One year...
A year in to my nursing career. I can't believe how much has changed in the last year. One year ago I was doing my orientation buddy shifts with a nurse and running around like crazy dreading the day I worked on my own. I had no clue how nurses did multitasking and got the basic nursing duties done for their patients.
I have definitely gone far in one year. I've learned so much. Time management is way easier to do, shifts go much smoother, team work has improved and overall comfort in the workplace has greatly increased.
Don't get me wrong, I've still got plenty of days that are total chaos, patients coming and going, doctors, physios, charge nurses, dieticians, occupational therapists, families etc... hounding me when I'm already super busy. I'm just saying I don't fell like curling up in a ball in a corner anymore when those kind of days happen. A year ago I definitely felt that way.
I'd say that I've definitely improved on not bring my work home with me. I used to be at home worrying about my patients after I got home from work. Now I've learned to just accept that the next nurse is caring for the patient and I'm at home, not working, so I should relax! Is this me being a good nurse or a nurse that doesn't care? I wonder sometimes, but one thing I do know is it allows me to get a whole lot more sleep now!
Sometimes I'm worrying that I am slowly developing the hard edge of a nurse that has been working for a while. You all know what I'm talking about, the old crusty nurse that everyone hates. She's not approachable, rough with the patients and downright miserable to be around. Also the nurse that comes into the room does her duties and leaves without even making any sort of connection with the patient, no words spoken, no eye contact, not even a gesture of acknowledgement. I definitely don't spend as much time with my patients as I used to. But then again, it doesn't take me as long to complete different task, such as dressing changes, bathing, monitoring vital signs and giving medications. I think I'm still an approachable and friendly nurse. I've just got to make a conscious effort to make sure that I stay that way. I can definitely tell how some nurses get calloused after years of work and seem to not have the personal connection with their patients that I like to develop.
One year has definitely changed my nursing abilities and even way of thinking about nursing, I hope for the better. We'll have to wait and see what another year will do to my nursing practices.
I have definitely gone far in one year. I've learned so much. Time management is way easier to do, shifts go much smoother, team work has improved and overall comfort in the workplace has greatly increased.
Don't get me wrong, I've still got plenty of days that are total chaos, patients coming and going, doctors, physios, charge nurses, dieticians, occupational therapists, families etc... hounding me when I'm already super busy. I'm just saying I don't fell like curling up in a ball in a corner anymore when those kind of days happen. A year ago I definitely felt that way.
I'd say that I've definitely improved on not bring my work home with me. I used to be at home worrying about my patients after I got home from work. Now I've learned to just accept that the next nurse is caring for the patient and I'm at home, not working, so I should relax! Is this me being a good nurse or a nurse that doesn't care? I wonder sometimes, but one thing I do know is it allows me to get a whole lot more sleep now!
Sometimes I'm worrying that I am slowly developing the hard edge of a nurse that has been working for a while. You all know what I'm talking about, the old crusty nurse that everyone hates. She's not approachable, rough with the patients and downright miserable to be around. Also the nurse that comes into the room does her duties and leaves without even making any sort of connection with the patient, no words spoken, no eye contact, not even a gesture of acknowledgement. I definitely don't spend as much time with my patients as I used to. But then again, it doesn't take me as long to complete different task, such as dressing changes, bathing, monitoring vital signs and giving medications. I think I'm still an approachable and friendly nurse. I've just got to make a conscious effort to make sure that I stay that way. I can definitely tell how some nurses get calloused after years of work and seem to not have the personal connection with their patients that I like to develop.
One year has definitely changed my nursing abilities and even way of thinking about nursing, I hope for the better. We'll have to wait and see what another year will do to my nursing practices.
posted by The Nurse Lady @ 10:28 PM
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