Please share your experience as a new nurse

CIRQL8 · Sep 19, 2006

As a perioperative nurse (right out of school), orientation was a bit over 6-7 months. I was nervous, apprehensive, and timid. A barking surgeon had me standing in a single spot in the corner of the O.R. for an entire case once (too scared to get within 6 feet of the sterile field). My very first day on my own, my patient coded. Thank goodness there were a few free nurses available. I had three of them in the room helping me. My first Christmas Eve, I did an organ donation case (was ROBI, now Gift Of Hope) on a 16 year old girl. That was a terrible Christmas season for me.

Now I speak up, defend my actions, and take charge of the room when necessary. I do what is necessary to provide a safe surgical environment for my patient and staff. Organ donation (and death) is a part of life, and I accept that. I do not like all the situations that I may face, but I put them into perspective, and realize how lucky that I really am (most times). I complain about, but still love, my job.

There is somewhat of a right-of-passage in the nursing field. We all were new grads at one time. Sometimes that is hard to remember.

anilasimon · Sep 19, 2006

I am still a new nurse...still on orientation as a medsurg nurse..life is so busy in the floor and i am "flying" to manage the time with 6 of my patients..I am learning new things each day..but still feels inadequate to take care of 6...(i have a preceptor too)Afterall..it is only 1 month and I hope one day I will be a good nurse too...who knows how to handle together a code and a needy patient and 4 others with blood transfusions...!!! I am so nervous to call the phycisians with critical lab value or a falling BP as I am not sure what they are going to think about me. Sometimes I feel unsure about the explanations and reply I give to my patient's questions....My preceptor is good and she tells me "its all in the game...you will learn how to manage" I hope soon I will...