Tell us what a *stellar* nurse you are!

[porterwoman]

Okay, time for us to boost our morales a little. What did you do this week that you feel good about? Come on, even the little things like "I found the cafeteria without asking anybody" count.

Here are mine:

-I administered meds via peg tube, IV, and SQ to an aphasic pt whose wife was present (she is a seasoned nurse). A family friend was also present who is a nursing instructor, and I smiled and did not spontaneously combust from the pressure.

-I sucessfully used non-pharm methods to help control a pt's pain until the percocet kicked in, and she told me "What you did worked. I couldn't think about anything but the pain and you helped me get my mind off it."

Your turn. Toot yer horn! :w00t:

[nursemike, ASN, RN]

I probably saved a patient's life by taking the steps necessary to getting them transferred to the unit when they should have been transferred several hours before, probably even on admit. The patient's condition was completely ignored on the previous shift. I felt pretty good about myself and I felt more confident in my ability to care for my patients as a new grad.

This is a good thread. It's hard to brag about yourself as a new nurse because many will assume that you think you know everything. Although we need to brag about ourselves in order to build our confidence!

Nice catch.

Since we're all new nurses, here, I hope you'll forgive a constructive suggestion. I think your comment on the previous shift might be setting you up for problems down the road. It certainly sounds like you picked up on something someone else missed, rather than a change during the shift. I mean, patients can crash during report, but it sounds like yours was bad all along. If so, you were a better nurse, this time, with this patient. But do you know your predecessor was negligent? If they truly "completely ignored" the patient, that would be something for the board of nurses. On the other hand, if they were busy with another patient or simply weak in their assessment skills, the less said publicly, probably the better. I might privately ask the other nurse why s/he didn't feel the patient needed to go to a unit, or whether he went downhill as the shift progress, and I would probably explain why I thought he should go, but I'd be very discrete and fairly humble about it. It isn't a perfect world, and we are going to be working with nurses at a variety of skill levels, and even a variety of motivation levels. This is not going to change, so the fewer toes we step on, the better working environment we'll have. (It's a leap of faith, I know, but managers and charge nurses do have an idea who are the better nurses and who aren't, and assignments tend to go that way. Weaker nurses gravitate toward the easier patients, and the sharp nurses get the challenging ones.) Anyway, that's my suggestion.

But the main thing is, good catch.

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

Since we're all new nurses, here

Oh gosh, I posted to the wrong forum again. Sorry! :imbar

[porterwoman]

Oh gosh, I posted to the wrong forum again. Sorry! :imbar

No worries, AOP. Personally, as a new nurse, I spend a lot of time feeling foolish and awkward, so, hey, you know, join the club!

[rach_nc_03]

good idea- had my first full week on the floor last week, and I left the hospital in tears every night! A few good things that happened:

1. I learned a TON of skills we never had the opportunity to do in school, but I'll be doing daily in my PICU position- drawing blood from an arterial line, zeroing CVP and arterial lines, calculating drip rates on vasopressors, tracheal suction on a five week old infant, giving report (one of my preceptors gave me a fantastic form to use, broken down by body system, which has helped immensely). keeping on schedule with my meds and assessments...wow, no wonder i was so tired!

2. I had a 4 month old with HLHS, mom was at the bedside much of the time. I talked to mom a lot while taking care of the patient, and she was obviously appreciative of having someone to connect with, as she's staying in an unfamiliar city by herself. Helping keep mom calm also helped to keep the baby calm, to an extent- which reduced the load on his heart.

3. I wrote several notes, each of which was easier than the last. In fact, every single thing I did got easier each time I repeated it. By my fourth shift, I was actually caught up on stuff and ready to give report when change of shift came along.

Good idea to start this thread. Intellectually, I knew I'd feel totally incompetent when I started out on the unit, but experiencing that feeling is a lot more uncomfortable than I expected. I feel totally like I'm drowning, even though I'm getting positive feedback from my preceptors; it's nice to be reminded of the little successes along the way.

[Sapphy, BSN, RN]

Hmm what did I do this past week that makes me a *stellar* nurse???

Well.... this made me feel SO good. Last wednesday I was talking with a patient who worked 27 years as a CNA. I was telling her that I was getting ready to take my boards. She said to me you will do fine! Her word ... "you lack confidence but you are a GOOD nurse." I went home all pumped up after that.

On Thursday... had a CVA patient who had just been admitted the day before. His wife and daughter had just left (saying to me that they knew he was in good hands when I was there) and I did my assessment. Pulse weak and thready, resps ...lost count at 44.... sats in the low 80's .... I immediately went to the charge nurse and told her what I had found and within 10 minutes he was transferred to the ICU and put on a vent.... maybe I saved him maybe I didn't...but it was my first experience with an emergency and I think I handled it well.

Hmm lets see.... what else.... Oh yeah... Monday I took my boards and PASSED

[christvs, DNP, RN, NP]

Things that I'm proud of-this week in my RN orientation I got all As on my medication calculation quiz, pharmacology quiz, blood administration quiz, & restraints quiz! Yippee! :) Plus I showed another new nurse how to check blood sugar using the hopsital glucometer & the nurse educator who was training us said I did really well explaining it! :)

[porterwoman]

Yay, go stellar first year nurses!

I passed NCLEX this week. Then I went to Six Flags. Good enough for this week.

:) porterwoman, RN!

[kwagner_51]

Let's see...I d/c'ed a foley on Wednesday and d/c'ed an NG tube on the same guy. Listened to the pt play the harmonica, and complimented him on his playing. Watched him eat solid food, and got my picture taken with him when he left.

I helped a lady deal with her son [50 y/o] having by pass surgery. I listened to her play the piano.

I FINALLY figured out ALL the blasted codes and passwords I have to use to use the computerized systems. For example: to log into the active directory I have to use one code, to get to care manager I have to use another code. To get into the orders part, I use numbers and to use the accucheck meter i have to use yet ANOTHER code!!

I am not allowed to pass/give meds, hang blood or start IV's, but I LOVE rehab and can't wait to get my ATT!! I register on the 28th!!

_______________________________

In His Grace,

Karen

Failure is NOT an option!!

[MedSurgeMess]

let's see, when I last worked on Thursday night, I had an ETOH/meth addicted pt whose family vehemently denied he had any addictions, but this guy was classic s/s and statements! He threatened to beat/kill/maim just about everyone on our floor (other pts as well as staff!). Of course, I'm orienting and he was assigned to me. I didn't kill him, even though the thought crossed my mind ..........I just gave him vitamin H q30min throughout the shift and prayed that he didn't harm himself or anyone else! I was truly grateful when the shift ended and he finally sat down in chair and went to sleep. So my good deed for the week was not using bad judgment and really just trying to appease this man while he was fighting DTs.