Role transition for LPN to RN

[starcandy]

I am a Lpn that is now a new grad Rn. My experience has been largely LTC and now I will start working on a Med Surg floor soon. During my preceptorship I was given 5 pts and found the assignment overwhelming. I was able to organize in LTC without problems even with a heavier patient load. I would like to know if anyone had problems with organization and felt overwhelmed at first even with the experience of being a LPN. I had the feeling with talking with my LPN friends I was the only one that was feeling overwhelmed.

[CAMMIERN]

starcandy, i can relate to your situation, i was in LTC for 6 1/2 yrs. before moving to med surg. at first, it is overwelming, it is a diff. ballgame than they play in LTC. always remember that you are a nurse and use your skills that you learned in school. you will have to use them more in a hosp. than in LTC. you have ivs,direct admits,ect....and you even have more docs and family to deal with. Also you have to get a routine down, once you get that, everything else will fall into place, now that you are an RN they will expect you to be a supervisor also,over the LPNs and CNAs on that unit. i applude achievement:) PS: DONT WORRY THE STAGE FRIGHT WILL DISSAPEAR:chuckle

[starcandy]

Thanks for the encouragement. :) I had a really bad day and I began to think that maybe I am not cut out for hospital nursing. It just seems that most people are confident in their abilities and have similar backgrounds in LTC. My ultimate goal is to become a better nurse and this can be frustrating.

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

Just have a question,, how long had you been with the preceptor before you got 5 patients? Knowing what that transition is like and what i had as far as an assignment in school 5 patients shouldnt have been that bad. A 5 patient day in med/surg for me now is a piece of cake (after a year or so as RN and my usual 8-10 patients).

It takes a while to find your organization,, and some days the organization goes straight out the window. Do the best you can for not all days will make you feel this way.

Just remember the more flustered you let yourself become the more overwhelming it feels. The frustration can feed on itself like a monster. Take it bite at a time and try to not bite off to many pieces at a time. We are multi-taskers, but there is a limit to the number of tasks we can implement at one time. When you find yourself getting flustered,, just stop,, think to yourself,, one step at a time, prioritize and the rest will wait its turn.