New nurse reality schock. Please help

[becky2241]

Hi my name is Becky I am a current nursing student and needed to talk to two different nurse graduates that are now out in the field working. The nurse has to be someone that has been in the field anywhere from 3mo to 3 yrs. The question we are to ask and write about is what kind of socialization to nursing did you receive after graduation, and if you experienced any reality shock. How long did the reality shock last, and did you recover from the shock. If so, how. Any all replies would be really appreciated. Thanks, Becky

[fiveofpeep]

The biggest reality shock for me was going from being the star student, first in class, always receiving positive feedback to the new nurse that is under the microscope and receives constant constructive and not so constructive criticism.

I started out confident--not cocky, but confident. After about a year, I lost a lot of confidence and didn't feel "special" anymore.

I think I was in a really unhealthy environment though as we lost more than 20 nurses in 18 months and couldn't get any experienced nurses to work there.

I have two years of experience in critical care.

[nurseclairebear]

Becky,

I am a new nurse, 6 months into my job on a med/surg unit, specializing in bariatrics. My orientation was 2 months of rotating throughout the different medical units of the hospital (adult only, no ER/no OB), where we were oriented by float pool RNs. At the end of the orientation we then had about 3 weeks on the unit we got placed on. In the midst of my orientation I switched from am's to pm's, which is not only a crazy different shift, but the coworkers were as well. The am shift RNs were very supportive and helpful, and although some pm shift RNs were supportive, I learned very quickly that I would have to be able to find out the answers i still had questions to on my own many times. Regardless of shift,

Doctors have been incredibly supportive and understanding for the most part - educating me when I have questions and establishing relationships where they know my name and ask me how I am doing regularly.

My manager and the clinical education specialist on my unit are incredibly supportive, if I needed anything or had any concerns I would definitely come to them. They've made it clear to me that they are in support of me and my continued education as I get comfortable in my new role.

Before graduating nursing school I believed that every patient would respect me for my knowledge and compassion, and that other nurses would be the same. Now that I've practically written a novel on here...the reality shock that I discovered was that a) most nurses seem burnt out in some aspect of the nursing profession and b) sometimes patients don't give nurses respect or importance and think that we simply do what the doctor orders us to do.

[becky2241]

Thank you so much for your time and responses. Becky