Damask

crying...oh, you're right. there are definitely days i feel like crying. i go to the med room and fight it off. sometimes i hope to cry when i get home because i think it might feel good, but i can't. it's not even that anything terrible has happened. it's more frustration than anything else. thanks, ruby!!

Thank you! Good ideas. I have found myself going back to my old Med-surg books from school, too. They seem to make more sense all of the sudden.

You're right! I swear, I have the hardest time remembering the simplest tasks some days. Those who tell you that, once you've made a mistake once, you'll never make it again are right. Every time I find out I did something wrong it ends up on a subconscious checklist. The things I find most distracting were not taught in school. This mainly involves interdisciplinary interests...were consults done, who did them, where is this patient going to go next, etc.

I'm sure that, since I know so many who were hired around the same time I was, there are a lot of new grads out there who are about a month off of orientation. I'd love to hear about your overall impression! Sharing makes me feel better. So far...it's going okay for me. Here are my reflections: I work days right now. Every evening prior to a work day I feel like I'm going to be sick. Heck, every time I think about my next work day I feel a little woozy. I complained about this to a coworker and she said "Oh, that sounds about right! Completely normal." It made me feel so much better. I'm glad I work with people who will listen to these concerns. Everyone keeps saying "Give yourself a year!" "You'll never forget this first year." I wish I could magically wake up next year - with all the experience, of course. In a way, I think the anxiety is a blessing. My constant cross checking and self doubt drives me to ask for help when I need it. I've asked some really really stupid questions. I'm not going to lie and say I have made no mistakes. Some days are worse than others. I know I'll make more mistakes in the future, though I go to work each shift and say to myself "Today - one thing at a time! Do your best!" There's a lot I have to improve on. A lot. I get so mad at myself when I realize I missed information in the chart or look at the EMAR and see a med is late. I'm surprised by how time flies. I feel like there must be a wormhole through spacetime from the 8:00 hour to 12:00 because I sure as heck always look up at the clock at noon and wonder where the time went. It's all worth it when I get one sincere 'thank you.'

I'm a new grad, too, almost out of orientation. I'm a basket case. My coworkers have been wonderful, though, and have assured me that I will be fine - they're looking out for me. So...this is the advice I've been given by other nurses: Accept that it might be a year before you feel comfortable. Always remember that you are never doing the job alone. There are other nurses there to help you if you feel lost or overwhelmed. Always ask questions if you don't know something. Even experienced nurses need to do so. Don't blow air into those little morphine capsules with the springs on the end. Advice from me: I've found that I have trouble with time management sometimes...I tend to be slow. However, my patients tend to forgive me because I make it a point to really really listen to them. Also, expect some REALLY terrible days. When you get one, know it isn't your fault. Even experienced nurses have these days. Just keep your head up and push through it as best you can. Take a quick break if you're overwhelmed. You will probably come back stronger and make up for lost time.

I think I have seen a physical restraint one time and a chemical restraint one time - both in nursing school. Restraints require a lot of charting and the physicians need to review/renew the order often so they are a hassle. I've seen LOTS of sitters, however. I haven't heard anything about them going away, but I'm newish. This is a blanket policy? So, is medical regimen taken into account? You know, drug interactions, side effects, respiratory problems...etc...etc... Are the physicians actually following the new policy when they write orders? I'm curious.

I interviewed at two large hospital systems. It was hard because I had a lot of experience at the first institution, and was not hired there so I had to field the "why aren't you working for XX?" question at the second. I answered honestly because I had information from the recruiter as to why I was not hired (luckily, it was nothing against me! I think I just was more awkward during my first couple interviews and I was still in the running as a potential candidate). I followed up with the fact that I had great respect for both institutions (as they are both very respectable), I liked that both did a great deal of nursing and medical research, and that I would be well oriented which would improve the safety of my patients... and was hired. I think they want to see that you do your homework and aren't thrown off by the question, but I can't say for certain. I think it's easiest to answer if you know a lot about the position you're applying for and what you like about the job itself. Also, they want to know what you can do for them to make care better on their unit/floor/facility. Take any opportunity you can to throw that in there.

Community hospital - med surg, mid-sized midwestern city, $23/hr.

Plain old notebook paper and pens. I can never remember things if I type them, I've always had to write them out. I tried printing power points and the things the other students did, but...in the end I guess I'm just old fashioned! :icon_roll I really like my MedSurg Notes booklet I got on amazon. I used it to study for exams, before and during clinicals, studying for my NCLEX and I'm still referring back to it. Oh, and it's waterproof!

Thanks! I missed that forum.

Thank you, both! I am looking at them right now and I like that I can get a smooth, simple shoe. I like to be able to at least wipe my shoes off with clorox wipes, and I can see the Dankos doesn't have many places for bacteria to hide. :) I also like arch support. Hmm...so maybe an extra layer of socks during the breaking in?

I have a topic that will have everyone flaming each other in short order. Shoes. I'm a few weeks into my first nursing job. I've spent much of it (as everyone does) on my feet and those dogs are howling! My old shoes from nursing schools are kind of broken down. I wear support socks, and those help some, but I think new shoes are in order. What brands do you like?

Thanks for all the additional tips! I will be open to criticism, ask for help, and watch for organizational tips. It's still...a bit daunting. I suppose it would be foolish of me to be not at all nervous, though. I look forward to feeling fully proficient!

I'm so glad you asked this! I have the same anxiety as a new grad! I started my hospital's in class week and we took assessments to guide our orientation period. (I was told it will be 10 weeks or longer, depending on what I need. My NM seems wonderful, as does my preceptor.) I'm so excited about the new job, but it's scary...it's hard to believe one really truly has a job, you know? I fear that I'll make a mistake and it will be over. Anyway, thanks for asking this question and thank you to everyone who answered it. I'm relaxing a bit now.

Congratulations!! :yelclap:

If you had to write journals at any point, rereading those may help. Also, remember what made you interested in the field to begin with. What makes you passionate? Reminding yourself about this will give you the boost you need to be positive and excited about the opportunity. Try to enjoy the conversation. (I know...that's hard! But, personally, I found out that my interviews were far more successful once I started enjoying myself.) I interviewed with two different hospital networks with two different recruiters. They both wanted stories. If you say "I value integrity" tell a short (concise) story to back it up. Think of the SBAR format to help you.

GrnTea...I'll never forget the story about the your student and the patient who needed to talk. Thank you.

I can see why you're worried. Have you brought your concerns up to the school? Can you write down what skills you want to practice by the end of each clinical? Do they have you write journals with goals? Maybe if you tell your instructor you want to do such and such task, he or she can look for opportunities for you to perform it. Nurses on the floor used to approach our instructors all the time when they had a task to perform. Priming an IV tube is pretty easy, but we didn't learn to do it until a little over halfway through school. Maybe ask the director of the program when you get to do these things. I think we had to be "released" to perform various tasks after the relevant lectures. Our syllabus actually listed the tasks out week by week. Do you have a practicum with a preceptor and everything? Being a CNA before/during nursing school is a great idea. Those who were were miles ahead. I wish I had been. By the time I decided I wanted to, I found out we were considered too close to graduation. My program did require healthcare experience, and I was a volunteer. (Still am!) Being a CNA would have been better, though.

I got my BSN via the accelerated route and felt the same way...until the last semester when I had practicum. If you have a practicum, you'll get a LOT of experience there! Many of the skills turned out to be the easy to learn once you have done them a few times. However, I still haven't had the opportunity to do a few. I think assessment takes the most time to learn, imho. Each time I do it I get a little better. Like Ashley said, you can also use the time to work on critical thinking skills. Even if you don't get a chance to do technical skills during clinicals, spend the day understanding EVERYTHING you can about patient labs/medications/assessment data and trying to integrate it with what you know. A few clinical instructors brought out equipment for us to practice with, too. You can ask about that. We didn't get much lab time so sometimes the instructor would let us play with an IV pump for a while. A nursing instructor was the one who taught me blood draws (more than halfway through) and I had no trouble doing them thereafter. From what I am hearing most people in our group got hired fairly quickly. I was just hired this week after looking for a month. Many of the floors my former classmates are working on have binders and workbooks for them to continue training and learn about floor specific concerns. I never went through a residency program, but the hospitals here do have very thorough orientations. It's practically "school...continued." You'll learn fast. If you aren't the type to learn quickly...you wouldn't be halfway through already. I remember! Six weeks for a class and a test almost every week with multiple papers due and clinicals? Sheesh!

Thank you all! I hope things start looking up for all the other new graduates out there.

Thank you all!! Oh, hair color...I almost forgot, madpeys! I'll take one of those. @bostonstudentnurse: My strategy started out sort of by the book. I had four interviews total. For the first two, I made a mistake. I read a whole lot about interview etiquette. I wore a really nice suit. I thought about answers beforehand. In the end, I felt stiff and not myself. Before my most recent two interviews I bought a more business casual outfit that I would be comfortable in - but that still looked nice. I spent the weekend with people I love. When I went to the interview I was genuine and myself and answered questions the way I would answer them if they came from my best friend. (It helps that I'm the optimistic sort...I have heard if you're a griper to avoid doing it during an interview.) I did the same at the next interview and in both I got very positive responses. When I felt more comfortable I felt more enthusiastic and it showed. Before hand I had reread my old nursing school journals and my essays from early in school and recaptured the reason I quit my old job to become a nurse. I talked about that. I thought about patients that I had cared for in school and how much that had meant to me. I talked about that. I thought about how important it is to me that a family feel included (with the patients permission) and educated and I talked about it. I avoided thoughts about "What if this is my last shot at an interview? I really need this job!" because they weren't helpful in the past. To get the interviews I read and reread my cover letter and resume for each hospital I applied to. I rewrote it so that the information I knew they would care about was up top (this took research). I was careful to avoid letting my cover letter sound like a form letter and I rewrote it so that my passion would be clear. So, in the end, just be yourself. Remember why you wanted to become a nurse. Dress so that you look nice but are comfortable. Proofread. :)

Hi, Charlo. I don't know much about NC but I know you want to see some statistics. Here you have them. Region seems to matter tremendously, though.: Center on Education and the Workforce - Georgetown University

I got a job offer today and took it! After all my worrying and fussing it really happened. :) I am above the moon. It's especially exciting because I was convinced that it would take me 6 mo-1 year to get a job and that it may not be a job I would be excited about. INSTEAD I got a job in a field I'm passionate about at a great hospital and just passed my NCLEX a month ago! So, it can happen! It really can! Keep trying. It only takes that one application to change everything. Oh, I'm going to go grocery shopping without a calculator tomorrow, baby!

When you can, understand drugs in the context of their classifications instead of memorizing the individual drugs. Understand what they do to the body and where they work. It's easier to remember long term and if you get a question about side effects, but can't remember specifics, you can reason through it.

You are welcome! Good luck!