Im a new grad, and i guess the main point is i doubt my self alot. during my school years i kinda ended up with the worst preceptors/instructors and no im not saying they were bad cause my experience alone was bad it was a common known issue that no one addressed because they feared what would happen if the issue was actually brought up.
now that im a practicing RN i fear what i dont know, not saying that i should know everything at all times but i cant help but feel if i dont im going to be letting people down. my learning style has always been to ask when unsure, its not that i dont know the fact, but if i feel 99.9 sure about it that .1 will haunt me all day. so in my last year when we had preceptors i asked alot cause i hated that .1 and my preceptor flat out told me that i didnt know anything. i tried to explain to her my situation but she took none of it. one night she came up to me and told me she is going to bed and i shouldnt bother her unless somone is dieing. so now im stuck with the mentality that if i ask i appear ... stupid i guess.
so i dont know what to do i just find my self doubting my self alot, is it just me or is this normal for starting nurses?
Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.
Oh honey, EVERYONE fears that they didn't learn enough/practice enough/experience enough in nursing school when they finally make it out on their own as a new RN. What you are feeling is totally normal, and you are doing the right thing by asking questions.
Keep asking questions, and in about a year or so, you will feel comfortable with the routine of nursing and you will gain some confidence. Hang in there!
Get another job if they make you feel like that. You won't ever know the answer to everything new grad or not. You should be able to ask questions and double check yourself. Where I work we all double check with each other and also have nursing protocols to follow. There may be times when no one has the answer and the you collaborate with other members of the health care team so you can give your patient the best care. I do and always will ask questions and that is one of the ways I continue to learn. Good luck to you and you will stop second guessing yourself with more experience, but don't ever stop asking questions!!!
canesdukegirl, BSN, RN
1 Article; 2,543 Posts
Oh honey, EVERYONE fears that they didn't learn enough/practice enough/experience enough in nursing school when they finally make it out on their own as a new RN. What you are feeling is totally normal, and you are doing the right thing by asking questions.
Keep asking questions, and in about a year or so, you will feel comfortable with the routine of nursing and you will gain some confidence. Hang in there!