UseYourNoodle

love to ask pt's "what is your emergency today?" during triage just to see their puzzled face when they realize they really don't actually have an emergency

Thank you ASM90 for your post. I was here researching the same thing! I'm right there with you, new grad in the ED. I was recently asked to come off orientation early. I felt excited that I am doing well enough that they would consider me ready but then the anxiety set in and now I feel like I'm going to be all alone! The staff I work with are great but I just worry about when we are slammed crazy busy is the help still going to be there. Like all I guess I have my good days where I feel like I rocked the whole shift and then other days I feel like I was a scattered mess and want to vomit. I am just happy to see that it's normal to feel this way.

To the OP- I am a new grad and I have moments where I feel like I'm "living the dream" and then moments when I question my decision to be a nurse all together...and nursing was my dream job. It is a job that comes with a lot of stress so you can't blame those who need to vent. Something I know now is that you don't really know what you are in for until you are in it. When I first started in the ER I would get frustrated at other nurses for getting irritated over certain types of patients but now I understand that there are things that will become frustrating and at times it seems that you are so completely unappreciated when you know you just worked your butt off. When I'm questioning my career choice I try to remember WHY I wanted to be a nurse and it usually gets me through the moment. Good luck to you....Best part: when you know you have done your best at helping someone and you are appreciated regardless of the outcome. Pet peeve: when unappreciative patients think you are their waitress when you are comepletely slammed with patients who actually need you for their life threatening situation.