Rainbow_RN ADN

A while ago, I posted on here about choosing which area to work. You all were very helpful, so now I'm back. Don't get me wrong. I am extremely glad I chose to work where I did. There is pretty much no incidence of older nurses eating their young and I'm supremely grateful for that. But I feel like I'm drowning. I really do not feel like I am doing a lot with my life, but somehow I still have no social life and I do not have the energy to go to the gym. Self care is minimal and I have lost friendships, as well as a potential relationship due to time demands. I've been off orientation for a couple months now. There are several factors that go into this -- 1) I am doing online RN-BSN courses that are more demanding than I thought. I am about to have a 76 average in a leadership class because of one final paper that I wrote with a group of other RNs that just did not come together as planned. I'm disappointed. 2) I have a mentorship program at work that is a required 6 month commitment with social events like luncheons. They are once a month, with one experienced RN mentor assigned to a group of 5-6 new grads. It can be helpful and nice, but if you don't go they make you sign some kind of paper and talk to your manager. The first two events have been at 10-11 AM when I work the night before. As far as speaking to this mentor about my situation, talking about all this in person feels wrong. It's worth mentioning that I'm pretty stoic and don't talk about feelings a lot. I might not even post this. 3) Typical new grad RN work stress? Maybe you remember feeling this way your first year. Is this normal? I feel as if I am always making mistakes. I was 30 minutes late to a shift three weeks ago and I cannot forgive myself about it. Twice I missed retaking vital signs when there is a blood pressure outside normal range. I am not comfortable drawing blood, transfusing blood or starting Foleys just yet although I have the competency to. (I know blood requires dual sign off--I mean setting up the tubing, doing the monitoring etc. on my own). I get nervous to talk to the on-call providers (mid levels, usually). I have to ask for help 2-5 times per shift from the charge RN or my coworkers. I am not afraid to ask for help, but I think my requests might be excessive. I lose sleep thinking about these things. Should I have stayed on orientation longer? Do I need to just suck it up? Am I not cut out for this? Please be honest with me. This is, or was, my dream. Graduating and passing the NCLEX were among the proudest moments of my life. I felt like I was finally taking steps in the right direction. Now I don't know. If you got this far, thanks for reading.

Dr. Laura Gasparis as in Dr. Laura Gasparis Vonfrolio? I learned ABG's by watching one of her talks and she is truly a hero among nurses. And hilarious. I always thought that 6 patients is a lot. And then I thought I'm just too new to the profession to know for sure. Thanks for this post and the information in it.

I see the "this is just how it is" attitude. It makes me glad that I work in a facility where mostly everyone helps each other. I never thought of it as having to do with the way women are raised or the culture in society. I have noticed as a male RN that sticking up for myself is almost rewarded, whereas my female colleagues are afraid to stick their neck out. I wondered why. In a predominantly female profession, I would have thought that it would be easier for the women I work with to advocate for themselves, I guess. I got some insight from this. You want to know something else that's strange? Do you all think male nurses get mentioned positively on patient surveys for doing the same things that the women do--but the patients think they're going above and beyond because it's an emotionally intelligent guy? Do you know what I mean? I think it's happening with me. I mean, I'm good at my job and I'll take credit, but I'm not that exceptional . That's not fair.

I cracked up at the superwoman comment--I'm a guy. But the sentiment is totally right. I had a friend in nursing school who would tell me all the time, "you're not Superman". The charge nurse laughed when I was late and told me don't worry, it will probably be 10 years before I am late again. I do have really high expectations of myself, which makes me good at what I do but can be to my detriment also. I'm just mad about the leadership grade because I had an A+ before this. The final paper was to be a manager interview. I conducted and transcribed the interview, then trusted 4 other group members (all RN's, professionals) to write the paper since I did 90% of the prepwork. I thought, "what a great group. They wrote and submitted the paper on time!" Turns out they earned us a 60 on it. If it taught me anything, it's that laissez-faire leadership does not work at all for me. Not to place the blame on others; I should have edited more. I think they finally learned that most of us new grads are night shifters and the rest of the gatherings are at 8 AM or late in the afternoon. Thanks for the responses so far.

We get a $100 gift card -- it's a bank gift card, to be spent anywhere.

definitely questionable, I would not give more than 2mL of anything into the deltoid. anything viscous I would go with the VL or ventrogluteal for sure. basing this on personal experience as well as work.. I take hormone shots (depo-testosterone) every 2 weeks. it's only 1 mL but the solution is so thick i always use vastus lateralis anyway! couldn't imagine putting viscous anything into my delts so that's just my two cents..

I'm a young single man and don't have much going on in my personal life, and I still remember feeling that type of anxiety. Yes, being scared is normal. Yes, you can still get through this. I know 2 people at my college that got pregnant, had a baby, and still graduated nursing school. It's possible. Requires a lot of re-prioritization, but you can do it. Good luck and remember to take time for yourself and your family, no matter how overwhelmed you feel it's always important to take care of yourself.

I started nursing school at 21 also. Sometimes, you've studied all you can and it's just a matter of luck. Yes, I remember some of the questions at my college with the multiple correct answers. Many will be like that. I recommend working on test taking strategies instead of trying to memorize the material. Sometimes there is just too much to memorize. Try to understand what the professor is asking of you and eliminate wrong answers. In my last semester I had a 70 average at one point (passing is 76) and didn't think I was gonna make it out of there. I graduated and am now an RN. Don't give up yet. You're still young. That's what everyone would tell me. Good luck!

In my experience, nursing schools in my area are more strict about tattoos than workplaces. If this is something that means a lot to you, which it sounds like it does, then I would hate for you to miss that opportunity to commemorate your mom. With that being said, I waited to get my first tattoo until I graduated nursing school. If you do go ahead and get it, you will probably just be asked to cover it up while in nursing school. For example, if it is on your arm, you might have to wear those little compression sleeves, tattoo tape, or a long shirt. If the tattoo is on your back, foot, or leg, no one would see it anyway while you are in uniform/dressed for an interview.

In my state, you can become a CNA after year one of ADN school, not an LPN. Our bridge program from LPN to RN at the local CC is a little more than a year. OP, my advice is to know what your eventual goals are. That doesn't mean your goals can't change, but have a general idea. If you want to work in a hospital, most only hire RNs these days unless you are in a more rural area. I am a new grad RN working nights 7-7 on a busy med-surg ortho unit at a local hospital. My girlfriend is a new grad LPN working days 7-3 on an acute care hall of a skilled nursing facility. We are both extremely busy & happy where we are! Also, she is about to get a promotion and make more than a dayshift RN would at my facility. Different strokes for different folks. The pay can be competitive either way and you can find a fulfilling job either way. Just be aware that a long term care or home care type situation is more common for LPNs. P.S. as a former math tutor, I want to advise you that there's no shame in getting help to pass your placement test. most of my clients were excellent students that just wanted to understand topics better or had an unconventional learning style. success at your local CC is probably not as far away as you might think it is.

Fellow new grad here. I would feel uncomfortable with it, but I also wouldn't turn it down as an unsafe assignment. I would ask around on my floor, which it sounds like you did. Then, I would go look at the policies and procedures of my facility. If I am still unsure, and I have reason to believe the patient is going to experience a complication or i have orders to do something with the epid, I would call the surgeon or call anesthesia. For the most part, it seems like it would just be monitoring. I wouldn't imagine they'd ask you to put any medications through it yourself, and definitely not to remove it yourself. Common sense would dictate that it involves frequent neuro checks. It would be nice if every nurse went through a class about epidurals, but I've only ever seen them in OB areas.

It is a HIPAA violation waiting to happen, because people will inevitably ask questions such as "i hope not my aunt?" And then the person posting it will get tempted to clarify. This is why my Facebook is made of dog and cat memes. I don't talk about my job other than "I got hired on x unit!" and maybe posting projects that I finish for my BSN classes (I painted a self portrait of me with a saline flush). Stuff like that. Like, as general as you can get. Not even talking about the specific events of a shift or being glad that it's over.

I just chose a specialty for my first job (still med-surg, but orthopedics). I don't regret it at all. Follow your heart. Especially if you are still a student--I will echo what has been said here. It won't make a difference other than networking for you right now. Good for you for planning out your future and being forward-thinking, though. When you choose a career do what makes you the happiest, as long as it's a logical choice in terms of pay/benefits/travel time. I will also mention that practicality includes how many spots there are for new grads. Don't spend your senior year precepting somewhere that won't be able to hire you. If there are spots, look into how many peds has vs. labor and delivery, and let that help guide you. With all this being said, my specialty does not involve working with kids or new moms, so I can't offer any insight into those specific fields.

Based on what I read about Rhian Collins, it seemed like she had body image issues that were compounded by bullying/lateral aggression at work. That New York Post article brought a great deal of attention to the issue of nurse suicide. She had what looked like a great support system in the form of her fiance. It's not really clear whether she had an existing mental illness or any body image issues before she started the job which is being blamed for her suicide. Workplace violence is a very real threat to the safety of nurses. I think people are more aware about patients assaulting nurses, and less so about bullying or verbal abuse from other members of the healthcare team. I hope that changes. For me, abuse would hurt more coming from co-workers than patients. Patient experiences can be inconsistent. Sometimes patients aren't oriented. Sometimes they need an outlet for their frustration and perceived lack of control. I am not saying that I expect patients to be violent, but it is within the realm of possibility for the reasons I named previously. However, with co-workers, I would like to think I know what to expect. I want to be able to expect my co-workers to have my back. Bullying in nursing isn't talked about enough, and even for someone who does not have any mental issues prior to starting a career, it could bring out latent insecurities. Thank you for writing the article and helping bring more attention to the matter.

I'm a new grad, so I follow what my preceptor does (while still using my best judgment). With that being said, our Dilaudid mostly comes in carpuject vials and our IVs are needleless luer-lock systems. So I usually have to snap the carpuject needle off, and draw it out of the vials using a filter needle. I usually use a 10mL flush to draw and mix with these type of vials bc I have many flushes on hand. It can be inefficient, but I work with what I've got. If I am lucky enough to find the Pyxis stocked with luer lock, prefilled Dilaudid syringes, I push these unmixed and slow. It was interesting to read everybody's input on this, so thank you all.

I really didn't want to go to the gym at all this week, then I saw your article... Thanks!

Hi friends, as part of my orientation I've rotated through an ortho unit .... And I love it so far!! I didn't expect I would enjoy it so much and it's making me rethink my career plan. My original plan was to go to a different (highly competitive) unit that has a step down area, transition to icu, and go to be a CRNA. But even if I choose this unit as my top preference I'm not guaranteed to get it. And now I have only 4-5 weeks to decide about my career trajectory after only having spent two weeks on the orthopedic unit. Ortho is somewhat competitive as well, being that the only people who leave seem to be the ones that retire. The only person I trust to talk to in person about this started laughing, gently told me to let go of my plan, and do what makes me happy. What's your advice, experienced RNs? And what opportunities for advancement does ortho nursing allow? The only thing about entering a specialty so early is that I'd be afraid I couldn't move around if I ever wanted to. But there's a good chance I'd like this so much that I never wanted to change areas anyway... Thanks y'all.

As a fellow new grad who is trying to choose a unit out of three options... Pick what makes you happy and gives you the most job security. Hospital experience is important for your future--what are your goals?

There's always one.

I didn't used to worry about this kind of thing, and then my pt peed on the floor yesterday on the way to the bathroom hahaha. They're right to worry, I guess, but it's not that serious. It's an occupational hazard. I have Nike free RN 2018s, Adidas ultraboost and a couple g shock watches for work. These items are pretty hardy and stand up to being purple-wiped/bleached/machine washed, which is what you need for this career in my opinion. Mesh shoes will work but do it at your own risk.

Fellow Baby-RN here; the IV pump alarms follow me into my dreams. Totally normal... if you can call anything about our career "normal". Normal is a setting on my washing machine.

Well, who knows what those $1 bills have touched.... It's a step in the right direction.

I'm just starting my online RN to BSN program and I found this super helpful! Thank you for sharing. Nursing papers are a bit different than those I have written in the past, and my professor's expectations line up with your post. No passive voice, concise and to the point, with recent sources from the last 10 years or so are clearly stated in the rubric. I previously thought of myself as a "good" writer, but changing my style for this program could have really thrown me for a loop if I'd let it!

No shade, but let's flip this situation around for a second. You state that your (former?) preceptor is bringing a lot of negativity. You have a choice about how you let this affect you. What if you chose to bring more positivity to the situation? After all, there is only so much to this situation that you can control. In the end, you can't change how she is treating you, only your reaction. If you quit the job or leave the unit, you are avoiding the situation instead of dealing with it, in my opinion. As a fellow new nurse, I have noticed that I only really get pushback when I don't acknowledge my own limitations. So therefore, it is possible that you could acknowledge you have limited options here. If you refuse to engage in gossip, and you consistently bring a willing attitude and a desire to learn, people may change their views about you--even this preceptor of yours. I recommend that you communicate to her some of your feelings in a tactful way, and you might then learn what is causing her to act this way. At best, you would feel more satisfied at your job, and the worst that could happen is you gain a little more understanding of why she is acting the way she is. I wish you the best of luck and I have a feeling that you are highly capable of dealing with this situation as long as you approach it with an open and humble attitude. I bring up humility because seniority probably is a factor in this situation--experience and respect go hand in hand, and it is possible that you are encountering push-back due to a perceived lack of respect on the preceptor's part.

Good point hahah. Let's get more transgender RN's too. Maybe we can make nursing more attractive to people from all walks of life. But in the end, it takes a very special type of person to commit to this path & not everybody has the personality for it. With that being said...I feel like there are tons of highly capable and interested people out there that can't afford to go to school. Higher education is expensive, and people keep failing out of nursing school. I'm not saying to make nursing school easy, but there's got to be a way to help more people graduate--or even change the admission standards and create more seats in colleges somehow. Increasing access to nursing education would help break down barriers and create more incentive for people of different backgrounds.