Not good enough

[Nurse1245]

I have been a nurse for three years now, for the past two years I have been on a surgical transplant unit but we do still take care of other medical and surgical patients. Majority of my time in bedside nursing I have loved my job, i feel like I have definitely found my passion and I feel so good at the end of the day having helped someone out. There have definitely been days where I hate my job: feel overworked, underpaid, under appreciated etc but it's not for long but lately I have felt stressed out and frustrated. My floor has been very helpful and I feel like the management team is usually there for the nurses and tries to help us out but The past few weeks have been hard at work with difficult doctors/patients and families, I started to become super unhappy and to top it off I feel like after 3 years of working i feel like I am not smart enough when it comes to situations becoming more stressful. I know that the things I go through will help me be a better nurse but I honestly feel so discouraged after having days where I know I could have done better. I hate the concept of "learning from your mistakes" cause I don't want one day that my mistake harmed a patient. Days like this make me want to get out of bedside nursing, Im scared that people's lives are in my hands but I have no idea what else I could be good at. Anybody else feel like this or have any advice?

[Davey Do]

Anybody else feel like this or have any advice?

I only feel this way always. I feel for you, Nurse1245, but it's the price we pay for having high standards. If we didn't constantly critique ourselves we wouldn't have as high of standards and our patients wouldn't receive as quality of care.

It's the reason why it's called work and not called just plain fun. They have to pay us to do the job we do.

We all have fumbles and bad days. Just know that these are your feelings and not always reality.

This, these feelings, will pass.

At times like this, Ralph Waldo helps me out:

"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.

The very best to you, Nurse1245.

Oh- And welcome to AN.com!

[SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN]

What Davey & Ralph said. I can't say it better. Hang in there it gets better

[nursej22, MSN, RN]

First of all, Nurse 1234, big hugs to you!

Davey is right on, as always. One suggestion I do have is perhaps seeking out a counselor to talk to, to help you work through your feelings of self doubt. You may be experiencing some depression which is very treatable with CBT.

Best wishes

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

At times like this, Ralph Waldo helps me out:

"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.

Thanks for sharing that! I may print it and put it on my clipboard, to see on my way out the door.

And to the OP- welcome to the board, and keep up the good work, the bad days will still happen, but know that you're doing your best and your work is appreciated!

[AnonBoston]

Nurse1245, I am not a nurse, but a very experienced patient. I just wanted to tell you that I appreciate everything you do and how much you care. You are probably way better at nursing than you 'think' you are!