southern.bellex3

Good luck and congrats on your new job! I'm not sure what advice to give you, since I am still learning myself, but I can tell you what my preceptors and fellow staff have reminded me of, and what I've just seen so far. First of all, I can't remember the username, but as someone suggested, make you a checklist. I have started doing this, and it's helped me so much! You will find your own routine that works for you staying on top of things, but I've found that it's been working great for me. Each morning when I come in, I have columns of each thing that is expected for every shift. I make rows for the patients' room numbers. On that same sheet, I make a separate list of any special things I may have to do for other patients...like which have dressing changes, which are on tele so I can keep a good eye on their monitors, which got labs throughout my shift so I can remember to watch for results(or even those who will have them through the night/morning, so I can report that to the oncoming nurse). Be prepared for everything. I have learned renal patients can change status QUICKLY. My 2-month "anniversary" is in 2 days, and even in my short time there, there has been a number of patients who've come back from dialysis and started seizing, or whose BP dropped suddenly, even if it was several hours post-dialysis, they had had stable vitals until then, multiple boluses/Trendelenburg, etc. Most importantly..and I think this goes for a new grad in any unit, don't be afraid to ask questions!! You will realize who you feel comfortable approaching and whose advice you feel is safe, but if you have even the slightest feeling that something is wrong, or you're unsure, ask! It's better to ask a question you may think is silly than to make a mistake, or let go a subtle sign something bigger is wrong.

I've actually started doing this recently...I have always been a "to do list" type person, so IDK why I didn't do it before. It has helped me tremendously! I hope I'm not shooting myself in the foot saying this, but I feel like I have gotten a little better each day that I've worked.

Thanks for the tips, I have been using a to do list when I work! It really does help. Today was a lot better. The patient-nurse ration on our floor is supposed to be 4:1 because of the telemetry, but due to staffing, it often ends up 5 or 6:1. I think after a couple weeks of 4, I will be able to handle it better. I just had a really bad weekend, and I think it made me snap lol. It's been building since orientation started with all the extra classes and stuff I have to take, but after these posts, I have promised myself that I can't go in there and expect to do "perfectly", and that I will do my best and that's that. It'll take time. I'm just gonna have to remind myself that more often!

Thank you all so much for the advice and encouragement! I have been asking my preceptor questions...and I did tell her at one point I didn't feel ready for 4 patients, but she said that I was, that I'm already pretty much on my own. I don't feel like it though! lol. She is also orienting another new hire and most of our shifts, a lot of her time has been spent with her. She is a great preceptor and any time I've needed her help has given it, but I do think that her being "responsible" for both of us and our patients is probably a bit much for just one person. You all made great points...once the shift is over, it's over. I'm going to just have to accept that it takes time to get in a practice, give 110% while I'm there, and let it go when I'm not.

I am a new grad who has been working on the floor for about 6 weeks now. They told us about the 4 "Stages" we'd go through in orientation, and I think I have officially hit "crisis". I'm working on a renal telemetry unit. I've been told by several of the nurses, including one I know who worked there 10 years and works at another hospital now, that this is a really hard floor to start out on as a new grad. I don't want to toot my own horn, but I was always a really good student in both, class and clinical. I saw my references for the position from instructors and they were good, got really good end-of-semester reviews, was always told I had great time management and organization...I thought so too, until now! I always feel like I'm forgetting something. I've even had this number of patients(I have been at 4 the past two shifts) as a nursing student, and didn't feel this overwhelmed, even though with my school we did all of the nurses' duties and wouldn't dare get the nurse/have the nurse to do something unless there was an emergency. We did it. I handled this. I've worked 28 hours in the past two days, have to get up in about 5 and 1/2 hours, and am still up bc I'm asking myself, "Did I do everything? Did I chart everything? Did I tell everyone who needed to be notified what it was?", even though I went over and over everything before I left. I guess what I'm really asking is, is this a sign that nursing just isn't for me? Maybe just the floor not for me? Is this normal as a new grad? Most importantly...does it get better in time? And if it is the floor not being for me, then where in the world will I fit in? I keep getting told by management and educators that if you can work on this floor, you can transfer anywhere and not have a problem. I am terrified of doing something wrong. I have always been that way, but it hasn't made me this nervous before. I know I have to get over that, but how? Sorry for such a long post :/

My personality type is ENFJ. I currently work in a nephrology and telemetry unit, but I hope to eventually transfer to something critical care...probably the ED, NICU or PICU(or at least these are the areas I want most). I love peds of all forms though, so maybe the Peds ER to combine the ED and peds :) We'll see!

Thanks! I've heard it's a great floor for a new grad.

It's okay...it doesn't mean that I can't ever work in NICU, it just means that NOW isn't the best time. I can transfer after 6 months if a spot is open. We'll see what happens :) The floor I'm on will be great experience, nonetheless, even though it's not an area I'm extremely interested in. The telemetry experience will look good for any area I want to go to in the future, they said. Most importantly, I am putting my nursing license to use and will achieving some of what I want to accomplish in nursing- helping others throughout their journeys of health care. Thanks, all of you, for the wishes of luck though! I truly appreciate the support and advice you all gave I hope everyone has the best experience as you start your new NICU jobs!

Unfortunately, I did not get the NICU position. I learned today that they had about 12 people who made it to peer interviews, and still only 2 open spots. My chances weren't amazing anyway, but they went with more experience. I completely understand that in a unit like this. I hope that one day I can join all of you! I do have a job lined up though...so I am just so thankful for that, because many can't even find anywhere right now. I know people who graduated a year before me who haven't found anything yet, so I still feel like a really lucky girl. As a plus, this other job is days, so no adjusting to night shift hehe In the end, I know that God has my best interest in mind, and it just wasn't meant to be right now. Maybe one day

Thanks for the advice and good luck! My interview is tomorrow morning. I'll try searching for some of those questions, but did before I had the interview with the nurse manager and couldn't find many examples :/ I don't know if it'd be different this time or not. Thanks for the tips you have given though! I should hopefully know tomorrow afternoon, so I'm hoping I can come on here and say that I'm joining yall as a NICU nurse later this month! :)

Thanks for the advice! All of my questions with the nurse manager were like that too, situational "tell me a time when..." type stuff. I guess they are questions you really can't prepare answers for, and you just have to take a minute to think first. I will update when I know something! According to the nurse recruiter, it will be the same day, hopefully. Do you think it would be too much to carry a typed letter for each interviewer? Kinda like how the nurse manager got my cover letter...I would address it to be why I wanted to be part of their team. My friend said it wasn't necessary and may seem like I'm trying too hard...but I AM trying hard! lol. What do you think?

linRdsNay- Good luck to you! Have you started your position on the med-surg unit yet, or will you get to really choose before you start either? And update for all the rest of the posters too, I DID get the peer interview, after all! :) I got called a bit ago by the NM to set it up. It's this Friday! Wish me luck! And any advice? I've never had a peer interview before. Not quite sure what to expect...will it be similar to the first?

Thank you! I do feel relieved. I, of course, am still hoping and praying for NICU, but I'm thankful that I know there is something there for me. It's a "nephrology" unit, but it's kinda a catch-all. They do dialysis there(hemo and peritoneal), but they also have some tele beds, and get some standard med-surg patients too.

Just an update...I had an interview yesterday on a different unit and the nurse recruiter called to say that they offered me the job! While she called, I asked if she knew anything about the NICU position before I made my decision. She said that the NICU nurse manager wrote down she wanted me to come to the peer interview, so I can wait to see how NICU works out then choose which I want if they both do. I haven't gotten a call to set up the peer interview for NICU yet though, so I hope she wasn't mistaken :/ I hope I do get that call so I'll be one step closer to my dream job! I'll keep you all updated. If the NICU doesn't work out, then at least I know I do have another position on another unit! Heart is in NICU though!

You will need to become an RN first. I don't think most NICUs will allow LPNs(unless maybe you've had a lot of experience and were grandfathered in), since it's an intensive care environment. You can do that by getting your ADN or BSN. You can specialize if you want to after school, but during the process to become an RN, you don't specialize. To my understanding, and at least HERE, you don't HAVE to specialize, if you don't want. Some hospitals will pay you more per hour if you do, though. Some NICUs will use techs, volunteer feeders and cuddlers, and such. The ones in my area do not. If a NICU in your area will, it'd be a great way to get your foot in the door of that NICU and get to know the staff, as well as witness a little about what it's like to work in one and what the duties are.