sorry i am a novice and nothing but a thorn in your flesh...i promise, i'll learn fast.
sorry that i make your day seem so long and bleak...i'm in your way, so i don't miss a thing
sorry that i think you're being mean to me...because you are. perception is reality.
sorry that all my questions make you want to tear your hair out...i seek only to understand
sorry that beneath all that swag i carry, you fail to see it for what it truly is- fear!
sheer fear at the amount of learning that i have to go through...
sheer fear at the thought of making a mistake..no matter how little...
sheer fear that nursing school experience even with all the stressors did not prepare me for this...
it is nothing compared to this...being on the floor on your own with no preceptor as a buffer.
fear that i would be laughed at and ridiculed..( oh don't think that i don't notice it when you do that to my fellow novice nurses....yes, sometimes to your colleagues too).
the same fear is what hinges on me that when you tell me to connect the dots, i fail to see it,
even when it is right in front of me...
and when you tell me to see the big picture, i try ...truly i do...it's just overshadowed by the little pieces i see
with the passage of time and a wealth of experience later, you forgot a vital component- you were once like me, a novice.
dear experienced nurse,
i finally realise something,
someday, i will be like you,
someday, i will have that experience..
someday, i will become an expert...
nursing school did prepare me for this...i just had to reach deep to find it.
the difference between us? i will remember how it was being a novice.
signed,
kt5
([color=lemonchiffon]could not sleep...trying out my poetry).
you don't know me, but i'm actually considered to be a good preceptor. the new grads who have been techs on our unit want me as a preceptor. i'm neither cold hearted nor judgemental. i think, however, that we cannot always blame the experienced nurses for the failures of the newbies even though that's what many of the newbies seem inclined to do. sometimes, the failures of a new grad are the fault of the new grad. that's neither cold hearted nor judgemental. it's just a fact.
i am willing to admit some new grads are not meant to be in nursing---but in 6 months no one can learn everything---although as a new grad i was only given 6 weeks then i was on my own and 2nd day into being on my own i was made a charge nurse so where i am from they do not give us new grads 6 months but as i said earlier i do not think when we first graduate i do not think new grads should be in ccu/icu as a matter of fact where i am from you have to be a nurse for a year before being considered for the ccu/icu/micu etc floors which i think is good for the new grad---and i am not blaming everything on the preceptor but neither am i blaming it all on the new grad either--there are bad grads just as there are bad preceptors--i guess we can agree to disagree ruby :)
many times, the cuts in staffing have taken the pleasure out of nursing and made it difficult for the experienced nurse to keep up the smile and good will that used to be for preceptors. also with the difficult economy many nurses that have burned out can not get a job that is outside nursing that pays the bills. Sorry you have to be comming into the field when management have turned what was a great job into a production line job. hopefully things will turn around but don't count on it.
But despite the bad nurses or bad circumstances that do exists I still LOVE this profession and do not regret getting into it---if I had it to do all over I would not choose any other field-- I just had my first year evaluation as my 1st year of nursing it was an excellent eval it actually came as a shock but it made me feel good cause when I go to work all I want to do is the best I can for my patient's and then some and I think as a nurse that's all any of us can do
I agree with the post who said new grads should not go into ICU.
I work in ICU and there are nurses around here who have never worked anywhere else and they have NO clue what a floor nurse contends with. They only know they did not like the floor in clinicals and they found a facility which would hire them right into ICU. This does not make them a better nurse, than the one who did the ground work on the floor. But a lot of them think it does make them superior if they never worked on the floor. I am not being judgmental because a lot of them are excellent critical care nurses. I just see some who think they are better than everyone else.
In any precepting situation that is not going well, it's a good idea for everyone involved to do a bit of self-examination. Some seasoned nurses are not good teachers. Some newbies aren't prepared to learn or they're in over their heads or they think they know more than they do.
And sometimes you have two really good people who just don't mesh well with each other.
I wish nursing schools required a course in workplace dynamics that taught students how to communicate effectively with their peers, docs, patients, and everyone else they have to deal with. Such a class could also include conflict resolution, how to handle bullies, creative stress management, and handling challenging family situations.
This kind of information could make a huge difference in the life of a young nurse. Heck, a few of us veteran nurses might benefit from such a class.
I agree with the post who said new grads should not go into ICU.
I work in ICU and there are nurses around here who have never worked anywhere else and they have NO clue what a floor nurse contends with. They only know they did not like the floor in clinicals and they found a facility which would hire them right into ICU. This does not make them a better nurse, than the one who did the ground work on the floor. But a lot of them think it does make them superior if they never worked on the floor. I am not being judgmental because a lot of them are excellent critical care nurses. I just see some who think they are better than everyone else.
I agree plus I think a nurse should have experience in all areas med-surg, cardiac etc not just CCU/ICU etc
In any precepting situation that is not going well, it's a good idea for everyone involved to do a bit of self-examination. Some seasoned nurses are not good teachers. Some newbies aren't prepared to learn or they're in over their heads or they think they know more than they do.
And sometimes you have two really good people who just don't mesh well with each other.
I wish nursing schools required a course in workplace dynamics that taught students how to communicate effectively with their peers, docs, patients, and everyone else they have to deal with. Such a class could also include conflict resolution, how to handle bullies, creative stress management, and handling challenging family situations.
This kind of information could make a huge difference in the life of a young nurse. Heck, a few of us veteran nurses might benefit from such a class.
They do- it's called "Leadership". I have no idea what it is called in other schools
In any precepting situation that is not going well, it's a good idea for everyone involved to do a bit of self-examination. Some seasoned nurses are not good teachers. Some newbies aren't prepared to learn or they're in over their heads or they think they know more than they do.
And sometimes you have two really good people who just don't mesh well with each other.
I wish nursing schools required a course in workplace dynamics that taught students how to communicate effectively with their peers, docs, patients, and everyone else they have to deal with. Such a class could also include conflict resolution, how to handle bullies, creative stress management, and handling challenging family situations.
This kind of information could make a huge difference in the life of a young nurse. Heck, a few of us veteran nurses might benefit from such a class.
I agree shot I can not even find books on the subject :)
WOW that is a great idea. Yes a lot of my fellow students were very young and really had not worked out in the world, much. They went right into nursing school from HS and this class would be so great. And yes and older person could also learn from it- you are so right !
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
actually she was speaking more of ones like you who has nothing but negative things to say what we say here is the truth well if that bothers you , well than don't comment on it--stay silent if you must---and as far as the holier than thou attitude thats just how you come off as sorry i call it as i see it --and my mom taught me to stand up for myself against people like you ruby and that i do
good luck with your school and orientation. come back in about five years and tell us how you think then.
Actually she was speaking more of ones like you who has nothing but negative things to say what we say here is the truth well if that bothers you , well than don't comment on it--stay silent if you must---and as far as the holier than thou attitude thats just how you come off as sorry I call it as I see it --and my mom taught me to stand up for myself against people like you Ruby and that I do
Where is the logic in THIS?
I wouldn't say that "what you say here is the *truth*"....I would say that what you say here is your OPINION. Why must someone else stay "silent" if it bothers them? Kind of defeats the purpose of a forum, does it not?
Your mom taught you to "stand up for yourself against people like Ruby? Please. She is stating the truth as she sees it, just like you are. You're making Ruby a target, for whatever reason. In the time that I've been here, I've found Ruby to be a very intelligent nurse/poster. YOU may be the one to benefit from "staying silent" and learning another truth.
Eaglelady
201 Posts
i am willing to admit some new grads are not meant to be in nursing---but in 6 months no one can learn everything---although as a new grad i was only given 6 weeks then i was on my own and 2nd day into being on my own i was made a charge nurse so where i am from they do not give us new grads 6 months but as i said earlier i do not think when we first graduate i do not think new grads should be in ccu/icu as a matter of fact where i am from you have to be a nurse for a year before being considered for the ccu/icu/micu etc floors which i think is good for the new grad---and i am not blaming everything on the preceptor but neither am i blaming it all on the new grad either--there are bad grads just as there are bad preceptors--i guess we can agree to disagree ruby :)