tell me why you're proud of yourself...

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i don't know if any other new grads feel this but, sometimes when i do something for the first time or i feel i've had a little nursing "breakthrough," i can't really congratulate myself on it without feeling silly in front of the more seasoned nurses at work...

i guess what i'm trying to say is that even though what you might accomplish is old hat for a seasoned nurse, for you it's still a big deal... and you need to acknowledge your achievement, no matter how trivial it may seem... does that make sense?

so since some of you may be uncomfortable, as i am, sharing these experiences at work, i thought that we could share them here and give each other a pat on the back for all the stuff we've accomplished!

i'll start... yesterday, i got an IV started on a patient with terrible veins on my first try...

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A couple weeks ago I was doing a delivery and as the baby was coming down the birth canal I was feeling the fontanels and I told the mom "I may be wrong about this but I think your baby is looking up instead of down". I was right!!! And I was so proud of myself.

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I have a similar story about an I.V. I am TERRIBLE at I.V. starts, however, this one day I got this one on the first try. So I secured the I.V., and hooked the pt up, and just stood there staring at it. My preceptor asked me what I was doing and I just told her that I was "admiring my handiwork" I was sooo happy over such a little thing like that. The first week or two, everytime I would sign anything, I would have to stare at it and admire it. I gawked at my name tag for so long after I received it. I think it is normal for us new nurses to get excited over "the small stuff." What is really great is when the experienced nurses get excited with you. Keep on congratulating yourself, you worked hard to get where you are, and if did something really well or had a "breakthrough", then by all means, tell yourself good job! Good luck to you!

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Specializes in NICU and neonatal transport.

I helped a dad change his little girls nappy for the first time. The little girl was in an incubator and on a vent. Her skin is so fragile it bruises and splits if a lead or lne is left lying on it. Shes 23/40 gestation. He was so happy with himself. He had only touched her hand before then. He thanked me so much and said what a great job i was doing and how wonderful i was.

WOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOO me!!!

Was so happy!

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

These are great stories! I agree -- sometimes it's the little things that mean a lot. :)

I will admit to occasionally writing my name with "RN" after it "just to see what it looks like" and to give myself a boost. :rolleyes:

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