lizzybeth

I am a new rn, graduated in may 07. I am orienting on an orthopedic post op floor. I started just a few weeks ago. I had not had any patient care for 3 months or so(orientation started in sept.) and I feel very unsure about BP's. I did notice though that the more I do it the more I feel better about it. I have no health care back ground before nsg school, so I feel retarded 3/4 of the time, but I make sure the TV is on mute and make sure the environment is as quiet as can be when I take a BP. It is tricky to me, especially when I see the needle move before I hear a sound, but I tell myself literally to go by the sound, not the needle( i call it a needle--whatever it is called). I also have been taking blood pressures after the tech does to see if I am on the ball or not. Blood pressure is tricky for us unexperienced new nurses who only had the opportunity to do it in clinical practice a few times or with an instructor staring at you, enhancing the pressure! And it is stressfull when we have to give a bp med, or do freq. VS for blood transfusions and what not. I am paranoid about bp's because way back in nsg 101, I didn't pass the first validation (seriously--due to noise in the room and nerves--I was the first one to "perform") So, I have always had doubts in that area. I just keep on pluggin' along and do the best I can with that. I probably take the most accurate bp's because I am so anal about it, but always have doubts. It is something you have to get used to, like everything else. Take every one in your family's blood pressure--people on the street-just kidding! The more you do it the more fine tuned you will be! I am working on it every day! Hope this helps! Liz

I took mine today--same story as many of you. Strange q's, LOTS of ptioritizing, SATA, weird meds and even two on treating patients with pertussus and diptheria! We never learned about those diseases! Only immunizing against them! So, I drove home in a daze and feel totally like I failed! I will find out the truth of the matter on Thurs. Can somebody tell me more about how priority questions are considered good to have? I had about 10! Good luck to those who are in limbo, waiting. And congrats to those who have passed! Reading this board has helped ease SOME of my anxiety! Liz

Yes, I have to admit that I find NS a constant source of stress. I never would have gotten into it if I knew I would feel this way, almost every day. I too, find myself just trying to get through it and then get a job at Walmart, because I only hear how hard it is to be a nurse! I like it when someone who is a nurse already says it gets better--but then they say it is really HARD and STRESSFULL! I don't want that anymore! I only have til may, but I still feel disgusted. But I am not a quitter. I will endure!

I believe that some anxiety is healthy. It makes you aware and careful. But, if it is paralyzing you and making your life miserable even when you are not at work, then you need to talk to someone and get to the root of it. I am also a very anxious person, especially in the face of the unknown--which is what nurses walk into and deal with every shift they work! I tried meds and I also went to talk to a counselor. The meds help the symptoms but not the cause. My counselor helped me to see that my "reactions" to things, potentially or immediate, were my cause of my anxiety. I am a senior nursing student, I have had many mornings before clinicals feeling like the world was going to come to an end and I am not exaggerating! DOOM and GLOOM and pounding heart, sweating--you name it. I am much better now thanks to my last semester's clinical instructor. I don't know how she did it but she sent us on our way with our meds, didn't breathe down our backs, but at the same time was there for us(BUT she made sure we knew NOT to need her, unless absolutely PERTINENT!) So, I had no choice but to take control and do what I had to do. And I did it--as a result I feel I can take control of situations better and I have much more confidence. Believe me, I know it is apples and oranges (student vs. really being out there alone as an RN) but I am trying to hone in on the skills that will help me deal with and block out anxiety that originates from somewhere inside of me that is unfounded. I think a feeling of control is needed and also the ability to anticipate events before thaey happen. Sorry so long, I hope this helps, counselors are great. Get a good one with good references! None of us should have to live this way! Liz

Hello, I was wondering if anyone can help me find some good websites that could tell me about an lpn's role in the nursing arena and in relationships with RN'S and cna's. I have a paper due on this subject and cannot find a good reference with this information. I am from CT and have looked up Ct nursing laws but i am obviously barking up the wrong tree. Any response will be greatly appreciated! Lizzybeth

Yeah, (watching) suctioning of a trache patient, or anything with gag reflexes and sputum involved make me want to lose it. But, I keep putting myself in those situations because I think The more I am around something, the more hardened up to it I become! Has not happened yet, and I find myself on the verge of hurling--but I keep trying to think of the patient and how humiliated they feel. So I kind of go into a different world to get me through it. Also, colostomy bags--my instructor put a vial of peppermint (opened, with a gauze hanging out of it) to mask the smell in the room during our changinging it, it helped. So there are ways of geting through smell disasters--but the visual and auditory things get me the most!! IN TIME--I HOPE!! ):

my husband and i don't have the best relationship in the world, but he has surprised me by how supportive he is of me in nursing school. who knows--maybe he wants to ditch me when i am making money! but anyways--whatever it is it's working out for me. sometimes dumping someone can be very stressful and you do not need any additional stress when you are studying and so involved in nursing school. my advice to you is to focus on school and if he is not supportive, let the relationship fade away. it is much easier to move on with no children or marriage involved so just--forge on! and let fate take care of it!

Ever since I started nursing school, I noticed my hair has been falling out something horrible! Now I have little hairs sticking out all over my head like a Chia pet from the regrowth--thank God it is growing back! But it continues to fall out! It is scary, but a few of my classmates have noticed the same thing happening to them--is the stress really doing that much damage? Has any one else noticed this or any other bodily reactions?

I am still a student, so I have it drilled in my head to aspirate on IM's. I guess the worse that could have happened is that the nnedle didn't make it into the deep muscle tissue.But from what I hear it is rare with the approprate sized needle. So , I am sure it is OK

On the other hand, when I graduate and I am working with a doctor who calls me a derrogatory name--he better be ready for the talk of all talks in the lunch room, or where ever! After that I can be rest assured that he or she will not do that to me again!!!

Last week one of my peers messed up during an assessment, possibly teetering on the edge of violating pt. safety, but our instructor waited until a proper time to discuss this with the student. Kudos to her. That is the way it should be done. Why make the student feel like an imcompetent fool in front of the patient , thus making the patient feel vulnerable and afraid of who the heck is caring for him or her? I haven't encountered a mean instructor yet, but if I do I will make sure she doesn't think that I tolerate that kind of feedback--if that is what is supposed to be called. I will apologize, but not in a wimpering way, and I will show by my non-verbal cues that I maintain my self respect. It would actually just be me being me. I won't confront anyone in authority, but I convey through my demeanor that they will get a respectful response but it might make them look like the a##. I don't know how to explain it i guess. It is all about self esteem and knowing who you are. And knowing that your instructor knew as little as you when they started out. Good luck to all of you who have these demon instructors. I will probably get one next semester--but I am ready!

My husband, too is very insecure about my going back to school for nursing. He jokes around that he can't wait til I'm bringing home some good money, but then "jokes" around to his friends and family that I am going to run off with a dr.He gets very mean and controlling and gets jealous not only of me going to school, but also of the new person I have become since I've started. My new-found confidence has him baffled. I quit my job as an esthetician when I married him 7 years ago to stay home with our son. He started treating me badly, so I made a vow to get myself out of such a dependent position. So I went to school at night and finally got accepted into nusing last year. Over that period of time, I have become someone he doesn't really know--the real me, only a {better} real me. And quite frankly, I can tell he is scared S***less! I think he knows I won't and don't have to take his abuse anymore! By the way in my class, 3 girls are getting divorced and one has it all planned out to dump her husband after she graduates!!

I also tied the Rad. tech program and dropped out in the middle of my second semester even though I was doing great grade-wise. The reason--I found it uninteresting and too technical for me. I wanted to be more involved in patient care. The reason I didn't go for nursing from the get-go is because I was afraid to take chemistry! So I bit the bullet, passed chemistry and got into the RN program. I am in my second semester and I LOVE it!!!! Apples and oranges! I guess it all depends on how involved you want to be with the patient.