New Nurse, what did I get myself into...

richardgecko · Sep 20, 2014

So you hadn't ever taken a pt on your own prior to getting your first job? Like in your final clinical rotation?

ColorfulStethoscope · Sep 20, 2014

I was in the OR for my final clinical rotation, and the OR is VERY different from bust floor nursing. In my last semester of nursing I had taken on two pts by myself, but we weren't able to do all of their meds, input orders into the computer, call doctors/chain of command, or do much of anything (due to the clinical instructor having 8 students to watch over). I feel like nursing school taught you how to be a nurse assistant, not a real RN.

SubSippi · Sep 20, 2014

By your third day, you should be able to take on at LEAST one patient on your own. It's okay not to be perfect, but if you're having a hard time with IV pumps and computer charting, start taking notes.

Work on getting a thicker skin...you WANT your preceptor to point out each tiny little error you've made. This is much more preferable to someone who answers questions, but gives virtually no feedback.

Remember, her job isn't to make you feel good, it's to make sure you can safely practice on your own. Niceness (although definitely preferable) is a bonus.

You'll figure everything out soon enough. Just keep your chin up, ask questions, and find out how to answer your questions yourself, too (policies/procedures).

richardgecko · Sep 20, 2014

I was in the OR for my final clinical rotation, and the OR is VERY different from bust floor nursing. In my last semester of nursing I had taken on two pts by myself, but we weren't able to do all of their meds, input orders into the computer, call doctors/chain of command, or do much of anything (due to the clinical instructor having 8 students to watch over). I feel like nursing school taught you how to be a nurse assistant, not a real RN.

I understand that but tbh the hand holding period is over. Like Subsippi said, you gotta get a thicker skin and try to be a step ahead of her.

Mr. Murse · Sep 20, 2014

When I hear new nurses say things like this, I always wonder what your previous work experience was. Are you young and this is your first "real" job? or are you an older person for whom this is a second career or have at least been in the work force for a while?

I assume you're in the first category, because most people that have been working for a while have had crappy trainers somewhere along the line and don't take them so seriously. Not that there's anything wrong with being young and new, it would just affect what advice I would give you.

First of all, I'd say don't start looking for a new job yet. For one thing, you really need the experience. It won't look good if you're trying to find a new job and basically your only reason for leaving your old one is that your preceptor intimidated you. It's not her job to be nice to you, although it is preferable, but it is probably a good thing that you're getting a new preceptor. Wait and see how that goes. Don't let anyone intimidate you. If someone reprimands you for not knowing something simply point out that you're still learning. Politely stand up for yourself without being confrontational. Some people take longer to catch on to things, which may be the case with you, or your preceptor just sucked at teaching, plain and simple.

I precept often and with each preceptee I have to adjust the way I teach them and my expectations of them. Some people are not able to adjust like that. Also, honestly, it's stressful having a brand new nurse to train, and maybe that particular nurse just isn't good with the added stress of training newbies. I'll admit, I've had preceptees before that made me wonder, "how in the world did you not learn that in nursing school?" Some nurses just believe in "eating their young" too, and sort of giving you a trial by fire because nursing will test even the most seasoned and experienced among us. I will admit though, that even as a brand new nurse you should be able to handle one patient. We learn that in clinicals, even if your last rotation was in the OR. Not saying you won't have questions along the way, but you should be able to handle it.

So take the opportunity to grow some thick skin now because you will face similarly stressful and trying situations for the rest of your career. Trust me on that one. You will have difficult coworkers, patients, family members, and even management that will make you question your abilities and doubt yourself in many ways, and this will never completely go away. You have to learn to roll with the punches, learn from them, and move on. This is your first test in the real world. Embrace it and learn from it.

ColorfulStethoscope · Sep 20, 2014

When I hear new nurses say things like this, I always wonder what your previous work experience was. Are you young and this is your first "real" job? or are you an older person for whom this is a second career or have at least been in the work force for a while?
I assume you're in the first category, because most people that have been working for a while have had crappy trainers somewhere along the line and don't take them so seriously. Not that there's anything wrong with being young and new, it would just affect what advice I would give you.
First of all, I'd say don't start looking for a new job yet. For one thing, you really need the experience. It won't look good if you're trying to find a new job and basically your only reason for leaving your old one is that your preceptor sucked and intimidated you. It's probably a good thing that you're getting a new preceptor. Wait and see how that goes. Don't let anyone intimidate you. If someone reprimands you for not knowing something simply point out that you're still learning. Politely stand up for yourself without being confrontational. Some people take longer to catch on to things, which may be the case with you, or your preceptor just sucked at teaching, plain and simple.
I precept often and with each preceptee I have to adjust the way I teach them and my expectations of them. Some people are not able to adjust like that. Also, honestly, it's stressful having a brand new nurse to train, and maybe that particular nurse just isn't good with the added stress of training newbies. Some nurses just believe in "eating their young" too, and sort of giving you a trial by fire because nursing will test even the most seasoned and experienced among us. I will admit though, that even as a brand new nurse you should be able to handle one patient. We learn that in clinicals, even if your last rotation was in the OR. Not saying you won't have questions along the way, but you should be able to handle it.
So take the opportunity to grow some thick skin now because you will face similarly stressful and trying situations for the rest of your career. Trust me on that one. You will have difficult coworkers, patients, family members, and even management that will make you question your abilities and doubt yourself in many ways, and this will never completely go away. You have to learn to roll with the punches, learn from them, and move on. This is your first test in the real world. Embrace it and learn from it.

Thanks for the advice. This is my first career and I would fit into the first category you explained. So other than having bad clinical instructors or Nurses I have had to deal with in school, this is all brand new to me. I have heard the term that nurses try to eat their young, not all of them but some do.

I completely understand that shes not going to hold my hand every step of the way and baby me, I never expected her to do that, but I did expect her to take more time and show me the correct procedures and protocols of how the shift is run... maybe I shouldn't have expected that, so that is my fault.

So people are just not good teachers, I think everyone experiences that at some point in their life, or some teaching styles just don't mesh well with some learning styles.

I don't plan to quit, I really wanted this job and I want to be successful at it. It is a day position, which is much busier than the night shift, and our patients are much more critical than a general med-surg floor. So I am not entirely sure if I maybe should have started on a general med-surg floor to get more experience and then possibly came to this floor that I am currently on, which is much more critical.

I agree I should be able to handle one pt, and I can handle one pt. I guess where I get confused is with the paper chart, and the computer chart that the place I work uses. It is not user friendly and often confuses me, let alone trying to decipher the doctors writing is another task all in itself.

Granted it is my inexperience that has causes me to be hard on myself, nothing my preceptor has done. Shes a fantastic nurse, and anyone who is in the hospital would be lucky to have her as their nurse.

I guess I just need to work on having thicker skin like everyone has said.... nursing isn't for the faint of heart.

flyersfan88 · Sep 20, 2014

In addition to what everyone else has said, your preceptor is not the only person you're allowed to ask for help. If you're sitting down to chart and have a question about the emr, I'm sure another nurse would answer it for you. If you're in a room programming a pump and see someone walking by, it won't kill you to peek your head out and ask for help for a minute. Read the policy book on your own down time too....don't sit and wait for someone to point these things out to you.

For what it's worth, I just got done my first week on my floor too. I chose to take the "sink or swim route"....figuring out on my own how to give report to other facilities, paging docs, etc etc. You can't sit and wait for direction ALL of the time.

ColorfulStethoscope · Sep 20, 2014

In addition to what everyone else has said, your preceptor is not the only person you're allowed to ask for help. If you're sitting down to chart and have a question about the emr, I'm sure another nurse would answer it for you. If you're in a room programming a pump and see someone walking by, it won't kill you to peek your head out and ask for help for a minute. Read the policy book on your own down time too....don't sit and wait for someone to point these things out to you.
For what it's worth, I just got done my first week on my floor too. I chose to take the "sink or swim route"....figuring out on my own how to give report to other facilities, paging docs, etc etc. You can't sit and wait for direction ALL of the time.

Very true, I should start using other resources besides just my preceptor. So thank you for that. There isn't much down time on the floor that I am on, so unless I stay after my shift to look up different policies and procedures there isn't much time to do that.

Thank you for the advice though, it is appreciated.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Sep 20, 2014

I was in the OR for my final clinical rotation, and the OR is VERY different from bust floor nursing. In my last semester of nursing I had taken on two pts by myself, but we weren't able to do all of their meds, input orders into the computer, call doctors/chain of command, or do much of anything (due to the clinical instructor having 8 students to watch over). I feel like nursing school taught you how to be a nurse assistant, not a real RN.

What is blazes is wrong with hospitals and nursing schools?

You got out of nursing school without ever taking a patient yourself and doing meds? Don't hospitals offer any orientation where nurses are just in the classroom and learn about the equipment, policies and paper work? Are thye not even doing denreal oreintation wehere you learn aobut how to call a code, HIPAA, evacuation, and safety procedures? Where is the educator that is supposed to be watching out for the new grads? Have you received no formal orientation at all to the floor? I am so sorry.

ON that same note you cannot expect that everything will be taught in your learning style. You will need to learn how to adapt to different learning styles. Hospitals no longer invest in training nurses to precept new nurses which is sad for it leaves the new grad at a disadvantage. Unfortunately they do not take that into account. ((*HUGS))

The first year is the hardest!!!! It will come in time. Organization is key do you have a good brain sheet?

Muser69 · Sep 20, 2014

If this is your first job you should have at LEAST 12 weeks orientation. First week or so you should do nothing but observe. Not take a patient , give meds, chart. Only observe. Then you can take one patient for at least 6-8 weeks. This job doesn't seem to be doing you any favors. I would get frustrated. I feel bad for you.

Nurse Leigh · Sep 20, 2014

I'm with Esme; as I read the OP, my first thought was why in the world are you being tossed onto a floor without a general hospital nurse orientation where you learn how to use that particular hospital's types of pumps, glucose meters, etc as well as time in a computer lab learning to navigate the charting system. You should also have had a more general orientation with all new staff about general hospital policies, meet some upper hospital admin, and the like. By the time we got on the floor with our preceptor, we at least a measure of comfort that we used as a starting point. Wow, it's been a few years since I was a new grad, and heaven knows my facility had a lot of issues (mainly chronic understaffing) but I think I lucked out and started before the decline because I had a decent start to my nursing career. So sorry that has not been the case for you. ********This may sound silly, but is there anyway you can look up things like your brand of iv pumps online and read over some info on them? Also, if you look something up in your policies and procedures, you may want to print and keep a copy of some of the more intricate and confusing p&ps. Also, if you weren't provided with such a list, make your own with the phone numbers of people and depts you're likely to need. Good luck as you go forward.