traumaprincess

TJRN, I personally think that it is normal to feel like school did not prepare you for the real world. It did though, you are probably just not aware of how much you change as a nurse each day you are working. It will get easier and real life and school will all merge eventually so that it all starts to make sense. The more you push yourself to learn while you are at work the faster you will learn. Do not be afraid of what you do not know. Let it be a challenge for you. It is ok to think you do not know enough. You are not suppose to know it all yet. You will never know it all. That is what is so great about what we do, the opportunity for learning is endless.

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I am not new but I will NEVER forget how I felt. If you feel like you need more orientation you can always ask for more. Just know that you are not expected to know everything and there is always going to be someone who will help you if you ask for help. Know when to get help. Question everything out of the norm. It took a year before I started to feel even half way comfortable. I am really glad I never quit though, even though it was tough it was definately worth the struggle because I love what I do now. There is A LOT to know. You will NEVER know it all. It is more important to know yourself and your limitations. It is ok to ask a lot of questions and I personally think it makes you a better nurse. I hope things get better for you. Good luck in your new career.

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That is interesting, then if she does not want to take phone orders and write them herself she needs to tell the doctor to hold while she gets someone who can do it. Because no matter what the NPA says the person who hears the order should be the one who writes it. Maybe someone needs to talk to her about what her responsibilities are. That is frustrating. Maybe next time you should politely tell her that she needs to write the orders she took. It cannot take that much time out of her shift, and it will eventually avoid a mistake being made when the order goes from dr to her to someone else to the chart. There are too many chances for error in communication.

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Congrats!!!!

Sorry, I guess I was confusing. Basically what I am trying to say is this does not have to be about RN or LPN. This is basic nursing knowledge, you write your own verbal orders, you do not ask anyone else to write what you heard, nor do you write what someone else heard. Period. Everyone at your facility probably needs to be aware of this. JMHO

Just a thought so you might avoid a big RN vs LPN thing.... I will not write orders that another RN takes either. If someone is comfortable taking the phone order they need to write it themselves. Otherwise it just gets into a he said she said etc... if the order is ever written wrong or if it is written on the wrong patient etc. So, the person who heard the order, read the order back to the MD should be the only person who WRITES the order(maybe this is what needs to be said to her). I have had another RN ask me to write her verbal order and I told her no, let me help you with this or that, you go and write what YOU heard. No feathers were ruffled and I felt good about myself at the end of the day. It is not that I do not trust others, it is just that I like to be positive about what I take responsibility for??? I never want to shoo away help, but I have had drs insist they did not say what I wrote. If I actually did not hear it how could I stand proud by what I wrote??? So, you could tell her, "you are sure she is trying to be helpful, but you just are not comfortable writing T.O you did not actually take, but thanks so much for your help."

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This is a great thread!!! I just have to add my two stories. I got report from the ER RN, she said I would be receiving Dr. so and so... She gave me report and I waited for the patient. When the patient arrived she was this sweet elderly lady. I aked her what she liked to be called, she told me Dr. so and so. After a while of talking to her it seemed she had VERY little medical experience. I said what is your doctorate in? She said English. Aha. Second story. A patients daughter seemed to have some medical knowledge. But not enough for me to believe that she was a medical MD even though she introduced herself as Dr. so and so. After talking to her for some time I was convinced that she could not be an MD, even though it seemed that was what she wanted me to believe. I asked her what her medical specialty was. She paused for a bit and then told me she was a veterinarian. I would have to agree with llg definition I found: MD:New Latin medicinae doctor doctor of medicine; Doctor:1 a : an eminent theologian declared a sound expounder of doctrine by the Roman Catholic Church -- called also doctor of the church b : a learned or authoritative teacher c : a person who has earned one of the highest academic degrees (as a PhD) conferred by a university d : a person awarded an honorary doctorate (as an LLD or Litt D) by a college or university

Congratulations!!!! How does it feel to write RN behind your name????!!!! WooooHOooooo!

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35 min one way. That is if there are no traffic issues.