darkangelRN

Good luck, I hope it went well! My first day on my own is coming up! For BP meds, my preceptor told me (this just happened today) to look at the patients trends. See what the BP was yesterday before and after meds. Are they normally low? High? Is this new for the patient? Some meds on my floor actually have parameters set by the physician in the patients MAR. Today, we held the BP med and the patient was 113/50. So I wouldn't base it on one specific number. Use your critical thinking skills. I have noticed that nothing is ever black and white. If you are really unsure, I would ask someone else on the unit. Let us know how your first day went!

Oh yeah, and nursing school was very unrealistic.

Yes. I carry a little pocket notebook to write things about the computer that I need to remember that way I dont have to keep asking people. Im only 2 weeks in, but I have been pulling out the notebook less and less. It is normal to feel lost. I suspect we will feel this way for a while. I try to think of everything I did WELL at the end of the day instead of the negative. My preceptor said that it is important to be forgiving to yourself during this new transition and to care for the caretaker (you!). Hang in there. It will get better!

Don't give up if bedside nursing is what you truly want! My class just graduated a month and a half ago. Everyone who didn't work at a hospital during school is having a really difficult time even getting an interview. It seems the bachelor's degree students are having a little more luck. I am just thankful for the sleepless nights of work and school or I would probably not have a job right now. A couple people landed LTC jobs and plan to leave in a year with their year experience that is required for most hospital jobs. Keep trying and being proactive! Call and bug people in HR! Check hospital websites daily and apply to all jobs. My friend got an interview to a job that required more experience than she had, and they referred her to another floor and they gladly hired her. Good luck to you. And I agree with your diamond in the ruff statement!

Surgical ICU. Level one trauma hospital will expose you to more, too. But either way, you have two ICU positions fresh out of school! Way to go! Either would help with your crna requirement. But I still would vote SICU. Good luck!

I felt the same way. I remember being too shy to even tell people that I was in nursing school. I didn't feel worthy or smart enough to even be calling myself a nurse yet, even so close to graduation. Now I am one and a half months fresh out of school and I have only been an RN for 2 weeks, but I have to say I love going to work everyday so far. I feel like I am really learning and nursing school felt like I was just memorizing and cramming to get through weekly exams. I love the floor that I work on, the people, and my manager is wonderful. My graduation is actually next week (our school doesn't do pinning..) and I decided to not go. Nursing school was...an experience. But it's over now, and I am exposed to what being a nurse really means...and its way better than what I experienced in nursing school. Just give yourself some time. Once you start working, you should realize whether you love it or not. Nursing school, to me, was unrealistic in many ways. Good luck to you. Hang in there.

Hello all! Throwing in my two cents.. I took the nclex RN on 4/7. Did the PVT as soon as I got inside my car and received the good pop up. I continued to try the PVT throughout the next two days and kept getting the good pop up. I purchased quick results 48 hours later which said PASS! 72 hours later my license number was posted on my state website!! The PVT is alive and well :)

Hi RestoringHope! I am a brand new nurse who will be starting off on a kidney transplant floor as well. I noticed you posted this a few months ago, perhaps now that you have some more experience under your belt, you could give me some guidance? Any books that you found helpful would be much appreciated. I have been studying up on transplants and renal issues and dialysis. I too find it difficult to be holistic when there is so much I'm trying to learn. Any input to address that would be greatly appreciated!!! I am very excited to begin my career as a renal nurse! Hope to hear from you!