Start my first nursing job on monday..no feeling confident

[sillylilly05]

I start my first LPN job on monday..and i am not feeling confident at all in my nursing abilities. I found out that im gonna have to do manual pressure and am already freaking out over that since im horrible at it and am afraid i will put down a wrong reading. Im just not confident in my abilities at all..i feel like im already forgeting everything. I feel like nclex either had a glitch and accidently passed me or something lol..just feeling overwhelmed..any advice would be great.

[missnurse01, MSN, RN]

You are feeling exactly how you are supposed to! The first year or so everyday you will go go work and fear that you will do something detrimental to the pt, every night you will go home and rehash the whole day wondering if you missed something or did something wrong. It is a huge responsibility, caring for people's lives...and it affects us. Never forget these times, and always use this memory to stay on your toes no matter how many years you have been a nurse-it is easy to get complacent.

You will be fine! Have another nurse or aide double check your b/p's until you are confident. Reread your nursing textbooks-get a good physical exam book and read it. Get to know what 'normal' is for your pt population. Make a list at work of common diagnoses and learn all you can about them so you know what to expect and what is unexpected.

You can do it!

me

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

I can't imagine how you could have attended a school that did not assure your competence in manual blood pressure readings.

That skill is not difficult to learn and apply. I would also be concerned.

You have secured a position. Listen , learn and grow.

Approach anyone that will help you.. check out online learning sites to reinforce that technique.

You will have MUCH bigger fish to fry.

Good luck.