Six Months

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Specializes in med-tele.

Six months ago tonight I stepped onto the floor as a new grad nurse. Three month ago tonight I started on my own "flying solo". I'm a re-tread nurse from another industry, but I am happy to have nursing as my second career. There have been many days when I thought I couldn't cut it. I work on a busy telemetry floor, though when the going gets tough on our floor, you'll find co-workers asking if they can help. Nursing school doesn't teach you about (some) physicians egos, arrogance, lack of communication skills, personality disorders. I am good at talking to patients. I am good at talking to patients families. It helps to be older and have some grey hairs sticking out here and there. I still really suck at starting IVs. There were nurses that I was scared of that became close allies. There are nurses I liked at the beginning that betrayed me and didn't have my back. I wasn't even a nurse's aide before stepping onto the floor, and I have to say that I've learned so much from the nurse's aides and they, like nurses, are overworked, underpaid and under-respected. There is still so much I don't know, but now, when I go back to nursing texts and read about things, I have a context and disease processes make sense. I don't believe I'll be at the bedside forever, but I've learned that you can't command respect from other RNs unless you've been there. The allnurses.com community helped when I thought I was losing my mind. Thanks!

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Congrats! Sounds like you're making big progress!

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Specializes in Rodeo Nursing (Neuro).

Another "retread" nurse, here. Glad to hear it's going well. Isn't it nice that those grey hairs teach you some things that no amount of school could? Plus, people (patients, families, doctors, other nurses) see them and tend to assume you've been a nurse for years. Plus, I find that whatever my brain lacks in organization skills, my poor, tired feet will eventually teach it.

Anyway, best of luck in the next six months, and beyond.

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Specializes in Did the job hop, now in MS. Not Bad!!!!!.

and here I was trying to tuck those pesky grays back in to blend with the others. You just taught me something. It's not always about blending, but more using your strengths to stand out, stand tall, stand proud.

I think somewhere in my own new grad-ness I forgot that.

Thank you!!:flowersfo

Chloe

:nurse:

RN-BSN, BA

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