1 year! I made it!

[SinusRhythm]

Just want to let everyone know that making it through your first year as a nurse can be a pleasant experience. It was difficult for me in the beginning....I would say the first 6 months: uncertainty, lack of confidence, fear, etc. But after my orientation period the confidence built very quickly. You just have to give yourself a chance to prove you can do it plus TIME.

I had a great preceptor and the people I work with are supportive and fun to be with. Those things I was just lucky with, as a lot of floors don't have that. Clinically, as a new nurse, the ONE thing that really cleared my head was that I was taught how to give an excellent REPORT. Once I mastered that well, everything else became more clear for some reason. Things didn't get easy, but more clear.

I know too many people from school that took their first jobs without really looking into their floor, and their first year became miserable or they just quit before the year was over. If you can, research the floor, listen to what other people are saying, and if it sounds positive, your first year will more likely be a pleasant one.

I'm moving on to the ICU next year and hopefully the CATH lab.

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!

[levisandtees]

Congratulations!!! It's great to hear the success stories!! I've been working now for two months and while I don't yet feel like "the nurse" I am getting more comfortable and look forward to going in and learning new things each day. Congrats again on your success and thanks for sharing.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Thanks for the up-lifting post. New graduates need to hear that there is "light at the end of the tunnel." To many new grads give up too soon and leave their jobs in the first 6-9 months thinking that it never gets any better.

I wish you continued success and satisfaction in your nursing career.

[joseash]

Congratulations! You are right, the confidence does build quickly. It's just slow starting at first. I precepted a new nurse recently and saw how slow she was with tasks like taking meds from the Pyxis (which is a good thing when you are learning) and realized that was ME not all that long ago! I can vividly recall being amazed watching my own preceptor zipping through pulling out meds at the speed of lightning and thinking, "Wow, how does she DO that?!" And now there I am like Speed Racer myself. You do things enough times, you start to get more confident and comfortable with it. I'm so comfortable in my little med-surg world but I am contemplating branching out to L&D or Mother/Baby one of these days. Then I will have to start all over as the "new nurse!" I guess you will be going through that in ICU too. Just when you think you know what you're doing, you suddenly realize you don't because you are in a whole new realm. :chuckle

Good luck in your second year as a nurse!