You Probably Feel Like You Know Everything

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Okay I am a senior and we have had NG's come to talk with us about reality and the transistion and they say I know you think you know stuff but you don't. Then even here there is an article about surviving the 1st year after graduating and it talks about feeling like you know everything. I have heard this so often lately and I am so confused.

I know nothing, I feel like I know less and less everyday. I am terrified about how little I feel I know. I am pretty sure my classmates feel the same. So am I in trouble because I am not confident in what I know? The only thing I am confident in is what I am capable of learning however I feel like the learning is just beginning for me meaning on the job.

I guess no matter what anyone says I am going to be scared and hopefully that fear will make me incredibly careful and safe and thoughtful of what I am doing and why. I hope...

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I had no idea of the reality of nursing when I graduated from nursing school with Latin Honors two years ago. I had my dream job, I had books full of knowledge in my brain, I was ready to go. I had heard things were tough in nursing, I was determined to be the exception.

I started my first nursing job with a neurotic fear of my patients. I was working in the NICU, with teeny tiny babies who couldn't tell me if they hurt, if what I was doing was helping them or harming them more. If I made a mistake I might never know it. If I made a mistake, no matter how innocent, my mistake had the potential to impact a person's entire life! I didn't think I would be able to handle being a NICU nurse, but I made a deal with myself to stick it out for an entire year so I would be more marketable. I used to tell myself I could do anything for a year, 12 hours at a time.

A few months into that first year, things started changing for me. I started knowing things, I started sensing when things were wrong with my patients. I started knowing what I was doing and feeling confident in the NICU.

After my first year, I wrote an article about my first year and entered it in the allnurses nursing article contest. Not only did I win 100 bucks for my article, I also got a lot of messages from members about how much my article helped them, some people read it when they don't feel like they could go to work another day. I even reread it sometimes to remind me of where I have been or how much I love my job when I am feeling burned out.

The point of this ramble is to tell you that you can do it. If I could make it through with my overly type A neurotic ways, anyone can make it through the first year.

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Specializes in NICU Level III.
I had no idea of the reality of nursing when I graduated from nursing school with Latin Honors two years ago. I had my dream job, I had books full of knowledge in my brain, I was ready to go. I had heard things were tough in nursing, I was determined to be the exception.

I started my first nursing job with a neurotic fear of my patients. I was working in the NICU, with teeny tiny babies who couldn't tell me if they hurt, if what I was doing was helping them or harming them more. If I made a mistake I might never know it. If I made a mistake, no matter how innocent, my mistake had the potential to impact a person's entire life! I didn't think I would be able to handle being a NICU nurse, but I made a deal with myself to stick it out for an entire year so I would be more marketable. I used to tell myself I could do anything for a year, 12 hours at a time.

A few months into that first year, things started changing for me. I started knowing things, I started sensing when things were wrong with my patients. I started knowing what I was doing and feeling confident in the NICU.

After my first year, I wrote an article about my first year and entered it in the allnurses nursing article contest. Not only did I win 100 bucks for my article, I also got a lot of messages from members about how much my article helped them, some people read it when they don't feel like they could go to work another day. I even reread it sometimes to remind me of where I have been or how much I love my job when I am feeling burned out.

The point of this ramble is to tell you that you can do it. If I could make it through with my overly type A neurotic ways, anyone can make it through the first year.

Where is the article? I wanna read it!

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Specializes in Utilization Management.

Here's the link. I found it in Nursing Articles in the Previous Winners sticky thread: https://allnurses.com/forums/f300/full-circle-my-first-year-nursing-271914.html

I hope you enjoy it and identify with it as much as I did!

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Here's the link. I found it in Nursing Articles in the Previous Winners sticky thread: https://allnurses.com/forums/f300/full-circle-my-first-year-nursing-271914.html

I hope you enjoy it and identify with it as much as I did!

I agree what an awesome article and I am going to reread it over and over again especially after Jan. :)

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

Great article! It DOES sound like me! I started out ROUGH and dreading going into work but I finally got the hang of the unit.

What scares me to death though is that I took another position at a WAY more acute NICU in town so not only do I have to get with the flow of a new unit and policies, but I have a HUGE learning curve.. eep! I don't want to start over.

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Specializes in Family Medicine, Outpatient Pediatrics, IBCLC.

Thank you so SO much for that article. I am about 6 weeks into my orientation and I could completely relate. It was great to see that it got better for you. I really needed to see that there's a light. Thank you!!!

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