Newly licensed and ready to begin my "New Life", but scared to death!

Nurses General Nursing

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I have faced each hurdle in my formal education, and most recently my boards, head-on and have succeded. Now I am to begin my employment as a med-surg registered nurse on Monday. Now that I have gotten past all the studying for written tests and am a "real" nurse (albeit a "baby" nurse ;) ) and am looking at what lies ahead of me, I am scared stiff. I feel as if I don't know a thing about nursing and that the hospital in which I have been employed has made a huge mistake in hiring me. I am hoping that this feeling is temporary and I will begin building confidence in myself SOON. I am hoping that what some of my friends who graduated a year ahead of me has told me is true: that I will learn most of what I need to know in practice, and the confidence will come in time.

PLEASE tell me that this is correct. I am so afraid that I won't "get it" and will fail at my life-long dream. I'm hoping that this is just the pre-employment jitters.

Laura

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/ lauraz...please go to the nursingspectrum.com web site, nurse to nurse link and click on posting titled "to help those newly graduated"...scroll down until you find a response that begins "friend of the author"....read, print and then sit back and take a deep breath! do something fun for yourselve before you start your new job, try very hard to get a good night"s sleep before that first day...all you are feeling is very,very normal and what your friends that have been working for a year is very true! enjoy, and don't let anyone discourage you! good luck;)

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Laura,

You are correct, the feedling is temporary.Every new nurse goes through this same thing. The hospital did not make a mistake in hiring you. Your confidence will eventually come.Hang in there.No one got out of school feeling like they knew what they were doing(if they did, they are the one's to worry about!)

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Specializes in CV-ICU.

Laura, congratulations and good luck in your new career! The jitters are a normal part of being a "newbie", so don't fret so much.

Carpmommy has great advice for you -- have some fun before you start work; get a good night's sleep the night before; and try to relax!

Always remember that the only dumb question is the one you don't ask; and that if you go into your new job ready and willing to learn, almost everyone there will be willing to teach you and mentor you through this first year (or 2 or 20!). I've been an RN for 32 years and am still mlearning things from my co-workers-- even the CNAs can teach us new and better ways to do some things if we are open to learning.

Good luck and I hope to hear next week that it wasn't as scary as you thought it would be!

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Specializes in ER, PACU, OR.

laura, i came right out of nursing school.......and went into the er. after about 5 months.....i thought i was going to have a nervous breakdown......said to myself.....it's not for me, i cant handle it, etc etc. well......had i not chose to stick it out and see how things woould go, i wouldnt be here today. i'm not gonna brag...........there is no "s" on my chest.......but i'm still here........and kicking butt now! i am glad!!! you will be fine, dont get discouraged :) me :D

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Happy Fourth of July to you...... I don't want to scare you any more but build on the foundation you have. It is solid ground. Remember APIE Assess Plan Implement and Evaluate.. Look around you and assess the situation.. Look for successful nurses on your unit and follow their lead.. If your preceptor is not a doer or teacher don't be afraid to ask for someone else.. Plan your day around yourself. Know your limits and ask for help.. You will do an excellent job. If you weren't nervous and scared I'd be nervous and scared to work with you. Good luck and keep us posted.. Some of us don't eat our young.... TTFN May the sun shine brightly on you and may the wind be always at your back...

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THANK YOU! I have been going through "phases" lately, and I really start to doubt myself. It was wonderful to get up this morning and see all the encouraging words.

My logical side tells me that this feeling will eventually pass, and that the nurses at the hospital won't let me do anything grossly wrong, but I don't always think logically. As soon as I leave here I'm going to check out the website carpmommy recommended.

Laura

I must say, I just happened to run across this website yesterday and am sure glad I did. I really think I'll like it here. :) Thank you.

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Congratulations! And welcome to the wonderful world of nursing. It's a rewarding, exhausting, exciting, ever changing profession. You will do fine. Insist on an open ended orientation, that is, an orientation that lasts until you are comfortable in your work environment. And ask questions. The only dumb question is the one that you didn't ask. It will also amaze you when you dicover just how much you really do know.

A genuine antique nurse.

CaronRN58

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Congradulations Laura,

Welcome to the nursing profession. Yes, all the feelings that you have are normal. I have been a nurse for one year now. I have just recently accepted a job in the ER at another hospital something that I have always wanted to do. I am getting a lot of discouraging advice from the place where I currently work and I am truely petrified to move again. What I am saying is that after a year I am still having the same feelings!! I have finally gained some confidence where I am and going somewhere else is scary!! But, I am going to do it and that is the joy of nursing you are always learning!!! Best of luck to you and congradulations. ;)

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Laura-

Congratulations! I, too felt EXACTLY like you do. I started my very first nursing job last October. I remember telling my nursing school friends that I was sure that I would be discovered as a fraud, because I did not feel that I knew anything! I told them not to be shocked when they saw my picture on the front page of the newspaper, coat covering my face,etc. The headline reads "Idiot Exposed!!" We all laughed, but I was truly worried that I just would never "get it" Well, 9 months later, and I am still working at the same place, have learned a lot, and doing well. I totally agree with Caron, ask questions!!!!! In my 6-month eval, my 2 bosses said that they loved the fact that I asked questions all the time (and I do mean ALL THE TIME) it shows that I am eager to learn, and that I don't have the attitude that I know everything. You will do just fine, Laura. Just remember to try and have fun while you are working. Keep us posted;)

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Laura-

Congratulations! I, too felt EXACTLY like you do. I started my very first nursing job last October. I remember telling my nursing school friends that I was sure that I would be discovered as a fraud, because I did not feel that I knew anything! I told them not to be shocked when they saw my picture on the front page of the newspaper, coat covering my face,etc. The headline reads "Idiot Exposed!!" We all laughed, but I was truly worried that I just would never "get it" Well, 9 months later, and I am still working at the same place, have learned a lot, and doing well. I totally agree with Caron, ask questions!!!!! In my 6-month eval, my 2 bosses said that they loved the fact that I asked questions all the time (and I do mean ALL THE TIME) it shows that I am eager to learn, and that I don't have the attitude that I know everything. You will do just fine, Laura. Just remember to try and have fun while you are working. Keep us posted;)

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Wow what a lot of support!

I hate to break your bubble kiddo. I have been an RN for 6 years. I have been fired and put on do not use lists for trivial reasons.

I still have those feelings every day!

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