New RN

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I'm a new RN. I know I've had some emails with some of yall back and forth about this but I just needed to make a good venting thread.

I feel so incompetent. Right now, my preceptor catches all my mistakes. But when I'm on my own ... no one will be there to catch them.. that's what scares me. Mistakes mostly like I forgot to add a morning med and saw it overdue later after med pass. Mistakes with charting. Setting the wrong rate on an IV pump. Being nervous (which is now diminishing). I've had 3 days on the floor and I don't feel my old self outside work. Last night I went home and kept wondering about if I forgot anything. I just wish someone could grab me ... shake me ... and tell me this is OK this is normal (my mistakes). I do see improvements. At the beginning it'd be 10 and I'd be passing meds. Then 930 and passing meds. Last time I finished med pass at 0845. I want to come home and learn to disconnect and not ponder if I forgot something.

Specializes in Med Surg, ICU, Infection, Home Health, and LTC.

It is so refreshing to see a new nurse who does not think they "know it all." They are the ones that scare me because they will eventually make a mistake, as we all do, and their pride will try to convince them to hide it hoping no one will know if there isn't any "real" harm done. I have seen it happen and it can be frightening as a preceptor too. There is so much to know and medicine is ever changing and growing daily with new meds, new discoveries, and new procedures. No one can know it all because they is still so much no one knows. It has yet to be discovered. Please continue to ask questions, seek validation, and realize that with experience the fear will become balanced and turn into assurance and confidence.

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Specializes in Hematology/Oncology.

1. How do you miss meds? Do you have a EMR system that has you scan things and lets you know if you need meds?

2. Can you see orders on your EMR? such as IV Rate?

3. Even if the med is overdue is it an time important med?

I dont know, I have missed meds and I look at the EMR and it tells me if I missed something. I dont know how people can set the IV rate wrong if its posted as an order in the computer.

I am using McKesson and this EMR system is a POS compared to EPIC and I feel that everything is there.

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1. How do you miss meds? Do you have a EMR system that has you scan things and lets you know if you need meds?

2. Can you see orders on your EMR? such as IV Rate?

3. Even if the med is overdue is it an time important med?

I dont know, I have missed meds and I look at the EMR and it tells me if I missed something. I dont know how people can set the IV rate wrong if its posted as an order in the computer.

I am using McKesson and this EMR system is a POS compared to EPIC and I feel that everything is there.

I didn't miss the meds per se. I realized I missed putting them in my cup/bag because either the MAR said "overdue med" or my preceptor told me to look at the MAR because it said overdue med. I think I made it sound like I was skipping meds and missing complete doses. Noooo 0:

I input the information wrong because I'm still a bit confused by the pumps and I'm just now getting the hang of these pumps.

No not time sensitive. I didn't miss any doses. I just happened to realize later thanks to the MAR or coming across it myself or my preceptor.

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It is so refreshing to see a new nurse who does not think they "know it all." They are the ones that scare me because they will eventually make a mistake, as we all do, and their pride will try to convince them to hide it hoping no one will know if there isn't any "real" harm done. I have seen it happen and it can be frightening as a preceptor too. There is so much to know and medicine is ever changing and growing daily with new meds, new discoveries, and new procedures. No one can know it all because they is still so much no one knows. It has yet to be discovered. Please continue to ask questions, seek validation, and realize that with experience the fear will become balanced and turn into assurance and confidence.

Thank you so much. I appreciate all the support.

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Studentofhealing-YAY that you caught it! In most hospitals, insulin orders need to be checked by 2 nurses, so you would have likely been protected, but what an awesome feeling to catch it yourself!

It is my opinion that ALL new grads feel this way and we are ALL gonna be ok!

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Studentofhealing-YAY that you caught it! In most hospitals, insulin orders need to be checked by 2 nurses, so you would have likely been protected, but what an awesome feeling to catch it yourself!

It is my opinion that ALL new grads feel this way and we are ALL gonna be ok!

You're right! I did catch it. I need to give myself credit. positive vibes: Now I will always continue to check my orders right before giving meds. Wanna know how long it took to me to check the MAR? 10 to 15 seconds. 10 to 15 to check the order. So about half a minute can prevent an error. I need to remind myself of the could have been med error. Half a minute can make the difference.

::: positive vibes:::: positive vibes: =)

& yes! We have to cosign too for insulin.

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studentofhealing

You rock! less than a half minute can save lives-or the opposite. How many professions live with that kind of stress? I think that is exactly why new grad nurses have the sort of feelings you expressed when you started this thread.

In other words, we are all so insanely, stressfully normal! :-)

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