HaleyRoseRN

How do you deal with it? I see these patients a lot too, as well as alcohol withdrawals that are entitled too and VERY mean. These are the ones I tend to feel myself getting frustrated with and losing compassion for.

Hi there, I'm sorry to hear about your troubles. I think you should first start by determining what helps you the most. Do you think talking it out with a counselor will help? Or maybe a trip to your PCP to discuss other options? I have anxiety & tried counseling but it didn't really work for me. I finally brought up the issue at an appointment with my PCP and he placed me on a low dose SSRI. I do much better now. But, that is me personally. I do recommend seeing your doc though, at least to just start the conversation. Best of luck to you!

Hi all. Frustrated new nurse here, just looking for some input, and maybe some words of encouragement. I'm a brand new nurse. I just graduated in May, passed the NCLEX, and started working in June. I work on a neuro step-down unit. I did my preceptorship for nursing school on this floor, so I was pretty familiar with it when I got hired. I love neuro & I have great coworkers, but I find myself exhausted & with a short fuse recently. I get frustrated with confused and combative patients and feel myself being less empathetic than I used to be. I'm on my nightshift rotation, so during my days off, all I want to do is sleep. I get very good feedback from my preceptors, but I just feel like I don't belong, or like I'm not the nurse I want to be. I know I'm still new, but does it get better?

Not exactly gross but surprising? ... I work on a neuro step down unit & had a pleasantly confused elderly female patient recently. We have individual hand sanitizer bottles that we (sometimes) leave for patients on their bedside tables. She put the sanitizer in her lady parts, told me about it later, and said "Honey, I wouldn't recommend it." I honestly can't make this stuff up.

It is very possible that I'm taking this too personally. I tend to take things personally, even when trying not to. I am in no way implying that the techs are jealous of me, nor do I see myself as "better" than they are, since I was tech myself for 2 years. I appreciate them and respect them a lot. I guess all I'm saying is I want to be taken seriously as a nurse. I'll have to discuss with my preceptor. Thanks for your input!

Hi Everyone! I'm writing this post because I'm a new graduate nurse seeking some advice regarding PCA's (or CNA's) on my unit. I've been on my unit for 3 weeks now as a nurse. Before, I had worked as a float PCA & had worked on my unit a few times, & I did my leadership/preceptorship clinical on this particular unit during school. The staff is pretty familiar with me. Anyway, I have been taking patients with my preceptor & doing primary care with the patients as the nurse. For whatever reason, the PCA's do not report critical results or questions or updates on my patients to me. They will ignore me & report to my preceptor. I feel that they don't really respect me as the nurse or view me as being in this position. I guess my question is, how do I change this? How can I earn respect from them and other nurses so that they see me as a competent RN? Thank you in advance.

This was when I was a nursing student.... I was observing/kind of assisting with a lady partsl birth during my OB clinical rotation. I was standing off to the side of the physician as the baby was delivered. When the baby came out, the umbilical cord snapped and flung cord blood and fluids on me, the physician, and the floor. Thankfully I was wearing surgical scrubs and not my clinical whites.

I'm a nurse & I have generalized anxiety disorder. I was diagnosed about 6 years ago & do take medication for it. Please don't be discouraged. You can be a great nurse, enjoy nursing, and manage your anxiety. You will find what works for you & what doesn't - for me, for example, I struggle with medical surgical units & the ER setting. Sends my anxiety through the roof! But I love ICU and step-down. I also have found ways to stay calm when necessary, like deep breathing. Being a nurse with anxiety is 110% doable. :) Good luck to you!

Hi everyone! I just passed my NCLEX & will be starting in my first RN position next week. I will be on a Neuro step-down unit in which I've had some experience as a patient care assistant and as a nursing student during clinical rotations. As is to be expected, the worries are starting to roll in and I'm feeling anxious! I just wanted to know if anyone has any advice or words of wisdom they'd like to share for a new nurse? Thanks in advance. :)

I'm a total coffee lover. I start my day off every morning with a cup & I did that all the way through nursing school. Someone already posted something similar, but if you want to try coffee, I recommend starting with a light or medium roast and trying out different flavored creamers. I used to not be able to drink my coffee without cream or sugar but now I can drink it black! Green tea doesn't seem to give me the same "kick" that coffee does. I don't drink sodas; the only other caffeinated beverage I tried was Monster Rehab when I was on night shift. It wasn't bad. That being said, I think you can definitely make it through nursing school without coffee. Just try to sleep enough & eat well (such a challenge in nursing school, I know)