AB_NormalRN

As others have posted, depending upon the severity of the error someone made, it might. But for the most part it won't. Please do not beat yourself up. (Uh that's like me calling the kettle black. I beat myself up all the time.) We are humans. And it is this human interaction called 'Caring' that makes us who we are! If you didn't care? It wouldn't bother you. As has been said before...learn and move on!

Uh...is Raggedy-Ann made of polyester?! LOL! Social engineering...and YES, most hospitals I've worked for do it in some form or fashion.

I was fifty, FIVE-ZERO, when I started school! I retired from another career first. I wish you knew how many outstanding RN's I work with that have degrees in other areas before they transitioned to nursing. Age is a number and only that. I tell my preceptees that there is only one thing I cannot teach them. I cannot teach them to 'care!' If you care? I mean really, truly care? Then you have the hardest part of this whipped!

MO70298: To answer a few things....One, I don't know why you aren't being hired. I wish I knew. Over the last few weeks I turned in about 5 apps to various facilities and only one called. As one person who emailed me said, it might not have anything to do with you at all! It might just be that they only have so many preceptors to go around and can't/won't over load them! Maybe the preceptors have precepted back to back students and need a break. I noted in my area of the country that ER, ICU, and Step down or Telemetry is ALWAYS looking, but maybe the hospitals have policies against new grads in those positions. I wish I had the answers for you. However, I would suggest to go online at these Career websites, such as Careerbuilder.com and look for jobs. Believe me...I found all sorts of jobs in all sorts of fields, in areas close to where I live and many are looking for new grads! MULAN: As far as the injection? It was a steroid if not mistaken. I can now understand the rationale...in a way. I could cause cellulitis if too many IM's given in the arm. Not that I couldn't in the 'rump,' but can give more there over the course of the stay. Funny you should mention the scholarship Mulan. LOL! Guess what hospital emailed me and said I should come to work today? Yep...but I have already committed to another place. NEW2ER: I could keep up also...but just became very frustrating. I wasn't getting all the skills I would need to be in the ER. I could go a year and never give tPA, conscious sedation, chest tube, etc. and all of a sudden I am the one without help because the others are busy with their own stuff. So I felt it best if I backed the trolley up and took some time to learn the nature of nursing first, get my basic assessment skills, etc. I dunno, but believe I will be happier where I am as well. I cannot hardly believe they are trying to get you to pay for training!!!! You went to school, got your license...that costs enuff as it is! That seems a bit strange! I don't blame you either. I don't want to work at a place that misrepresents things...if they are hiding stuff, what else will they hide? Or worse...hang you out to dry? Like you I moved on. No, I don't have that much to pay back as you...but would rather be where I am. To back up and give more perspective to the issue. I was contacted off line by a very, very knowledgeable person from the corporate community. She explained things in ways that made sense about why things happen the way they do. They had already committed time and effort to me. They had already committed expenses for a position I was hired for. NOW they would have to commit to more time, effort and expenses to train me in a new position? And how would I turn out? It was easier to just not schedule me, knowing that sooner or later I would leave the position. They had an open position there before I was there, so they didn't lose out a lot. It does make sense from a corporate standpoint and that is what a hospital is. It is a business! If 80% of funds come from Medicare/Medicaid...they can't afford to lose out and use up the funds they get. Easier to let you go! However, with that said...I did apply as said at approx 5 places. One told me I was just too far away and traveling that far had never worked out for the hospital. One called and I started working there today. The others never called me back. However, of note to those who are still looking...I did place apps/resumes online at a variety of Career websites and have already received two answers that they wanna talk to me. But it is only fair to let them know I am employed. Keep your chin up and keep on heading for the goal line. We are here to care and help our patients. We passed school. We passed NCLEX and will be good at what we do. It just takes time. I for one think I made the right choice and will be happier. AB

Amy? We are in the same boat with less that one year experience...once you learn the ropes, the Docs, protocols, policies, skills, etc. I'm sure you will feel a whole lot more confident. The more confident you become the more backbone you will get and the greater your critical thinking skills become. In short order you will prolly be almost intune and it will come as second nature. AB

This was posted along time ago, but all of these still hold true. What helped me the most was the National Council on State Boards of Nursing has a very effective review. You can sign up for 3 weeks, like 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 15 weeks and you pay for what you sign up for. It is available 24/7/365. I found the review very helpful and found the tests to be exactly like the NCLEX. And while like everyone here after those two days and finding out was wonderful....I CANNOT over state that I give props to those nurses that had TWO DAY paper tests and had to wait 6 weeks to find out. I'd been in the Looney Bin by then!

What they said. With 5 years as a Medic I could hit an A/C with my eyes closed. But AC is not the best of places in a lot of cases. LOL! So I ended up going back to the drawing board. And yes! I suck royally at times. But after watching people, looking at vascular anatomy charts, closing my eyes and palpating for veins...I've somewhat mastered hand and wrist veins. And you know what I've been told? There are things you will be good at in nursing others will not be so good and they will be good at things you aren't so good at. I know that at times I believe in the ideal world vice real world...but I still believe in teamwork and positive thinking! And when I started IV's? I was about your initial ratio as well and never thought I would get better. But you will. And when you're a seasoned nurse and that new nurse comes on the floor and gets frustrated because she has a hard time 'sticking' the side of a hay barn? You will take your time, show her, give her positive thoughts, praise, and tell her the same thing. We've all been there.

After completing school and subsequent licensure I found work very quickly. I was enthusiastic, but after having a preceptor [i gave the benefit of the doubt] who was never around, left me on my own without supervision, and always gave me rationales: "Thats just the way it's always been done" for 6 weeks I was very frustrated. I followed the exact protocol the hospital has in place to get a new preceptor. About this time I was starting to realize that being in the ER might be over my head as a new grad. BUT as usual I give everything, myself include, the benefit of the doubt. I always try to give 100% and never complain. After 4 more weeks I KNEW I was over my head in the ER. Once again, I followed the hospital protocol, notified my supervisor this and was told he would find me a place on one of the Med/Surg floors. Little did I know what this person was up to. I guess by giving my all, giving things the benefit of the doubt, trying to follow protocols and believing in what people tell you...was the wrong thing. Vindictive? I dunno...but basically left out in the cold without a schedule and waiting for return phone calls. So here's the kicker to all this. It was all a lie! Oh, no one told me it was...but after having to follow up with a transfer request to two floors and being subsequently told 'We'll give you a call.' I am left out in the cold! No schedule with anyone. Why is it you can do everything right, but be punished for it? Why is dishonesty the best policy? Why do people have to try to control you? All this hoopla about wanting to keep you, all this hoopla about caring, help forge your career etc. is bogus! I am very disillusioned and to the point of throwing in the towel. I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG! I was open, honest, have integrity, cared, etc. and I am being punished for what? Is it bad judgement? Its obvious that even there is a lie about a nursing shortage in this area. All I want to do is become a good nurse. Just like everyone expects honesty, integrity and respect I would ask the same thing in return. But I guess it isn't a two way street. I'm not in high school. I'm not a little kid! I spent 22 years in the Marines. Treat me as an adult and with at least some respect! Everyone else asks for the same...why not me? I am not a pig going to slaughter!!! It is that simple. So now I find myself realizing that all of the last few years may have been a waste...which I hope not! All I want is a chance. If that is the way this hospital will treat I don't want any part of them....ARGGH, but owe scholarship loan to. So I went to a new facility, turned in an app and subsequently hired tentatively based upon references! I was honest and told them I worked at this specific hospital. I could have lied, but why? I hope and pray that the talk with soon to be former boss goes well. If NOT I am still left in the cold. I am hoping to be hired on a Med/Surg floor to get a good nursing base. I will be behind on my bills....for what? For doing what is right? For following protocols? Becoming a nurse should NOT, I repeat NOT be this hard. It should not be all OJT, making mistakes [hopefully not a terminal one], etc. One of the worst things in all of this and I see it all the time...is everyone wants and says for you to be honest and have integrity...but some in the profession's actions are just the opposite! The way people are treated you are being taught to lie over and over again. And everyone wants you to use critical thinking?! And then they want you to 'ask' every single little thing?! "Shoulda asked. Shoulda asked." Where's critical thinking if you have to ask about everything? Its tough enuff already to learn about Docs, meds, charting, becoming a nurse and time management....whew! I was instructed on more than one occasion on where IM injections go. I passed Med Pass with flying colors. So why oh why when I gave a 1cc IM in the deltoid that WAS NOT B-12 or Tetorifice was I asked why I put it there? I gave the rationale, showed placedment, even showed in a book and was subsequently told I was wrong. ALL IM injections other than above go in the 'rump.' Why? You didn't ask! Sorry...as you can tell I wandered and am very frustrated to say the least. I NOW can see why there might be a nursing shortage. I can understand to some degree all the issues others here on this forum have gone through. All I ask is for someone to give me a chance. Teach me, mold me, be honest with me, treat me with dignity...and darnit! I will do my best to ask! AB

It took me three months and two preceptors to come to the conclusion that Med/Surg is the place to start. I had one preceptor who had 30 years experience who just left me on my own all the damn time, not able to answer questions except "thats just the way it has always been done," almost caused me to perform a med error until I refused, got frustrated when she had to help me out, was on the phone to her husband all the time, etc. I ended up with an outstanding preceptor, but the foundation had already been layed. The intial 6 weeks were a waste. The last 6 weeks in the ER was not gonna be enuff time to be prepared to be on your own. The stage had already been set for me to realize the ER is NOT the place at the moment...so I am transfering up to Med/Surg to get my basic background like 70% of nurses say you should. Why is it that no one wants to take responsibility for -their- actions? This is NOT high school anymore! But for the life of me it always comes back to 'you' being the one at fault. You didn't ask, you didn't burp right, you didn't curl your tongue the right way....And then everyone looks at you like you are the one screwed up when some place doesn't "fit". Why is it that? Then everyone wants to tell YOU what they think you wanna hear and then gets upset because you tell the truth? AND slam you for it? Oh and don't stand up for yourself! SO it is Catch-22. If you stand up for yourself and let your NM know they things are not going well you are causing problems and if you don't stand up for yourself you are considered weak?! Why is it that everyone goes behind your back, thinks they know what is right for you, gets involved into your personal affairs, treats you like garbage, etc.? No wonder places have issues finding people to work and there is a nursing shortage! Nothing in life should be this hard. Hell, Marine Corps bootcamp was not this damn hard! But you know what? I'll be darned if I will not become an outstanding nurse! Without a schedule and waiting to be transfered to Med/Surg! AB PS: Seriously contemplating moving to another hospital, but owe time or money for a scholarship.

I concur with Jojotoo and what Angie O'Plasty said! It was bootcamp all over again.

Uhh.....bad experiences with my first preceptor and unfortunately set the stage with my second preceptor. In the hospital I work at I was placed with a preceptor who just left me alone to do my own thing. So for 6 weeks (my choice I know) I kept giving her the benefit of the doubt and hoping things would turn around. It didn't and we used to clash all the time. Not a good fit works well here! Her previous preceptee quit working after 3 weeks I was told later on. I became very frustrated and almost left working at the hospital. So those people who wonder why new grads leave after 2-3 months please take care of us. We are who will be taking care of you when it comes time. I was given a second preceptor who was very, very capable and cared a lot. She used to drive me like crazy to get me up to speed....but it was no use. I was not prepared and was so frustrated...and like others have said the ER is is not a place to start, nor is it the place to learn new skills, the Docs, new computer charting programs, etc. all at the same time!! My suggestion is that to take care of your patients and be the best nurse you can be....if you are not getting what you should be? Talk with your NM and find a new preceptor. Just like finding a good job, finding your niche' in nursing...finding the right preceptor is important. After this was driven home to me during the first 6 weeks of my 3rd career (once retired) I will move to another floor and if that doesn't work? A new hospital until I find my niche' and a good preceptor.

So many that I can't remember them all and so tired all I can do is sleep. I didn't go into nursing to become a psych patient. So while I am alot like others in the sense after 3 months I have second guessed my decisions about staying in nursing...I will stick it out. Altruism and caring for people is the reason I went into nursing, so I have to keep my eyes on the goal line. AB

Prior to obtaining my license and subsequent employment approx 65-70% of nurses said go to Med/Surg floor, get your background and then specialize. But oh no, did I listen? I listened to the 30% who specialized coz I didn't wanna do Med/Surg. After 6 weeks with a preceptor in the ER who basically left me alone, didn't teach me anything, etc I became so overwhelmed...like others I was having nightmares....I went to see my boss and told them I didn't go into nursing to become a psych patient. So at present I am in limbo, but going to a Med/Surg floor to get my basics and learn to be a nurse first. AB

Its been a few months and I just joined the list. I graduated from Coastal in May. We had a 100% NCLEX pass rate this year! GOOD School! Believe me. But it ain't no cake walk either, so be prepared. AB

Guy RN posting this. Personally? Men, women or parts of society for that matter who discriminate based upon the things you mention are not worth your time. There are previous replies on here that say it better than I could. Be there for the patient no matter who they are or why they seek medical attention...not worrying about who might want you or not and why. By the way...single myself. Female nurses are my cup of tea and fit the bill for me better than any other!

Hmmm....guess we all have different experiences in both nursing school and during my tenure as a Medic. As a Medic student I was never allowed to watch a delivery. As a student nurse I was allowed to watch three and a fourth during a C-section. Blood Donor? I might have read and interpreted your post wrong forgive me....but since I maintain both a RN license and credentials as an Medic and work in both areas I too have a unique outlook on things. Believe me when I say this...it isn't nurses around where I live that have problems...it is the Medics who are Primadonnas. Primadonna attitudes have no place in either arena. That is what causes division between the two. And I can say this with fact....the two are totally different areas of medicine. And since you are still in nursing school....because I had to learn the hardway myself...those nurses with any amount of experience will 'eat' you for breakfast and spit you out as long as you maintain thoughts and attitudes as yours. AND YOU WILL NEVER KNOW they did it. If you wanna be a nurse then there is bootcamp you have to attend and comply with whether you think it is appropriate or not. As an RN I have my own license. A Medic works under the Medical Directors license. She/He extends -you- the priviledge of working under her/his license. As an RN, depending upon the hospital, Docs, etc. and training there isn't anything I can't do as an RN I can't do as a Medic. The last I knew I took the same ACLS, AMLS, PALS, BTLS, PEPP that you did. So please learn to be an outstanding nurse and leave the primadonna attitudes at home. And I promise you when all is said and done...you will see why. And you will be an outstanding nurse and Medic.

On a serious note....Trial and Error and OJT SHOULD NOT be 'THE' way we learn... With that said....you shoulda seen the experienced nurses in the ER when I came out and told them I had gone ahead and Dermabonded my pts lac on his forhead! It was priceless. As an RN I can put steri-strips on a lac, I can dress and bandage a lac, I can even put bandaids on a lac....so whatz the big deal with a little dermabond? Heck, as a Paramedic I've intubated pts, ran codes, pushed meds, etc. Even though my state says an RN with training can suture, the hospital says Dermabond is suturing and only and MD can do that. On a side note---the MD said I had done a wonderful job. ARGGH! My second funny? Throughout orientation I had torn the covering bags to the IV fluids with my hands. Just the other night I had this one covering bag that was stubborn. The only time I ever got the scissors out...and what did I do? *I can see the look on your faces coz you know what I did.* Yep, cut the tip of the bag and had D5 all over the floor. Very frustrated at times.... AB

16 yo male with a stubbed toe. Triaged and sat in the waiting room for 2 hours. He got angry and went home. Upon arrival at home he immediately called 911. EMS brought him back only to sit for 4 more hours. Thought that he would get back sooner. LOL!:rotfl:

I am an east coast Paramedic working my way through nursing school in my local ER. I perform Critical Care Transports. I want to gain valuable experience prior to taking on the responsibility of being an RN. During my skills assessment and oral boards I was given a scenario by the Medical Director that has be somewhat puzzled. My pt was in severe respiratory distress secondary to acute pulmonary edema. The patient's meds included hydrochlorothiazide as the diuretic. We only carry Lasix on the truck. The Medical Director asked me my treatment of the patient. I gave him the standard protocol answers of O2, IV, EKG, NTG...but when it came to diuresis I was a bit stuck. Even though I know what hydrochlorothiazide was...I didn't know if there was a conversion type dose vice standard dose of Lasix. I was honest and stated that while I wasn't sure I would call the on duty MICN or MD. He liked that answer...but still wanted an answer if 'push' (pun intended) came to shove. I gave him the dose of 40mg-80mg Lasix..erring on the side of the lower dose. I have not been able to corner the Medical Director since being hired to find the correct dosing. Doc's can be somewhat busy in the ER. LOL! I have researched the Internet to see if there is some sort of conversion factor. I have some understanding of how each works for diuresis. Would someone enlighten me?