What scared you most at first?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I'm just curious about what you found scary or intimidating when you first started out? I'm preparing some info for new nurses and I want to make sure I address their needs.

What procedures were scary for you? Or what kind of situation?

I was always worried about making a med error and I had no clue how to get a nonfunctioning NGT to start working again. Chest tubes pulling out worried me. The worst would be pushing potassium instead of NS. We used to get single dose vials of KCl to mix with an IV. They had the same color cap and similar labeling as a vial of normal saline. I would check myself 10 times before flushing an IV.

Thanks!

Tracey

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi,

The KCL sound dangerous if the caps were the same, our KCL bags come premixed so I don't have to deal with that. My biggest fear is of pts falling and getting hurt. I've been unlucky enough to have two fall and I feel just awful, like I am the worst nurse. Also, when the other nurses came to help, they looked at me like I was the worst nurse and so incompetent. Both pts were ok, but I just had that feeling like I should have checked them just one more time...

Trachs also scare me, I have never had a pt with one.

Jessica

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I actually just started on a surgical floor this week after graduating in Dec. As of now, starting IVs is what scares me most. I didn't get a lot of chances to practice in clinicals (only 2) and neither of those 2 were successful (after 1 lady's vein blew, the nurse that was precepting me said 'yea, I knew I wouldn't be able to get it so I let you try'....gee thanks).

Before I actually started on the floor, my biggest fears were that my preceptor would be condescending, belittling, etc...that no one on the floor would be helpful and they would kind of just put me out on my own without enough experience. I was also fearful that my questions would seem 'stupid' and that the experienced nurses would want nothing to do with training me.

Luckily no one on my floor is like that. They are all very helpful and have made my first week on the floor very enjoyable and made it a very conducive environment for learning.

:nurse:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospice, Critical Care.

My biggest fear was inserting an NG. I think that's because on my second day in the hospital as a student, a few of us were called in to watch an NG insertion. This poor patient was about 85 years old and three or four nurses were holding her down while another attempted to insert an NG and the patient was screaming and screaming ... I was so traumatized! I thought I'll NEVER be able to do that to someone!!

Fortunately, I learned to do it and can usually get one down without any difficulty and try to find the best way for the patient (can I give them something pre-procedure such as ativan or morphine or a throat spray, etc.).

Up Vote Up Vote ×

So far....IV starts with no training. Now dreading NG tubes and CODES

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho.

Probly codes, and trachs at first. Handle a couple new trachs and you wont be scared of them anymore. Codes on the other hand always get the adrenaline rushing no matter how long youve been a nurse i think.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, Tele, L&D. ICU.

When I graduated I went right into NICU and than subsequently into HighRisk L&D-hands down, a Code Pink. The smallest of neonates with no SOL is devastating-especially with the parents wondering why they are not crying and asking is everything is all right. THAT is why it bothers me when visitors/sometimes patients say "you must love your job-you are so lucky". Most of the time-yes, but when it is sad it is so very sad.:sniff:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

the thought that these patients are actually in my total care. i just prayed i could take good care of them.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/CCU.

My worest fear is sticking myself with an infected needle accidently:uhoh3: . It freaks me out everytime I think about that:eek: .......

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The worst fear when I started would have to be codes - I wondered if I would be able to recognize if a patient started to go bad, and if I would know what to do in a stressful situation.

One of the things that helped alot was that the nurses put together little cheat sheets of the policy and procedures of things we did frequently in our department, laminated then, and put them on a key ring. That way in the beginning you could refer to the cards instead of asking questions about simple things like what supplies to get.

Also, a big thing for me was documentation. I wanted mine to be perfect, and I would always ask someone to double check what Iwas going to write to make sure it sounded ok.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Noc Owl-

Would you mind sharing those cheat sheets? It sound as if those could be a good learning tool for any newbie.

Thanks,

WG

Up Vote Up Vote ×
My worest fear is sticking myself with an infected needle accidently:uhoh3: . It freaks me out everytime I think about that:eek: .......

my mom did that

she was a paramedic and an lpn. A homeless guy had a garbage bag of his belongings and he would shoot up the needle poked through the garbage bag and poked my mom. She had to get tested every year for 5 years. Thank god it was a clean needle b/c she never tested positive. It is very scary.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment