gekner

I would just ask the doctor why he's ordering it. Just don't be confrontational about it, obviously. Most doctors love to do teaching and he must have a reason. I smile and agree that it does make annoying people less annoying. It also tends to curb the appetites of those in withdrawl... Those who are in severe pain will let you know when this doesn't work. At which point you will approach the doctor for further pain medication.

I think this lack of confidence is normal at this point of your career. You feel you should have your feet on the ground and know what is going on by now, but in reality you are just now realizing how little you know and how charting criteria can set you up to fail. You will find your own groove when it comes to charting. You will find what you feel is actually necessary and when your organization has you documenting the same thing in multiple places. Discuss your charting with your colleges and possibly learn from eachothers experiences. Now that you are past your initial orientation period and real world nursing 101, it is now a great time to dive into the books and really learn the finer points of critical care nursing. Having a solid knowledge base behind you will also give you more confidence as what actually needs assessed and charted. Keep your head up.