Overwhelmed!!!

[kell1566]

Hey everyone.....I am feeling a b it overwhelmed right now with my new GN position and I was hoping that I could ask for some advice since Im sure you all know what Im going through.... AHHHH I wanted to cry yesterday when I got home from work.....It was my 5th day on the floor and the nurse gave me 3 patients.....no big deal right....... well it was nuts.....I think the problem is I was an extern on my floor and they threw me in the first day with 4 patients.....and I never had the chance to develop like a system and now I feel like Im forgetting things....doin meds late....notes not until the end etc etc....

Im not sure what to do....is this normal to have 3-4 patients your first week in.....first day even? I felt like it shouldve been hey let me go with u and help u do each step.....no way its like ok see ya later i mean they are there for questions but Im mostly doing everything myself.....IS THIS NORMAL for a GN orientation?

Should I talk to my preceptor (had 3 already) and say hey let me start with 2 tomorrown get a system down then increase as im ready....btw on a medsurg transplant floor with 6-8 weeks orientation.....Please any advice would be GREATLY appreciated Im going out of my mind :angryfire

[ORNURSETOBE]

If you are a new graduate nurse, you should working alongside a preceptor for a certain amount of time. You should not be handling patient's alone for at least 6 weeks, or whatever your orientation period is. You need to speak up if this is happening. If you are not getting the much needed orientation, then you might wante to find another unit. You should speak to your nurse manager.

Did you have a preceptor phase in school? It should be just like that. You start working with them, and then they slowly back off and give you more responsiblilty. Until you are doing it by yourself.

[nurseabc123]

If you are a new graduate nurse, you should working alongside a preceptor for a certain amount of time. You should not be handling patient's alone for at least 6 weeks, or whatever your orientation period is. You need to speak up if this is happening. If you are not getting the much needed orientation, then you might wante to find another unit. You should speak to your nurse manager.

Did you have a preceptor phase in school? It should be just like that. You start working with them, and then they slowly back off and give you more responsiblilty. Until you are doing it by yourself.

I hear ya. My first day on my unit (SICU/CVICU), I was given 2 stable patients, one with q4 capd - pretty much for me to care for alone. I didn't know where anything was, who to call. how to use the computer, how to chart, anything. It was very overwhelming. I talked to my preceptor the next day about it and since then it has improved, however, compared to the other gn's on the unit, it seems like I'm left alone a lot more and I'm always searching for my preceptor if I have questions or having other nurses help me. It is extremely frustrating and I am worried that I'm not getting a full orientation. But I do like the unit and don't want to leave. I also don't want to burn any bridges and ask for a new preceptor or anything. Tough call. Good luck.