New Nurse Blues

[Ashlee-SN]

Hi everyone!! I am a new nurse (2wks out of orientation on a Renal floor and I just want to know if what I'm experiencing is normal as a new grad nurse because @ times I just feel overwhelmed and discouraged.

I recently got out of a 6 week orientation program , 2 of which was just getting information about the hospital itself. On average I have 6 pts. I get behind on medication delivery, constantly forget things,ask bunch of questions ( which probably annoys my co- works, but they never say anything they are so nice but I know it's hard having to help me and deal with their own pts). My handoff reports suck, I often wake up( I work the night shift) and realize stuff I forgot to tell the day nurse. Today I just realize I forgot to put in a clear liquid diet in the orders... I transcribe the order during shift change, even told the day shift the nurse that the diet was changing but never put it in. My coworkers tell me I'm doing OK and just be confident and everything will fall in place; just hate feeling incompetent @ times.

I hate to even complain/ rant because I know how hard it is to find a job esp as a new nurse. Just need to vent a little frustration.

[perioddrama]

There's always a learning curve transitioning from classroom to work place. Keep your head up! You are learning lots, even though you may not think it. Just stay positive! Your co-workers (hopefully) are always there to help you in case you have any questions.

You can do it! :)

[Palliative Care, DNP]

The first few months post graduation are absolute hell for everyone. I have never seen anyone just walk into a unit and feel like a pro. Just keep plugging away. Work on your time management and slowly but surely you will get better and more confident. The biggest thing if you do not know ASK! Going rogue is never the answer. Nursing is not a profession where you can guess.

[anotherone, BSN, RN]

your experience really sounds typical enough. most likey it will get a bit more better as you learn more , and get faster with the tasks- that is a huge deal.

[PRNketamine7, BSN, RN]

You Should look into the book Reality Shock. It is perfectly normal to feel the way you are. Keep your chin up.

[Bubwa]

Being a new nurse is hard. I would cry after work pretty consistently for the first couple months. It will get better as you gain knowledge and experiences to draw from. Ask as many questions as you can and if other nurses get irritated, oh well. Better to be safe than not ask questions and put your pts. at risk. When I first started as a nurse I would ask other nurses who seemed efficient, what they did to "stay on track". You can do it! Stick with it and be patient with yourself. Best of luck.

[Nurse2b7337]

I'm sure you're doing fine!! Sometimes we are our own worst critic. Hang in there you're supposed to be there and you're doing what you love. It'll all work out. :)

[Merlyn]

It is normal and it will get better the longer you work.

[Mandychelle79, ASN, RN]

As another new nurse, been working the floor for 7 months, you sound like me my first oh 5.5 months. For whatever reason after my 6 month review I kinda feel like things that were so hard/frustrating and time consuming are becoming second nature. It is a sharp learning curve.

[Merlyn]

Mandychelle79 said:

As another new nurse, been working the floor for 7 months, you sound like me my first oh 5.5 months. For whatever reason after my 6 month review I kinda feel like things that were so hard/frustrating and time consuming are becoming second nature. It is a sharp learning curve.

Welcome to nursing. Love post like this. Nurses becoming nurses.

[wanderlust99]

I think the first year is the toughest, maybe even year 2 had some struggles. I started in ICU though. I remember in nursing school, one of the nurses I was with told me it took her 5 years to *really* feel comfortable, and after being a nurse for 7 years now I have to agree with her. Not to the extent of being a new grad nurse, but yea it takes awhile.

Also so is it only 4 weeks orientation on the actual floor? That is really short, so of course you are flustered! You will find as you go that you are getting the same types of patients (hopefully) with the same diets, meds, and plans of care..so you will learn what to expect and that will make it much much easier, I promise! And for giving report and forgetting to transcribe an order, I always write everything down...otherwise I will forget, guaranteed. You will find your own cheat sheet/brain in your career that works for you. I use different colored pens to write down important things and any changes I write down in red. When giving report I always read what I wrote down in the AM and any other notes I have..PMH, then head to toe: neuro, cv, resp, gi/gu, access, skin, labs, plan.

[Riverrat2010]

I also had a very short orientation period, (3 wks departmental, 1 week general hospital information) that lacked formal structure. I have been constantly struggling with time management for the last five months. I was recently assigned a mentor for two days to help streamline my routine. I discovered that I had been charting too much/too often and I was also given some tips for disengaging from a patient after their immediate needs have been met. I can't tell you how much better I feel about going to work now. I hope you can also find someone to help you manage the overwhelming stress we feel as new nurses.