident with my abilities. I am also struggling with simple stuff like the best way to change a person who incontinent, and I help my PCT change patients but I usually let them take the reign until I learn how do it more efficiently since they know the best tricks. But I also do not want them to see me as incompetent either. Also, my hand off report was horrible, and that has always been a big struggle for me since I have started. Additionally, day shift and night shift nurses have like an unspoken hate towards each other. Because day shift is filled with more experience nurses compared to nights. They always complain that night shift leaves their patients a mess and that they do not do anything. And I am just scared that day shift is going to give me a reputation of giving bad reports, and I honestly do not want to be that night nurse day shift hates.

I am terrified to go to work every night because I am scared something bad is going to happen or I am going to make a serious mistake. Also, after my shifts I am always paranoid that I forgot to give a med or do an order. And sometimes I freak out because I remember that I forgot to document one turn or an output. Overall, I just feel like I am struggling, and some nights I already want to quit. But I am really trying to stick it out for 6 months because I heard it eventually gets better.

Do you have any advice for me? or words of encouragement?

[MountaineerFan57, BSN]

This too shall pass. Your feelings are very normal for a new nurse! Your charge nurse/coworkers are expecting you to have questions and need a little help here and there. It will get better.

You will find a routine, you will become more efficient. Things that I was terrified to do a year ago, I could now basically do with my eyes closed.

You will get better at giving report with time. Pay attention to how your coworkers give you report and try to follow the same pattern.

Hang in there. The first year, especially the first few weeks on your own, are hard. You will get there!

[AGN, ASN]

Hi guys. I just got a new job at RCU floor. Is there any advice? It will be my first job as an RN and I'm very nervous. I have English as my second language, shy person and I'm so stressed about making communication mistakes or something. Does anyone had the same fear?

Thank you

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Needing help the first night off orientation is not "Needing help all the time". Beware of all or nothing thinking. It isn't accurate. Don't believe everything your brain tells you.

You would be abnormal to not need help.

Being a brand new nurse is extremely humbling. Most of us are used to being pretty competent, especially if we were strong students with a decently high GPA and did well in clinicals.

Don't let yourself go down the rabbit hole of constantly worrying and wondering what other people think of you. Give yourself the same grace you would want someone else to extend you at this time in your life. You will get better but you have to give yourself time. You would not be angry or impatient with a baby who just learned how to walk because it wasn't running a week later.

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

Take a breath. If you felt like everything was great your first day off orientation, I would be shocked. I'm sure that something went well, think of at least one thing that you did well. Then, break down the other things into smaller learning opportunities. Take report. Do you have a sheet that you like to use? Can you make a comprehensive story for report? That's a good way to be sure you've covered everything. And for me, I used to ask the nurses when I was done, what else should I have told you or do you think was unnecessary? If you ask for feedback, most people should be willing to help. You can't do much about any dayshift/nightshift animosity, but you can approach dayshift with a positive attitude that shows you want to do your best, and most reasonable people respond in kind. As for providing patient care, and improving med administration, those things will come with time. Give yourself a break, it will all work out.