Too scared of making a major mistake to work in a hospital?

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Dec 13, 2009

The information you are getting here can be overwhelming for a new grad, let alone someone who hasn't even started school.

Perhaps it would be best to keep this "fear" in mind, but also in check. Being on "alert" mode will help keep you safe...but avoiding hospitals when you have to go through clinicals is unrealistic.

Just make sure you don't take things that "people" say for granted, and if you have doubts, ask, ask, ask. Don't presume, don't assume.

Having said that, take a deep breath and relax...your journey has yet to begin.....

Jo

arigsbee · Dec 13, 2009

I am interested and looking forward to hospital clinicials (perhaps foolishly so, lol), because I will be supervised there, and the student. It's being 'in charge' and 100%accountable that I'm afraid of.... I like to think I'd develop to be competent, but being competent 99% of the time is sometimes not enough.

This will be a second career for me, and I've always done very well in previous jobs, but have I ever made mistakes in them?....of course! However, the consequences were minor and it didn't harm me, job-wise. Anyone can make a foolish/stupid mistake at any time....even an excellent nurse....you could even just be 'unlucky', depending on issues with staffing, lack of administrative backing, etc.....but the ramifications for the patient and for keeping your job/license are so much more serious than in other professions...

arigsbee · Dec 13, 2009

By the way - are there any nurses here who have never worked in a hospital? What has your educational and career path been? TKS!!!

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Dec 13, 2009

I am interested and looking forward to hospital clinicials (perhaps foolishly so, lol), because I will be supervised there, and the student. It's being 'in charge' and 100%accountable that I'm afraid of.... I like to think I'd develop to be competent, but being competent 99% of the time is sometimes not enough.
This will be a second career for me, and I've always done very well in previous jobs, but have I ever made mistakes in them?....of course! However, the consequences were minor and it didn't harm me, job-wise. Anyone can make a foolish/stupid mistake at any time....even an excellent nurse....you could even just be 'unlucky', depending on issues with staffing, lack of administrative backing, etc.....but the ramifications for the patient and for keeping your job/license are so much more serious than in other professions...

And that is why I often get annoyed at people who think they can be a nurse for "one or two years" and move forward to advanced practice.

You already have a clear idea of how big this responsibility is. You sound like a mature person, with a HUGE respect for human life and the implications of your own (future) practice.

I salute you. Keep going--we need more of you--the ones who respect human life, over those who just want to do what they want to do for themselves.

And yes, there are plenty of non-hospital jobs..just thought you should know not to corner yourself before you even start. :coollook:

webmansx, ASN, RN · Dec 13, 2009

Hi ariqsbee,

Some may not consider me in anyway fit to give advice, since I’m fairly new to nursing, heck I’m fairly new to life LOL:D ….But I will give it a shot anyway.

At this time, school is what you need to focus on, nursing school ain’t easy, and you are looking waaaay to far ahead. If or when you do finish school and pass boards, which I have a good feeling you will, just go for it! The posts on allnurses.com are full of a lot of negative, burnt out, frustrated nurses, but it is also full of good natured, caring, hardworking intelligent, positive nurses. In the hospital setting you will find a lot of both. Hal- full kinda nurses and the half empty ones

A wise “old” nurse once told me when I had that fear of doing something wrong, of killing someone, or trying something new..…is that it is good to have fear; enough to KEEP YOUOUT OF TROUBLE yet not too much to KEEP YOU FROM GROWING as a nurse and as a human being.

So always proceed with caution, but never be too scared to even try. Remember it isn’t always the new nurses that kill people or make errors…just watch the news

Good luck in school!!!!:redbeathe

caliotter3 · Dec 13, 2009

By the way - are there any nurses here who have never worked in a hospital? What has your educational and career path been? TKS!!!

I have worked in long term care and home health. They hired me in long term care (and home health), whereas I could not get a job in a hospital, so there I worked and continue to work. If you find it impossible to get a hospital job after you graduate, you can get a lot of comparable experience working the subacute unit in long term care. And you will learn a lot about supervision, time management, and the nuts and bolts of working a shift. I used to have your concern, but that wore off once I figured out that hospitals weren't interested in hiring me. I got my concerns addressed by working in long term care facilities. You really do learn how to monitor and care for your patients and you have colleagues and supervisors to help you.

You can start addressing your concerns by paying particular attention to your clinicals. Don't go through your clinical day in a fog, scared of your clinical instructor looking over your shoulder. Try to pick up on the atmosphere of the ward and learn how to keep your head when the situation starts to get difficult. Pretend you are working there and this is your patient. Get a CNA certificate and try to get a job working in a hospital. That will go a long way toward making you more comfortable working on a hospital unit.

brownbook · Dec 14, 2009

I have been a nurse for 26 in many areas of acute care hospital nursing. The ONLY way I got my feet through the door of my first job was to say to myself, "I hope I kill someone tonight so I will lose my license and not be a nurse any more!" It was the only way I could handle my fear!!!! I guess "face the worst, believe the best, do your most and leave the rest," is a prettier way of saying it. But honestly that is what I thought every time I went to work for many a month. I know now it isn't really that easy to kill a patient. But every medical personnel has some of the fear you have, find friends to talk to and share fears with.

sunnycalifRN · Dec 14, 2009

This will be a second career for me, and I've always done very well in previous jobs, but have I ever made mistakes in them?....of course! However, the consequences were minor and it didn't harm me, job-wise. Anyone can make a foolish/stupid mistake at any time....even an excellent nurse....you could even just be 'unlucky', depending on issues with staffing, lack of administrative backing, etc.....but the ramifications for the patient and for keeping your job/license are so much more serious than in other professions...

Arigsbee,

I'm sure that you've read some of the recent posts regarding nursing students making errors and very experienced nurses making errors. What that shows is that we are all human . . . and as humans, we are fallible.

Nursing school will instill certain practices that are meant to eliminate med administration errors but, they still occur. With your maturity and concern for trying to do no harm, you will no doubt embrace these practices and become an great nurse.

Regarding your original question, yes, there are certain areas of nursing practice where you may not be involved in patient care at all; but, keep your concerns and fears, you'll do fine wherever you decide to practice.