So, I am a new nurse and I just started working as a RN in May. I am working on a orthopedic/neurology unit that is VERY busy. Sometimes, it is almost unmanageable. I go into work feeling as though I have to vomit! I used to accept challenges with open arms and want to learn about everything, but now I feel dumb and defeated.
I go to work and most of the time with a negative attitude. I am in constant worry that my patient is going to crash and I won't know what to do. I feel that I know nothing and I am doing nothing for my patients. For instance, the other night I had a CRAZY patient load and most of the time on this unit I have to do my own orders for most people because there is only one unit cooridnator for 38 bed unit! I was running around like a crazy person trying to car for a patient in a lot of pain who was DTV and another with Pulmonary emolisms who was confused because her sodium was 125. I don't even have time to talk to my patients When I gave report to the next nurse she just gave me a lecture on all the stuff that I didn't do. Like bladder scan my PE lady because she was voiding frequent small amounts of 200, which I didn't have time to address because my other patients had more important issues.
I feel so dumb and useless. For a while I thought I was really getting the hang of things, but then I would do something stupid like miss a coumadin order or go home and realize I forgot to flush an IV. I feel like a failure and I don't know what to do. I just want to be a confident, good nurse and know how to handle stressful situations. I feel as if I want to avoid them at all costs because I don't think I can handle it. I am trying so hard and I try to get help and advice on situations and I get negative feedback from other nurses like "I should have known that." What do I do to handle situations better and not get so afraid? I just don't want to make mistakes. I just want to take care of my patients and go home at the end of the night feeling like I've done a good job. I feel like a horrible nurse.
I'm a new RN too and understand how you feel, Nursealanarae.
I work days on a medsurg floor, taking up to 7 patients and usually doing several discharges and admits in a shift. Fortunately, I'm working with a very supportive group of people, but still feel overwhelmed and manage to look like an moron at least once a day.
I know where everything is on the floor and how we do things, but when something out of the ordinary happens, I feel panicked and can't seem to remember anything I learned in school until after the fact, which does me no good during the critical moments.
I turn into a mumbling fool when talking to doctors, especially when I have to call them on the phone. When I don't know they answers to their questions, I feel like even more of an idiot.
I even had to write myself up for a med error this past week. The pt was fine, thank God.
Every day, I go in to work hoping that I will have all my stuff together when I talk to the docs, I won't make an error, and most importantly, that my patients will remain stable. I've never had a day yet where all 3 of these things happened, but I can still hope, eh?
i feel the exact same way. i have diarrhea before every shift. my bp is through the roof because i never know what i'm walking into. some nights are great, others are pure hell
Unfortunately it sounds like you are in a situation where instead of helping you figure out how to not make the same mistakes again the nurses around you are too busy putting you down. I have no advice about that, and my heart goes out to you there. The only thing I can think of is to try to find a couple of nurses whom you feel comfortable with and can ask for advice. Geesh, you are a new grad, you aren't supposed to know it all yet. We all came out of school knowing the very basics. Now is the time that we are learning not only more knowledge, but are trying to figure out time management and all the rest of the job. Everyone makes mistakes. EVERYONE. Don't waste energy on feeling bad about it. Use the energy to look and see where you can improve. Pick a goal for improvement for each shift, and think of ways to facilitate that improvement. You can do it, and making mistakes in the beginning doesn't make you a bad nurse. It makes you a new nurse!!:redpinkhe
Well said!!! Hang in there, Nursealanrae, you can do it. I'm also a new nurse. I've been on the floor for 4 weeks. I've had good and bad days. I believe 150% that "nurses eat their young". Not all, but some can be ruthless. Beachbum is right...you're a new nurse. You can't know everything right away. You'll become a more competent nurse. It takes time. I feel the same way...I want to be competent now. I stick to the motto I used throughout nursing school...YOU CAN DO IT!
I think EVERY single one of us feels exactly the way you feel!!!! I graduated in may and having been working as an RN since my boards in July. My first night was the worst nursing experience ever. Typical! And that was considering that I was being oriented by another nurse who was excellent. I drove home wondering what on earth I did by wasting my time and money going to RN school. I got home and just cried to my other half. Thankfully, I have not had another night like it since.
My advice is make sure you do WHATEVER is possible to save time through out the shift. ALWAYS ask as many questions as you need. EVEN if you think they are stupid. Ask other nurses what you need to do to make things go smoothly. I took all the advice and I have found myself saving so much time. I am no longer left trying to play catch up at the end of the night. I expect that I will continue to have crazy nights in the future but do what you can to save time NOW!!!
missninaRN
505 Posts
I'm a new RN too and understand how you feel, Nursealanarae.
I work days on a medsurg floor, taking up to 7 patients and usually doing several discharges and admits in a shift. Fortunately, I'm working with a very supportive group of people, but still feel overwhelmed and manage to look like an moron at least once a day.
I know where everything is on the floor and how we do things, but when something out of the ordinary happens, I feel panicked and can't seem to remember anything I learned in school until after the fact, which does me no good during the critical moments.
I turn into a mumbling fool when talking to doctors, especially when I have to call them on the phone. When I don't know they answers to their questions, I feel like even more of an idiot.
I even had to write myself up for a med error this past week. The pt was fine, thank God.
Every day, I go in to work hoping that I will have all my stuff together when I talk to the docs, I won't make an error, and most importantly, that my patients will remain stable. I've never had a day yet where all 3 of these things happened, but I can still hope, eh?