Hi BeautifulDisaster-- I'm a recent grad (August '13) and began my orientation in the MICU of a L1 trauma center last October so I'm still new, too. As said before, it can be very overwhelming coming into this setting fresh out of school but take each and every opportunity as a learning experience. Ask tons of questions, do your best to develop a routine for yourself once you feel comfortable, listen in on rounds and study disease processes. Learning doesn't stop once you graduate. Read journal articles and become a member of a professional association-- they offer tons of free CEUs and EBP that helps us daily. Feel out the nurses in your unit that you feel you can trust-- as far as experience and clinical knowledge go-- and use them as a resource. Jump in to help anywhere you can-- be it a code, a rapid, or just turning and cleaning a coworker's pt. And above all, remember why you became a nurse and what drew you to this profession. There are some really hard days in nursing and you might often feel defeated as a new nurse. It gets better and easier. Good luck to you
