"Can't be a nurse if you suck as a waitress."

[bonjournurse2b]

Hey guys,

I'm in my second semester of nursing school. I just started my first server job 3 days ago at a busy restaurant. During those 3 days, I felt like a complete dumbass. It just seems that I'm not doing things on time, like ringing in orders, filling drinks, etc. I told my family about this and they pretty much told me (^the title of this post). If I keep forgetting things as a server, what's going to happen in life-threatening situations? It doesn't help that one of my managers is really condescending to other servers and me. I just feel so discouraged. I really hope this situation isn't totally applicable to nursing in general.

[soxgirl2008]

You just started 3 days ago. It takes time, don't be so hard on yourself. And that is an extremely rude and ignorant comment of your family to make. 1. Nursing and being a waitress are two completely separate things. (well most of the time.) 2. You just started 3 days ago. No one is a pro in 3 days at any job.

[BloomNurseRN, ASN, BSN, RN]

Oh good gravy! That makes no sense whatsoever and PLEASE do not listen to these people.

First, if you just started at a restaurant, why in the world would you be a whiz at it? Did they give you training and orientation? Probably a few tips on how to run the register and the layout of the restaurant and then threw you to the wolves. Second, have you been training for months to years to be a waitress? I'm going to assume the answer to that is NO. By the time you become a nurse you will have both the book training and the "on the job" training (through clinicals) to help you be a successful nurse.

And finally, I'm sure there are THOUSANDS of nurses that are amazing at their jobs that couldn't be a server to save their lives. I absolutely count myself as one of those people. I can spend 12 hours on my feet taking care of patients during our clinical days and yet I think I would want to shoot myself if I had to try to wait on people for more than an hour straight. It's a completely different environment and those two things have no correlation whatsoever.

I truly hope if you continue with your server position that you are successful and that it goes better than it has to start. And best of luck with your future nursing career!

[mariebailey, MSN, RN]

I think you're being to hard on yourself. Give it a month. Good luck.

[Stephalump]

My guess is yes, the experience will probably translate to nursing. You'll probably start out feeling like you're doing a million things and looking like a dumbass. And then, just like waitressing, you'll slowly but surely get the hang of it. Eventually what was new will become old habit, and you'll be managing the care of 6 tables/patients with the best of them.

You're learning. Learning involves being stressed and feeling out of place and making mistakes. It'll pass :)

[turnforthenurse, MSN, NP]

You just started your job. You need time to make things click - same with nursing. Don't be so hard on yourself because you're still learning. It will come with time!

[PirateArrrNnnn]

When you learned how to drive, I bet you felt overwhelmed with remembering to check mirrors, blind spots, turn lights on or off, using your blinker, remembering brake vs gas, which was turn signal vs windshield wiper, driving laws,rules of the road, how to get on and off a freeway, the diffference between flashing red or yellow, what D R 2 L mean on your shifter, or how to use the clutch, parallel park, park on a hill, drive in the rain or snow, how to gas your car, how to drive in reverse. I hope you get my point. So much to learn with driving but with a lot of practice (now clinical and lab time) things become habit. Good luck to you, I tried serving, I had good and bad days. With practice and the desire to learn, you will gt better at anything you try.

[flyersfan88]

I've been a server for years....if you've never served before you need to give yourself time to get into a groove. Don't be so hard on yourself. What I always told myself is to serve my customers the way I like to be served when I go out to eat. Serving is a great way to learn time management and juggling skills, even if they don't directly translate to nursing. Hospitals LOVE applicants with lots of customer service skills, so stick with it as much as you can, because you'll be surprised at how much that experience will be appreciated.

Also, once you're comfortable, learn how to ignore restaurant management. They have the easiest jobs in the world and act like they're most important people you'll ever meet. Good service will be recognized in your tips, not encouragement from your boss. I've never had a nice, supportive general manager of any restaurant I've worked in.

[NightNerd, MSN, RN]

I don't think anyone has their rhythm going 3 days into a new job, I don't care who they are or what they're doing. Give yourself time, and confide in people who can be encouraging and helpful (apparently not your family). You're gonna do fine :)

[travelgurl18]

I was told something very similar to this by a former boss ! Talk about discouraging! I later got a job as a nurse assistant at a world renown hospital and everyone tells me I am going to make a great nurse! Give yourself time and know that your gonna make mistakes. But don't listen to negativity when you know what you want. Don't get discouraged you can do it!

[limaRN, BSN, RN]

I was a terrible waitress!!!!! But I am an awesome ICU nurse :). They are NOT the same job.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

could be new job anxiety or new bad job work environment. Do not automatically compare the two careers. I will tell you that you will have a period as a new grad when nursing will be overwhelming. We all went thru the same thing. Remember, this is temporary. One day you can return to the restaurant and let another newbie wait on you