new nurse woes

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I realized today that nursing school taught me about 1 /100000 of what I need to know to be the nurse that I want to be. I left feeling inadequate today. I know it'll take time but I sure wish I could be like the other nurses on the floor who make it all look so easy. I am still on orientation so I know I can't be that hard on myself. Today I still only took a fifteen minute break and left fifteen minutes late and that was only with two patients!!! Well, tomorrow I want to ask to only have one but I am not sure if that'll make me look bad. I just want to have one patient, maybe more acute but that I can actually think through everything I do to understand it. I feel like I am learning a lot skill wise but am having a hard time understanding everything from start to finish. Ahh, its so much fun!

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I think what you are feeling is normal! I am about 8 weeks into my first job and I sometimes wonder if I will ever have it together. There are a lot of threads in this forum about the first year, reading them has made me feel a lot better. If the first year of nursing were easy and routine there wouldn't be a whole forum dedicated to it.

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Specializes in retail NP.

i think we all feel like this. overwhelmed, scared that we aren't picking it up fast enough. talk to your preceptor about these issues. ask her for time management/organization advice. that's what i do when i feel like i'm over my head.

we'll get through this.

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Specializes in LTAC, Homehealth, Hospice Case Manager.

It does get better. I'm 6 mos. into my first job & here's an example to give you hope...

I had 6 very high acuity pts yesterday & it was crazy to say the least! 4 out of 6 were vent pts, 2 got moved, but I still had them on my assignment. I had 2 in isolation, lost 2 IV lines, one kept bradying down into the 40's, 3 had extensive wound care, only 1 had po meds...the rest were crushed & put through g-tubes, multiple piggy back's & 2 stat meds, 3 had scheduled narcs (if you knew our set up for that, you'd go :eek: !). I didn't get any assessments charted until after 2:00 (which I don't like doing it that way, but...) I didn't get report til 8:00 & didn't get going til 8:30. I had no lunch & one pee break. I was surprised that I managed to have everything done by 10 min after 7 & clocked out at 7:45.

Anyway, the time management thing will come & you will begin to find something of a comfort zone. Just keep the faith & know that you CAN do this!!!! All my best to you! :icon_hug:

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Specializes in acute medical.

I'm interested in the new grad programme there, as it sounds so different to our own...

1. How long are you mentored

2. Do you begin having your own patients straight away?

3. How many patients do you start off with?

4. How long is your supernumerary period for?

5. Do you have rotations to different areas/wards or do you specialise in one area?

That being said, I find it quite hard as well to pick up what is expected, as there is so much to learn. And I found that my uni training in some things were behind the times, which didn't help...

I'm on a surg ward at the moment, but I'm moving on to paeds next, and am really nervous because I feel like I'm going to be walking into another world...

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Specializes in LTAC, Homehealth, Hospice Case Manager.

Answering from my own experience only:

1. 19 weeks with a preceptor (all new grads where I work get this).

2. & 3. I had my own pts, but my preceptor was there if I needed her. She started me off with 1 & within 4 weeks she had me taking 4.

4. If you mean probationary, it was 90 days.

5. I work in a specialty hospital, the only other area we have is CCU & I have not worked in the unit.

After reading through the forums, I've found that the grad programs are different in different ares. My program started us off in a class room our first week, some don't. Some hospitals don't even have a grad program. It just depends on where you work. The grad programs were one of the main things I looked at when it came time to find a job. I wanted one with a good program...I wanted a good foundation.

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Well, I have some woes, 6 months into my nursing grad program and I still feel inadequate. Some colleagues and how they approach you, to tell you you didnt do something right or just didnt give a medication because I didnt realise it was written up, they sometimes dont have a nice tact. The workloads have been somewhat unbearable and going home feeling like i have AF. I have advised my boss about this and during the week my pt load has improved. As I used to get heavys and others had a breeze of a day. Anyways, to manage time management is hard concept especially on a busy cardiac ward. Things can change on a ward and you really gotta be prepared for the change.

:uhoh21:

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this is what it's like for me,

1. How long are you mentored- I have a mentor, but i don't work with her, she just make sure i'm ok and that I'm booked onto all the basic training

2. Do you begin having your own patients straight away? yes first day

3. How many patients do you start off with? 8-9, same as any other nurse

4. How long is your supernumerary period for? meant to be 2 weeks, but i didn't have a single day

5. Do you have rotations to different areas/wards or do you specialise in one area? no i stay on the same ward

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Specializes in geriatric, hospice, med/surg.

Nursing is one of those professions where you also must study constantly to just keep up with everchanging technological advances. Medications are new every six months to a year, biotechnology is always kicking out new and improved ways of monitoring or measuring this or that, etc. You'll get up to speed eventually...just be patient and remember that all good nurses learn each and every day at work. If they don't, they're not being challenged enough.

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Specializes in Med Surg/Tele/ER.

I graduated in May & sometimes I still feel inadequate. I think there are just things I should know, but I don't! I do work with two great nurses that have a lot of experience, & they have taught me so much. I am so looking foward to the day when I am confident, and really know what I am doing. It is better than when I first started...hopefully this is the normal process, & one day we will be confident & knowledgable!

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Well, we are not alone and that is why I like coming here. I know there are others going through the exact same thing even though some days you feel so alone in what you are feeling.

My hospital's new grad program consists of two weeks of full time training with one preceptor on a general medicine or surgical floor. After the two weeks is up you then go to the floor you were hired and depending on your needs have another 12 weeks orientation. After that they'll give you more training if you need it.

I don't think the feelings I am having have to do with the hospital where I work. So far I am having a great experience there. I am guessing the days were I feel inadequate or slow would happen no matter where I was working.

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Specializes in home & public health, med-surg, hospice.

Hi :)

Just wanted to say, I'm so glad for this forum & thread as well.

I've been an LVN for 12 years but never worked acute care b/c I didn't feel like I had enough knowledge. And yes, I KNOW there are plenty of LVNs who are GREAT acute care providers I just knew I wasn't ready.

Will be graduating in 2 mos. & have decided to take the plunge into med-surg (mainly b/c it's close to home) & w/the RN I really don't have a valid excuse other than that I'm just plain SCARED to death.

Anyways, again, am grateful for this forum. And wish peace and success to all!

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