New and Nervous for Nursing

[Trinity_jewel19]

Hi all,

Right now I'm looking for a job as an LPN and I haven't practiced any skills since I've graduated in Jan 2011. I'm extremely unsure about going about a job because I'm not sure if i'll be handle it. *cough* I meant, if I'll be able to do my job "right."

I remember when the girls in my class could get their work done, with no problem while I always had an issue and would mess something up on the floor. I made so many mistakes it was crazy. I'm also a very nervous person who does things like space out, which doesn't help me at all.

My question is, how do you take on your first job as an LPN? Did you get trained in the facility, and what if you forgot something that you learned in school?

[Ella26, BSN, RN]

Hi Trinity_jewel19,

I have been an LPN for almost 3 years, but only full time for almost 2 years. After graduation I worked as a schedule coordinator for an interpreting agency full time and I worked on call only on weekends as an LPN at a Detox facility. I am always a ball of nerves when it comes to performing my duties as an LPN. That is why I did not get a full time LPN job right after graduation. I was scared I could not hack it in the "real nursing world". But I told my self I will never know until I work in it full time if I can do it or not. So I got a full time job at an Allergy/Asthma clinic where I have been for almost 2 years. I am also currently in a 1st semester of a 1 year ADN brigde program as well, so Im still learning an applying alot.

But anyway to answer your question at my first job (full time) I shadowed the other nurses for a few weeks as far at the skills like giving shots and stuff. They had this check off sheet and we went through stuff that I knew how to do like doing vitals. But for the skills like giving injections I had to "test out" before they would let me give real shots on patients. This may be different because I am in a clinic and each clinic has their own way of doing stuff. As far as forgetting stuff most of the stuff comes back to you once your in there it will start making sense. What stuff are you worried about forgetting?

[Trinity_jewel19]

When it comes to forgetting, I'm scared things will fly past my memory like, what certain drugs do and what to be careful to give them with, etc.

I'm also scared, I might forget how to do certain skills, and I don't know how to do every type of dressing.

I'm just scared a facility won't want me because I don't have experience, or that I might mess something up or forget to give a patient a medication, etc

[Ella26, BSN, RN]

Well I cant speak for other settings but I basically, room patients, do vitals, prescriptions refills per our facility protocol, administer allergy/asthma injections, nebulizer treatments, allergy testing, prior authorizations for meds, and pulmonary function testing. The one skill I do not know how to do is ear irrigation. We did not learn it in school and we do it so infrequently at our clinic that I do not know when Ill ever learn. But I have watched the other nurses do them and they talked me through it but I need to actually do it to remember it.

If you are worried about forgetting to give a med that would be hard to do if your at a clinic as I always know when some one is supposed to get their injections. I can see if you are working in long term care that you think you might forget to give the patient their meds or do dressing change or other treatments, but thats where you would prioritize or organize your day like at 8 am im going to check blood sugars of my 30 patients who ever is diabetic, right after that I will give insulin to whoever is going to breakfast and so on (im just guessing here I have not worked in a LTC facility as an LPN)You will follow a nurse and see her routine and see what works and what doesnt as far as time management and prioritizing, that is the key. At the clinics the doctor will tell you what shots/treatments he has ordered for you to do. And you just have to get them done before going on to the next patient so you dont forget.

I work in Allergy/Asthma so I know those meds specifically, if there is a med I am questionable about I go look it up. Dont be afraid to say I dont remember or I dont know what that is they couldnt have possibly taught you everything in school, you can say that and then say that you know where to familiarize your self with the med. you can also familiarize yourself with the most common meds in your area of practice and they common side effects and what they interact with. If its the skills you are afraid of, you can always practice them at home. Or make little cheat sheets about specific dressings or most common ones. You will never know everything. Does this help or what other questions do you have?