New to this vocation

Posts: 2 · Joined: 29 Dec 2007 Posts: 2 Location: Virginia

Hello,

I'm new to nursing and find it a little intimidating right now. Everything seems to move so fast and I'm always worried about making a mistake.

Any advice for a new nurse?

Thanks in advance.

Posts: 1 · Joined: 06 Jan 2008 Posts: 1 Location: San Antonio, Tx

Never be afraid to ask questions if you are unsure of anything you are about to do for a patient. Find a seasoned nurse that you trust and respect who can mentor you. This can be a very overwhelming field to be in, because the care we give to our patients changes so frequently, expecially treatments, medications, etc., and our patients seem to present with more complex issues, and nurse to patient ratios usually are not good, and the list goes on, but it is a very rewarding field as well. I have been a nurse since 1980. I started as an LVN earning $3.50/hr. I went back to RN school in 1990. I have worked in CCU/ICU, SICU and now Cath Lab. Things change in our profession every day. You will never be bored. Hang in there. So many nurses burn out and change professions. It is hard. But you can really do some great things for people who really need a nurse with a caring heart and a wealth of knowledge. Always treat your patients like you would treat the person you value the most in your personal life, never any less. If your are not in a field of nursing you enjoy, change to a specialty you think you will enjoy and learn all there is to learn about it. The internet is literally full of information on almost any specialty. You can learn so much this way. Good luck and God Bless you for choosing a career that can truly make a difference in a person's life. I feel that good nurses are God's Angels and there is a place reserved in Heaven for them.