VERY FIRST DAY on the floor as a new nurse

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Specializes in LDRP.

Let me tell you it was so weird to be introduced by my preceptor as "This is the new nurse....." and instead of signing my name "SN" for student nurse to sign it "RNA" (RN applicant, since i haven't taken boards yet, thats what they call it here).

Had 4 patients. 1 was a man in his 40s, who'd had 3 CABG's, most recent one this month. Also developed compartment sydrome and had a fasciotomy which I helped change the dressing on. A man with a peg tube that was clogged up, and my preceptor taught me how to unclog it with Coke. I was trying to push the coke in and it popped out and sprayed us. Later, the tube feed tube fell out of his PEG and was dripping the feeding on the floor. another woman on a heparin drip, and a 400 pound woman who had a cardiac arrest last week.

I did several IV push, nitro patches, insulins, adjusted the heparin drip, lots of charting, started the tube feeding, dressing change to the fasciotomy and another wound on another guy's leg, cleaning pt's up, repositioning, etc.

It was a lot of fun (this was the 3p-11p shift) and just busy enough to always be doing something butnot be crazybusy.

I can't believe how i'll ever be ready to take care of my own pt's all on my own.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I've related this story here before:

My first day as a GN (grad nurse), kind of stable/unstable guy who needs to use the restroom. Got him a BSC but had to kind of help him w/ his balance a bit. So picture me squatting down supporting him w/ a hand on his knee while i'm looking the other way (to avoid the smell).

Well, he passes out and falls on top of me. I reach up and check for carotid pulse. Nothing. He's lying on top of me with me squatting down.

I pushed up through him, flopped him on the bed, and hit the code blue button. I know NOW that he most likely had a vagal event and my flopping him on the bed broke the event.

Code blue team runs in just in time for him to wake up, look around, and say 'hey, what's going on?'

I say, "honestly, he was dead a minute ago!". Code blue teams response: "rookie!"

~faith,

Timothy.

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Specializes in Med-surg > LTC > HH >.

hi rose, glad to hear you had a good first day of nursing. i'm sure you will have many, many, more to come.

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Specializes in Tele, Home Health, MICU, CTICU, LTC.
I've related this story here before:

My first day as a GN (grad nurse), kind of stable/unstable guy who needs to use the restroom. Got him a BSC but had to kind of help him w/ his balance a bit. So picture me squatting down supporting him w/ a hand on his knee while i'm looking the other way (to avoid the smell).

Well, he passes out and falls on top of me. I reach up and check for carotid pulse. Nothing. He's lying on top of me with me squatting down.

I pushed up through him, flopped him on the bed, and hit the code blue button. I know NOW that he most likely had a vagal event and my flopping him on the bed broke the event.

Code blue team runs in just in time for him to wake up, look around, and say 'hey, what's going on?'

I say, "honestly, he was dead a minute ago!". Code blue teams response: "rookie!"

~faith,

Timothy.

Timothy,

That sounds a bit traumatic but you handled it very well. I'm sure you got a good laugh out of the code teams response later on. :)

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Let me tell you it was so weird to be introduced by my preceptor as "This is the new nurse....." and instead of signing my name "SN" for student nurse to sign it "RNA" (RN applicant, since i haven't taken boards yet, thats what they call it here).

Had 4 patients. 1 was a man in his 40s, who'd had 3 CABG's, most recent one this month. Also developed compartment sydrome and had a fasciotomy which I helped change the dressing on. A man with a peg tube that was clogged up, and my preceptor taught me how to unclog it with Coke. I was trying to push the coke in and it popped out and sprayed us. Later, the tube feed tube fell out of his PEG and was dripping the feeding on the floor. another woman on a heparin drip, and a 400 pound woman who had a cardiac arrest last week.

I did several IV push, nitro patches, insulins, adjusted the heparin drip, lots of charting, started the tube feeding, dressing change to the fasciotomy and another wound on another guy's leg, cleaning pt's up, repositioning, etc.

It was a lot of fun (this was the 3p-11p shift) and just busy enough to always be doing something butnot be crazybusy.

I can't believe how i'll ever be ready to take care of my own pt's all on my own.

I think that sounds like a good first day. I need some help I am really nervous I have an interview in 18hours. It is for my first nursing job. It is a place I really want to work at. Any tips on questions I may be asked in HDU unit. Also any tips on what to do about my nerves? Thanks.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Awesome, I remember well my days as an RNA. Best of luck to you! :)

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

Gotta laugh at and love those new grad working on our first job days. :rotfl: I don't think there's a nurse anywhere that can't relate to those times. Hang in there new grads. Those are precious and humorous moments to remember. One day you'll look back over these times and have a good laugh. Stay encouraged!:)

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CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Must be an awesome feeling to finally be where you've worked so hard to get. It really sounds like you didn't get overwhelmed... even when things happened that you didn't expect to happen, you handled it like a pro. I sure hope that I can follow in your footsteps when I graduate in December. Good Job!!

BSN GRADUATE DECEMBER 2005

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Specializes in PCU, Critical Care, Observation.

Keep a journal - you'll forget these moments after awhile. It will also serve to help you look back & see just how far you've come!

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Keep a journal - you'll forget these moments after awhile. It will also serve to help you look back & see just how far you've come!

Good suggestion Jennerizer - would sure do this when I get started :uhoh21:

Congratulations HappyNurse2005 :balloons: Your attitude inspires me. I sure hope to be as cool as you are on my first day also at the PCU :) Best of luck to you :wink2:

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Let me tell you it was so weird to be introduced by my preceptor as "This is the new nurse....." and instead of signing my name "SN" for student nurse to sign it "RNA" (RN applicant, since i haven't taken boards yet, thats what they call it here).

Had 4 patients. 1 was a man in his 40s, who'd had 3 CABG's, most recent one this month. Also developed compartment sydrome and had a fasciotomy which I helped change the dressing on. A man with a peg tube that was clogged up, and my preceptor taught me how to unclog it with Coke. I was trying to push the coke in and it popped out and sprayed us. Later, the tube feed tube fell out of his PEG and was dripping the feeding on the floor. another woman on a heparin drip, and a 400 pound woman who had a cardiac arrest last week.

I did several IV push, nitro patches, insulins, adjusted the heparin drip, lots of charting, started the tube feeding, dressing change to the fasciotomy and another wound on another guy's leg, cleaning pt's up, repositioning, etc.

It was a lot of fun (this was the 3p-11p shift) and just busy enough to always be doing something butnot be crazybusy.

I can't believe how i'll ever be ready to take care of my own pt's all on my own.

I totally relate to you i just started and my first shift was great but at the same time it was like ahgggg i have to do this on my on in 8 weeks but i hope it gets easier .........wishing you the best

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