Being a new nurse is challenging. You are taught to review orders, look up medications, observe labs, and read notes before your shift begins. Before you can see the patient, you must learn about him or her by getting a report from the off-going nurse. Then the real work begins – starting the head-to-toe assessment, giving the patient medications, and tending to their personal needs.
It can be very stressful, even overwhelming. Sometimes, you may even hear a soft voice in the back of your mind, saying, “Maybe this is not for you.” But trust me, don’t give up. Nursing can be a great reward if you focus on the right things. Wendy Flynn said it best: Allow yourself to be a beginner. No one starts off being excellent.
During my first week as a nurse, I realized that nursing school did not prepare me for this. I found myself doubting my abilities, having low self-esteem, and losing confidence. The more I went to work, the harder it seemed to get. I was learning a lot of information all at once, and it scared me.
Every time I went to work, I was fearful that I would do something wrong. My heart felt heavy as I entered the hospital. Many times, I dreaded going to work, but I always tried to remain positive and calm. The stress I experienced during my shifts often haunted me at night.
I began to develop a lot of negative thoughts, and when it got close to the time when I had to go to work, I would become afraid of the shift, even if I didn’t have to work for four hours or more! I had nightmares about things going wrong. It got so bad, I decided I had to make a change. I started listening to motivational speeches before work and exercising twice a day.
After this major change, I began to feel motivated to go to work. I decided to always look at the bright side, and I developed a more positive outlook on things. I started looking at every mistake I made as a way to improve my skills instead of feeling like I was a horrible nurse. I learned to research things I didn’t understand online. Using the internet and other resources helped me become a better nurse.
That positive mindset helped me through the first six months of nursing. It has been several years now, and the positive mindset I developed back then still gets me through all my shifts. My thought process is, “At the end of each day, I am helping patients, and they need me to be strong for them”. I also try to use my positivity to encourage my co-workers.
Tip: Always be positive, no matter the situation. It does not help to be negative.
