Scared new nurse jitters

[lilnurseL]

So I’m a new LPN, graduated in May and landed my dream job at a hospital on a neuro stepdown unit but I’m so nervous now!! I worked at a clinic since I graduated and hated it, I was a tech through nursing school and I just missed the hustle and bustle of the hospital and caring for patients. I start my new job next week but I find myself awake for hours at night just nervous about it, I know I went to school and am prepared but I’m just freaking out that everything I know is gonna fly out the window the second I hit the floor. This is the job I’ve been wanting since I started nursing school but now that it’s here and it’s real and I’m an actual nurse I’m just getting nervous. Anyone have any tips that helped them get through those new nurse jitters? ?

[Lulu Belle, RN, EMT-B]

Of course you're nervous before starting this new job! Totally normal! Just show up with a smile on your face, ready to take responsibility for your learning and you will do great. I really recommend finding other new grads to talk about your experience with. You may have bad days where you feel like you're the worst nurse in the world, but when you talk about it with another new nurse you will soon realize that it's a shared experience! I am about 4 months in, and I wouldn't have made it this far without my other new nurse friends!

["nursy", RN]

All you need is two things...time and experience! Seriously, though, your first week you are going to be in orientation, where you will be bored to death. Then you will be with a preceptor where you will be able to observe and learn the routine. Don't be afraid to ask questions. And with a computer always there, you can look up anything you want. Every new diagnosis you hear, every med you don't recognize, look it up. Try to get a feel for the routine, and the priorities. And be prepared that it will be a year before you are comfortable. But everyone goes through this, and eventually you'll settle in. Good luck!

[Katie82, RN]

Every nurse feels as you do at one time. Anyone who tells you they completed nursing school fully prepared to work is lying to you, or to themselves. trust your co-workers to take care of you, and keep your ears and mind open. You'll do fine.

[jinct]

Every new nurse feels this way. Time and experience is all you need. My only advice is to do your best and DO NOT feel embarrassed to say you need help or you don't know how to do something. New nurses screw up sometimes; we've all been there. But the biggest mistakes are made when we pretend to know something that we don't.

[lilnurseL]

Thank you so much everyone! I’m definitely going to try to find a group of new nurses to have as support. Your comments alone have helped so much!!