Renell

Does anyone know any other job websites besides Indeed and Monster that are good to use? I appreciate any suggestions. =3

I am very sorry you are going through this, especially with your fellow peers. You guys should be helping each other out, not alienating one another. Well, first things first, if they will go as far as tell a CNA to not help you, or harass you about something that you are probably not aware of/in the process of learning about, then they are not people you should associate with. At all. It's obvious they carry some ill will towards you (for no reason), so it's best to not waste any energy on them. There are others on your unit who treat you with respect, so you don't need them. Now, if this type of behavior persists, I recommend talking to someone higher up about it. I know it's daunting, but this type of behavior is unacceptable, and it's affecting your work performance. I'd rather tell someone than to let it continue in silence. You're already dealing with alot of stress. No need to let a group of people make it even harder.

You kinda sound like me. Ever since I've been working, I've tried my best to push past my anxiety, and perform my job to the best of my abilities. And it worked, for a while. But I can tell it is getting harder to muster up that courage to even go into a patient's room without feeling like I'm disturbing, or being judged by the occupants in the room. It has made me even more mentally exhausted than usual, and has made my job harder to deal with. I haven't needed medications for many years, but now I am on the verge of starting Zoloft for depression. I am at the point of finishing out my year before transitioning to another job. I say this to say...don't overexert yourself. If you feel like you want to try to stick it out, and gain confidence in your practice (and more importantly, yourself), then go for it. But if it starts draining you even more than when you began your career, I would not push it. Of course, get help first before you make any drastic decisions. It may just be new nurse jitters, which does take time to get used to. I'm still going through it as well. Just be honest with yourself, and take care of your health. =3

Fellow new grad here! Nursing is hard. It is not for the faint of heart. But you can get through it. I had to nip my introversion in the bud, and I did. Mostly. Do I still have my social anxiety moments? Oh yeah! Sometimes, I have to take a few breaths before I go into a patient's room. But I keep in my mind that I have a job to do, then I open that door, and take care of that patient. Baby steps~ =p I am in my 9th month on a busy floor, and I have been put through some daunting situations at times. But as much as I may complain and moan about my job, I cannot ignore how confident I feel, and how much I've grown in my profession. I used to be anxious every time I went to work, wondering if I'll be able to fit the bill. Now, I only get anxious if something goes wrong. A little anxiety is good for nursing. It keeps you ready if something does happen. I would recommend the Med-Surg floor first, honestly. Don't get me wrong. I would looove to take an OR job. But if you really want to refine your nursing practice, the floor is a good route to go, especially in the beginning. Ultimately, it is up to you. OR may be your niche. Experience is experience, after all.

There is a whole lot more to nursing than passing meds. And passing meds itself might take some work at times, especially if you have a patient with dysphagia, or any other kind of swallowing alterations. You have to do assessments, blood glucose checks, vital signs, titrate drips (on some floors), wound care, tube feedings, trach suctioning/cleaning, discharges, admissions, transfers, dealing with new orders, reporting changes in status, etc., and it varies depending on where you work. I very rarely get to check my phone. I only look for a split second, then go back to work.

Most of us are not happy with taking 5 patients. It would not be so bad if it was every so often, but it has been constant over the past few months. Our hospital is centered in the downtown area, where the majority of the population is below poverty or homeless. A good portion of our patients are high acuity because they are not able to afford healthcare. We get ALOT of sepsis, MI, COPD/CHF exacerbation patients. A plethora of patients. I'm not gonna sit here and say it is undoable. I've handled 5 patient loads for a few months now as a new grad. But do I feel safe doing it? No. Just the other day, I had to manage a blood transfusion while tending to four other patients. Luckily, everyone was stable, including the one receiving the blood. But, what if he wasn't? That's the scary part. Many of the other nurses on the floor are relatively new, too. I honestly don't think we have anyone over 3 years (nursing experience) on nights. As for pay, I am getting 23.50 per hour as a new grad. But I work for every cent.

Stepdown unit in Tennessee. Normally, nurses get 1:4 patients, both days and nights. 1:3 if you're managing drips. However, on nights, we've been juggling 1:5 ratios quite often compared to day shift. New grads included. We also have a med-surg area. It's 1:6 in that spot. One of us is chosen to be the charge nurse, and often, that person gets 4 patients, 3 if they are lucky (though rare). It's usually a nurse that's been around for awhile, but one of my residency classmates has been assigned as charge nurse over and over again. As for NAs, they are very rarely fully staffed. 2-3 is the norm. 46-47 patients, give or take, so each NA can get 23 patients to tend to, I believe. Oh, there is no transport at night. So, usually the assistants, or nurses act as transport. We do have respiratory and phelbotomists, too.

Not gonna lie, I am a bit concerned that you're precepting with only 8 months under your belt. You're still learning, and now you have to teach too? I commend you for taking the task, and if you feel you can handle it, you can add precepting to your list of accomplishments! As for the antibiotic, it looks like you've taken the necessary steps by telling your charge nurse and asking the pharmacist. Yes, it's a medication error, but at the end of the day, the patient was not harmed, and they got their antibiotic. Good, the infection is still being fought. I would just double check behind your preceptee a few times with IV medications, especially if it's something that NEEDS to be administered safely, like heparin or dobutamine. When you and your preceptee feel comfortable, give her a bit more freedom.

I graduated in May 2017, too. Night shift on a stepdown unit at a big urban hospital. And I cannot tell you how often I just wanted to quit, and move to another job. I still do, but I'm trying to hold on till I get my year in. Plus, I really like my coworkers on nights (and a few people on days). I'm imaging you are getting close to your one year like me. If you feel like you can hang in there, do so. If not, don't put your mental health at stake. I have had quite a few breakdowns myself before and during work. Nursing can be rewarding, but daunting as well. =(

I am honestly not a big fan of bedside reporting, but I do understand its importance. If I can get a nice, condensed report ( i.e procedures, labs, discharge plans, stuff I need to prep the patient for, etc.), then yes. I need to know that information. Everything else I can (and actually prefer) to find on my own. For example, one of my patient's was consistently tachycardic (110-140). In report, the nurse just told me that was his baseline since he had his chest tube removed. It wasn't until I looked it up myself that I found the cause. The talc pleurodesis he had a few days prior was irritating his pleural space. It was an inflammatory response. Not only did I learn something, but it made me a bit more relieved that the attending was already aware.

I think I am on the verge of burnout, if not already there. I don't even want to get out of bed for my night shift. I'd rather spend time talking to my dear one than muster up a caring attitude for a patient. It's getting harder to be nurturing, and often, I just feel irritated (internally, of course). I've come to the conclusion that Stepdown is not my niche, so I plan on finding a new venue in the coming months. I am trying to stick it out for 3-4 more months for my 'magical one year', but I'm not sure I can.

Always double check. Mistakes happen, and as long as you learn from them, don't let it cloud your head. Just be careful~

On my unit, I've seen new nurses with 6 months of experience become charge nurses, including one of my fellow resident nurses! I know my time is near (honestly surprised it hasn't happened sooner), especially since a few usual charge nurses are going on maternity leave. I am truthfully not ready, but I'll try my best.

You have a lot of legitimate grievances. I've second guessed my career choice many, MANY times! The lack of appreciation. The work conditions. The politics. It's a lot to deal with while trying to maintain a career. I get through it by holding on to those 'gems' I get sometimes. What am I talking about, you say? An example. My patient had chest pain. Gave her a nitro pill and Tylenol, and it worked like a charm. No more chest pain. That's something I did. Or my patient with the trach who couldn't breathe. I panicked internally, but I simply suctioned her and got out a huge mucous plug. She could breathe again. And she hugged me! I used my nursing judgment to help my patients, and I kept them from crashing. That's reassuring to me as a newbie nurse. It's frustrating, by all means, but there are gratifying moments sprinkled in. But, make nursing work for you. Don't spend time in misery. If bedside isn't your thing ( like me), find something new. Update your resume, look for job opportunities, and go for them. The worse that can happen is they do not respond, or just say no.

I am a new grad as well. I'm 7 months into being a nurse on a stepdown unit. And I'm not going to lie. It is starting to burn me out. Do not get me wrong. I have learned quite a bit with the various patients I've had, so I am enjoying the experience. However, the staffing issue is quite bad. I have had to take on 5 patients (normal is 4, 3 if you get drips) recently, and I have been coming home tired and extremely sore. So, my sleep schedule is all over the place. And my eating habits have changed for the worse. I am getting more confident in my abilities, though, so not all is bad. I have learned to cope during work by taking small 2-5 minute breaks when ever I am extremely anxious or just need to get away from the hecticness of the floor. And before I start my shift, I go to a private area and make a mental plan of how to tackle each task I have to do. Then, on my days off, I spend time with my friends, and just unwind by playing video games. I also treat myself with some good food. I basically reward myself for progressing as a new nurse, regardless of how it goes. I always tell myself that as long as my patients are breathing and not bleeding, I am satisfied. I may get ran ragged, I may have to endure attitudes from patients, family members, other nurses, etc., but I did the best I could with what I have.