New Nurse on Med Surg Floor

[nurseofdragons]

Good Morning! I am a new nurse. I graduated in January with my Associates degree and started my first job in May. I have never worked in a hospital before this. I am on a med surg floor because everyone said to start with med surg because of the experience and learning you obtain. I have been there a total of 3 months now (9 weeks with my preceptor) and I am going till mid august with my preceptor still to get more time and go down to see cath lab and online learning things and so on. Basically I have all 5 or 6 patients by myself but my preceptor does help me a lot with reminding me about a lab we need to check for results and letting me know I have new orders put in the computer and so on. I feel like a complete moron every day I go to work. I love my preceptor and she is wonderful but I also feel like she helps me too much. Like I have been there 3 months I should be able to remember to check my orders and be on top of it but I am not. I just feel so unorganized and I feel like I am stressed and running around all day. I am so task oriented and I want to know more about my patients, I want to have more time to look up things to help me better understand my patients and understand their plan of care but there is no time. I am always charting at the end of the day, I can't keep up and I feel like I drowning most of the time. It bothers me so much because I always did good in school and I am normally very organized. I wanted to do nursing to help people an I feel like I am so unsafe. I know everyone says it takes a year to feel comfortable but I feel like I should be farther along. I don't know how to explain it but I am so unsure of myself and not being confident doesn't help. I overanalyze everything and am so paranoid about the smallest things and then I feel like I miss the big things. All the paperwork drives me bonkers. I just feel like I am never going to get better and maybe this isn't for me. I feel like I am behind and I take forever to do anything. I just need some guidance. Sorry for the long thread I just really need to get out my feelings.

P.S. I have nightmares about work all the time and wake up in a panic. Is this normal?!

[nolegirl96]

I also just started a new med/surg job because I took a break from my short career in the OR and needed a foot in the door to get back to Surgery. I feel the same way you do. I will be working nights but am orienting to days first, and every day I go into work I feel like Im about to make a million mistakes and am so behind that Im still charting after we give report. And this is only with 3 patients!! How can I feel more confident and organized?? I feel your pain. Im in the same boat right now. I will have at least twice the number of patients at night and am really nervous. I understand completely!! 😉

[Levitas, BSN, RN]

As many of mentioned, this type of anxiety associated with our position is quite common, especially if you're still relatively new.

I've been in Med/Surg for about 18 months now, and though my anxiety levels are no where near as high as when I first embarked on my own, I honestly still have a panic attack now and again. (I realize that this isn't healthy, I am going to see a physician next week to talk about it.)

Point being, it does get easier. You do get faster, more organized, and you're able to stay on top of your patients' conditions, labs, and even interpersonal issues.

Even with less than 2 years of experience, I am a preceptor. I tell my orientee, as well as the other new nurses, to try and not sweat the small stuff. I always tell them, as well as myself, whilst doing patient care, focus on what you can do at that moment, and worry about the future when it comes around. Focus on priority of patient needs, and work your way down the list. Once you get the hang of controlling what you can control, not sweating everything at once, and priority of patient care, I feel like the rest comes along with experience, and time. This way, your patients stay safe, and you stay sane, which sometimes is all we can do at the end of the day.

Don't succumb to the stress. At times you might feel small, and inept, but I assure you that certainly isn't the case. There are people relying on you, so you have to take care of yourself in order to take care of those who need you. You're likely doing a lot better than you imagine you're doing. Keep it up! Stay positive, if you can. You'll make it :)