wilsonra

Thinking analytically comes with time. You didn't come out of the womb knowing how to walk and talk! Skills are something you build. Always look at it this way. And as far as the NP asking "why" - this is not helpful the either of you. First time mistakes should always be treated like a learning opportunity, especially with someone learning the ropes of nursing. Whenever you make a mistake, try not to think of it like you're stupid and can't do anything. You'll make your mind your own worst enemy! Just say to yourself in your head, "I made a mistake and I will learn from it now." I think you need to work on some cognitive restructuring, you need to retrain your brain to perceive yourself more positively. This is the only difference between you and the girls you go to school with. Believe me, I've been there.

Do not delegate what you E.A.T.- evaluate, assess, teach. They're expecting you to act as an RN when you aren't licensed as one.

Hey, I have exactly the same problems you do. I'm a new grad. Recently just quit a job b/c I made little mistakes like yours and it made me question everything to be honest. But I learned a few things: "Nurses eat their Young" is something I've heard about frequently while in and out of school. My experiences have led me to believe that its the expectations that people have of new nurses that really messes things up. People forget what its like to be new and afraid of everything! Most RNs tell you to grow a tougher skin, and to a degree they're right. Just acknowledge that many RNs aren't great teachers. What is really going to help you in your career is letting nursing envelope you in every sense. Always look at situations as if the person has something to teach you. I remember in anatomy class, I practiced daily and I worked hard at memorizing. That knowledge that I gained made me feel so confident. Its because I made it a lifestyle. With more knowledge, the confidence will come. -Just remember that you are in charge of your education. -Not all nurses are great teachers, so you will have to be the one to ask questions. -Always be very clear and concise in your questions-many times I have asked vague questions only to get vague answers. - not everyone has a knack for nursing (I know I don't!) compensate for that by asking questions and gaining knowledge. I relate to you, really. I went through school hoping to cure my social anxiety. What really did it was taking risks. I'm still not the best at nursing, but I've grown from my experiences.

Hello everyone! Looking for a job as a new grad. Just want to get your opinion on your careers. What do you like or don't like about your job? (feel free to get things off your chest if need be) I want to hear about everything! I don't know where I fit in... I am: - good at physically demanding jobs - trying to be better at multitasking - some patience for crazy situations (worked on ICU/PCU as tech) - not the most textbook-intelligent - not squeamish at all - learning to be more assertive (its tough being the new person! you don't want to make anyone mad)

I talked to an experienced RN that I trusted and she recommended that I get a job in med-surge or psych nursing. The patients are typically lower acuity. She said that my focus in those jobs would be taking care of daily needs and that most patients would be at a lower risk of safety issues. I understand that all nursing jobs have their difficulties. Med surge is more bulk, psych is dealing with chronic mental problems that may never be fixed. I just want a job where I can actually learn as a new grad. ER, ICU, PCU- these are jobs that are best left to more experienced and/or confident nurses. I have learned that I need to be in charge of my education and be more assertive. Not all my preceptors are going to be great teachers. I really wish that nursing students could learn this in their first year.

Much like a "good death", quitting my job was a "good quit" :). I told my manager that I really did learn a lot and I will be taking that knowledge to my next job. She seemed to really like me as an employee and appeared sorry that I left. But I do feel like I need a slower paced job. I have anxiety, and I do my best to overcome it (and I never tell anyone I work with! They'd think I was incompetent). Maybe psych nursing or procedural nursing (like IR) would be good? I worked on the ICU as a tech. The death never creeped me out or made me extremely emotional, I felt that it was natural. I did enjoy hearing the patient's stories and talking to families. I had social issues when I was younger, so frankly just being able to talk to people without getting nervous makes me happy! My manager told me that I seemed to have a talent for developing a rapport with pts and families and to play on that when I apply for other jobs.

I did end up quitting. I really wasn't doing well in my opinion (being late on meds, not always able to answer docs questions on the spot, getting nervous when preceptor was watching and I would fumble, not giving A+report with good flow) but its the nature of the beast in PCU because RNs are expected to be fast + accurate+ efficient. I'm still learning how to plan my day right and multitask to get maximum efficiency. I eventually became scared to ask questions because I was afraid I would get reported to my manager about a lack in knowledge. And looking things up (like drug interactions, protocols, or things to help me understand Drs notes) took valuable time that made me late. Thats why I showed up an hour early daily. My manager pretty much said either I go on a learning plan (basically probation) or I quit. I was honest with her about each situation and I always took ownership of any mistakes. I truly thought I was doing better near the end, too. Now I'm thinking that I should do something where I have more time to learn and ask questions during the day. Something slower paced until I gain enough confidence and experience.

I am a new grad, I've been doing PCU for the past few months. I've been making some mistakes in orientation (not major ones) but enough that my manager feels that Intensive care isn't my forte. Any time I consult with my preceptor about what I should do in certain situations, my preceptor counts it as a near miss and tells the manager. For example, I pulled a B-blocker for a patient that was tachy and I paged my instructor b/c the orders said "for sustained HR above 120" but the HR wasn't sustained there (it went up and down) and his BP was normal. She told me to look at the vasoactive manual, but it didn't answer my question - it just gave basic info and different amounts of the drug given. I told her that I wanted her professional opinion and she said to give it. She told our manager that I was looking like I was going to give the drug without consulting my resources.... and this wasn't the first time she has said things like this about me. I do feel like I owned up to my other mistakes and I showed up to work an hour early daily when I felt I began to struggle. But I also felt like my work environment was slightly toxic and that I wasn't getting the support I needed. (My preceptor tended to just drop me in situations or put me on the spot) I'm planning on quitting today because I feel like I need a chance at a new start. I just wanted to know: What kind of jobs are out there that are lower acuity and that I could work in?? I don't like intensive care. I don't want to say "easier" but in essence I want something thats lower stress so I can get work experience under my belt.

I'm not an RN btw. I have to admit it seems like you have a 50/50 chance with RNs when you need help. Either they are helpful, nice, and want to be as useful as they can to you as a student, or they are grumpy and annoyed by you. I know plenty of RNs that I would love to be friends with, and plenty I never want to see again

I have looked into becoming a physician after nursing school (I love science, but some of these doctors have no idea about a patient's needs). You can have any 4 year degree but you have to take lots of chem and bio b4 you can take the MCAT to even be considered for any med school. Things like Organic chemistry, Genetics, Molecular Biology, that kind of stuff. I would recommend becoming a Nurse Practitioner, because you become licensed to prescribe meds, analyze laboratory data, etc. So its basically a simpler doc w/ out all the chem and bio background.

Stapholococcus Aureus (methicillin-resistant Staph A) hangs out near the nares region. Probably because it is warm there and you don't wash your nose 50 times a day like you do your hands. Plus, that particular bacteria hides in the fingerprint indents which is why physicians scrub scrub scrub b4 a surgery. So therefore, it is easier to get a good sample from your nose. You'd have an easier time getting Staph Epidermis from your hands. Most of the population carries that.

I agree with SweetseRN. I work at Kroger at the moment and its exactly the same, people leave their crud for you to clean up. Its not fair but you just have to let go, especially if your complaints to you're superiors aren't going anywhere. Just try to do your job the best and let them fail at theirs. Karma has a funny way of smackin ppl back for bad things they've done.

You most certainly do for any university.

So much training to be a Dr. so little maturity. Its too bad you can't just deck him every time he does that. I think more hospitals need to be unionized or SOMETHING to make HR treat nurses with more respect. I've heard way too many stories like this from other RN's that I respect. (I'm a student btw, not in the career yet)

UGH! yucky! I can deal with blood, waste, guts, pus, and phlegm. But ejaculation? ewwww!!! I don't ever want to work in geri, those elderly men have some ahem "ideas".