ok something kicked in?

[erin01]

So recently posted about how i wanted to quit nursing forever! But either i am soo exhausted or i just figured out how to handle the stress. I have been a nurse for 3yrs, but am new to bedside nursing. I have now been of orientation about 4-5weeks after 12weeks of. But I was always so stressed at the beginning of my shift, very overwhelmed by all i must get done! Getting meds out,checking charts, assessments and charting. I always panicked about getting meds out in time. But once I stopped and took a breath, I AM SOOOOO MUCH BETTER, and i am usually ok on time=) I realized that I have enough time, and even the more experienced nurses on the floor fall behind on meds! I just stopped panicking and my nights have been so much better. I have even had some real challenging nights. I work on a tele unit that we usually have 4 maybe 5 pts each. One night i had 6! I kept cracking jokes to everyone being sarcastic about my 1800 pts =) But i kept thinking...man if i can get through this night with 6 pts i will be a better nurse tomorrow for it. Same thing last night, had my first vented patient. HE had so much i needed to do for him, start his tube feeding, dayshift didnt give him his 5pm antibx, tubing and pumps missing for all of the above! But i just said i can do this, take a breath and prioritize my night. IF i can handle this patient i will be that much better off! And who is it that is watching me ? I had this feeling that management would be asking me why this was not done at this time, but i realized IT never happened. And if i am late for something its for good reason! And i think it would be hard to argue with me about the reasons things are late!

Also, i took a iv class and it also has helped tremendously! I think it was another stresser for me on not being able to get iv's if they blew. But guess what ...after this class..i am putting iv's in for other nurses=)))))))))))))))) Less stress for me, less for me to worry about! Knollege is power nurses! There is another class coming up on bld administration and i am happy to go because....less stress when i know what to do ! I also sent my manager a email on class i saw on assesment skils to see if if she thought it would be useful? And she said it sounded really good and was gonna check with others. Cant wait to do both of these classes because ...knowledge= less stress=)

Just really need to post something positive because my last few post were a disaster! I hope that this post will help others=) gl to all u newbies.

[tatara]

Take advantage of those great learning opportunities you have at work! Believe me, with what I have to go through every working day, where you at is heaven, a gold mine!

Nurse forever!

Go go go!!!

[Mell Bell]

Congrats! It sounds like you're doing fantastic! I am still just a pre-nursing student, but this post makes me very optimistic and excited to begin nursing.

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

good post. i noticed the same in my circumstances as well. if i know something like the back of my hand i am less stressed because it cuts down on the amount of time needed to perform that particular activity.

[86toronado, BSN, RN]

Hi Erin-I'd read some of your other posts a few days ago, and was feeling for you, so i just wanted to give you a virtual high 5 that you pulled through... time and time again i hear nurses tell me that there will come a time in your first year of practice where things just come together, and start to make sense, but the risk for a lot of new nurses is that they get freaked out and don't stick around long enough for that to happen. Sounds like you're there, though. Good for you!!:cheers: