owlRN01

I am 4 months in and I wake up in the middle of the day after sleeping and think that I fell asleep at work...then I start to wonder who is taking care of my patients and i get nervous because I haven't assessed them yet. I think all of this while in my bed in the middle of the day! lol It takes me awhile to realize that I'm not at work. The dreams I have while I'm sleeping...those are pretty bad too. Can't wait for them to stop.

I have heard from many nurses that 6 months to a year gets you feeling comfortable witht the basics. Beyond that a few more years get's you at the point where you feel like you are a good nurse. I am only 7 weeks into my preceptorship and the eighth week is my last Funny because even though I don't feel ready to be on my own part of me is excited to not have someone breathing down my neck my whole shift. I am so much more comfortable than when I started and I have learned SO SO much in such a short time span. I love my job so much! It still makes me nervous though!

I ended up working with PSA for about 6 weeks. About 2 weeks into it I landed a job at a childrens hospital and decided not to continue with PSA. I was not that comfortable in the home as a new grad with no one to turn to with my questions. It was a little scary. But now... I have tons of amazing experienced nurses to turn to at my new job and I am learning SO MUCH! I love it. I do think that home health was what helped me land my hospital job though so it was not a waste at all :)

May sound crazy, but I worked in peds home health for a month and through that time was applying for jobs at a local childrens hospital. I got a call back from the childrens hospital after putting my current job on my resume and writing about some of my current experiences in peds home health in my cover letter. If it's what you want I say go for it!! I got the job at the hospital and I could not be happier :) Start putting your experience down on your resume, it shows you are serious about working with kids! Good luck to you!

I'm a new grad working in PCU and eventually cross training in PICU. I was told that 6-8 weeks was the norm for PCU but I could have more if I needed it. The new grad PICU nurses get 6 months of training. I have only been on orientation for 3 weeks and have already learned so much! I still wish my orientation was 12 weeks though

I put my first nursing job on my resume immediatly and got a call from a hospital for a full time position just a few weeks later. I think that first job is what helped me land this one. Truth is, I did feel kinda silly putting it on there when I had only worked a week but whatever. It got me exactly what I wanted. I say go for it.

I also did private duty after graduation because I could not find a job in the hospital. I hated private duty but I had bills to pay and I wanted a nursing job. I kept applying to hospitals and once I had a little experience I put that on my resume. With the little bit of experience I had in private duty I landed my hospital job and I could not be happier! Keep with it if you can because it just might be your "in" with the hospital. It may take awhile though Good luck!

That's great that they don't just throw you in. I did orient a couple days with other nurses at one house but then they started to want to send me all over the place without any direction or orientation. It would have even been nice had another nurse been there to at least explain the childs routine to me but that didn't happen I was really nervous as a new grad (I still am a new grad). I had a child that had seizures a lot and to be honest it scared the crap out of me. I felt like I was walking on egg shells all day. I left that job after 2 months because it was mentally and emotionally draining to me to have no help when I needed it. Yes it was just one kid, but to stay put in one room of someone elses house for 12 hours a day was awful! I am so thankful that I found my hospital job. It's a wonderful environment that I feel safe enough to learn in. I am not always worried that something is going to go wrong. I would say that I never had the chance to get over being nervous in that setting and I am only one month into my hospital job so of course I am still nervous there as well... those feelings will pass at some point. At least that's what I keep telling myself.

Hey! How long have you been taking cases? What are your kids (or adults) like? I also did this as a new grad but I got simple kids with g-tubes and such. When they tried to send me somewhere without an orientation with another nurse I told them no. Truth is that most of those places just want someone to fill the holes with these kids. I cared enough about the kids and I knew what areas my skills were lacking. I never put a kid in danger and I never risked my lisence just so the company could fill a hole with a nurse. I got out of that situation as fast as I could by finding a job in a hospital. It only took me a couple months but I realize for others it is taking a lot longer. Are you working with adults or kids? I think no matter what home health is a crappy place for a new grad to start. Most of us just are not confident enough in our skills. I took the job because I needed money and I needed experience. If you feel the same way stick it out for a while until you find a job that better suites a new grad. Whatever you do, do not let them walk all over you and send you to cases you are not comfortable with. I wish you the best of luck!

If anything, I think I would be more comfortable to talk with someone I know personally about something like this. I know she is your boss but she is human too. I am sure you are not the first nurse to have issues like this in oncology. I don't pretend to know what it's like to work in oncology because I never have and I don't think I am strong enough for it. You sound like an amazing nurse that enjoys getting to know her patients. I would try and stay within the same hospital system if possible, I think it is easier to find a job that way than starting cold. I would really say something though because you can't have this effecting your care and bringing you down. You need to be able to take work off your mind when you go home :) Good luck!

I kept my Fundamentals book but I have found that I never ever use it for information. I wish I would have sold it. However, I have found my Med Surg book to be invaluable... I always look up stuff in that book. I am a new grad and I still use my books to look up information after my shifts. The learning NEVER ends :) Also kept my OB and PEDS books as well as my advanced assessment books. Never know when you might want them.

I am so sorry that you have to put up with a place like this. I also feel for the patients... I have never worked in LTC but as a recent grad I know how tough the job market is and I agree someone will be ready and willing to take your place. I would get out of there as fast as you can! Even if you have to work outside of nursing right now it has to be better than putting your liscense at risk. I wish you luck in finding a safe environment where you can learn from other nurses and take care of patients the way they should be taken care of. You sound like a very good nurse :)

Sorry my answer looks all crazy I copied and pasted it from Word.

Of course ask about things you don't understand but also ask things like... 1) How do we prepare a room for new admits based on acuity of pt? 2) What is the admit process? What is my role? 3) Where can I find resources such as drug guides, policy and procedure manuals? 4) How do I work the beds, monitors, IV pumps, TVs, phones... ect because some of these things will be different from what you are used to. 5) How do I get in contact with doctors, pharmacy, respiratory therapy ect... 6) Where can I find blah blah blah... getting used to where everything is kept is half the battle. You don't want to feel stupid because you can't even find a blanket for a pt but I guarantee there will be times when you can't find even the simplest item. Make friends with the ACPs because they will help you SOOOO much J I am only 4 shifts into my first nursing job and it has been a roller coaster so far with different preceptors and such. For as long of a general nursing orientation as I had none of those questions I just posted were addressed. Make sure you know how to work all the equipment if it has been awhile since you have done pt care. You don't want the families to think you don't know what you are doing. I am sure you will be great! I have already come a long way in 4 shifts and I know I will eventually get it. You just have to be willing to feel like a dork for awhile until you really get it. Ask all the questions you can :)

Just wanted to say good luck on your in person interview! They must have liked you or you wouldn't have been asked to come in person :) You will do great!