1year as nurse but still not getting it?

THELIVINGWORST, ASN, RN · May 19, 2015

You are always going to need a second opinion from coworkers! And plenty of experienced nurses stay late to chart. I would ask some nurses you work with that you look up to, how to improve because they know your faults and they will have better answers for you.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · May 19, 2015

Do you have a brain sheet?

Search here on AN for a brain sheet and tailor it to what you need.

The first year is going to feel like "tasks", until you start looking closely; meaning, what are you looking for in your initial assessment? What can you anticipate from your patient to plan your shift?

Once you reframe your mind that these "tasks" are tailored to your pt, and start planning for what to expect, cluster care, use your brain sheet, and chart on the go your findings, everything will fall into place.

Best wishes.

Jules A, MSN · May 19, 2015

Kudos for having the insight to know that you aren't lighting the world on fire and seeking assistance on ways to improve. With this attitude and open spirit I have no doubt your senior peers will be willing to help you. It can just take some people longer than others and at the 8 month mark unless your supervisor has indicated you are in jeopardy of losing your job I would guess you are hanging in there.

Is there a senior nurse who you could take to lunch and brainstorm for ways to help you improve? If you think you are really way behind the curve perhaps come in on a day off and shadow one of the nurses who you know is uber organized. While its excellent to ask questions when you are in doubt I have noticed some who are afraid to make their own decisions even when they know the answer and will constantly seek assistance which is kind of a waste of everyone's time. If it is more about your lack of self assurance than true nursing acumen that is another thing you could consider.

Best of luck to you!

GuEsT78 · May 19, 2015

Have you worked 10,000 hours as a nurse? In a single year, probably not. A few years back there was a popular book that advanced the idea that it took 10,000 hours to achieve mastery in any field. There's a lot more skepticism about that magic number now. It really depends on the task involved. It wouldn't bother me if the mechanic changing the water pump on my car had been doing that for only a few weeks. But were I to have heart surgery, I'd want the person doing the cutting to have many years of experience.

What matters more isn't the time spent doing something. It's how that time is spent. What the studies indicate is that those who become world-class pianists or figure skaters spend their time differently from those who don't. They don't just go through the motions. They figure out where they are weak and relentlessly work on those weak spots, accepting nothing but success.

Now read your posting. What do you see? You'll see that you're doing what those world-class professional do. You're all too conscious of your weaknesses and are struggling to overcome them. That's not only good, that's great. Bad news would mean you weren't struggling and instead satisfied to just get by.

Others who post have pointed out that struggling isn't enough on its own. Those world-class figure skaters get all the help they can get. That will work with you too. Notice the more experienced nurses that have it together, watch them work, and learn from them. And as others have noted, ask their assistance. To your struggle add their good advice and example.

I once watched a male v. female figure skating competition between the world's best. At the very end it all came down to Kristi Yamaguchi. If she performed perfectly, the women would win. If she didn't, the men would win. She not only gave a flawless performance, as she did each of the more difficult moves, you could see an enormous smile on her face. She had that much confidence. As one of the commentators noted, its under pressure like that that the real pros deliver. The greater the heat, the better they do.

Here is Kristi's website: Kristi Yamaguchi | Official Kristi Yamaguchi Website

You might want to follow the "Meet Kristi" link.

The same thing can happen to you as a nurse. Keep at it and at some point you'll find that tasks that once seemed difficulty are now effortless. The greater the heat, the better you will do. It's all in the trying and training.