Well, things have been much better at work the last few days. I felt like a baby bird who was thrown out of a nest, panicking because I couldn’t fly, and just before splatting on the ground, my wings figured it out and I just barely saved myself.
It’s still a rough time, but I’m getting better at being on my own. I even have a good time laughing at myself during the trials of learning to function as a nurse in the “real world.” For example, trying to figure out how to work a vacuum tube to collect a midstream urine sample for a C&S test. It took three tries, but I finally figured it out. Then I was told a much much easier way to go about the task. But the point is, I’m not afraid to dig in and go for it! And to be honest, in the real world, you don’t have much time to wonder around, begging other nurses to teach you to use certain equipment. You have to rely on instruction manuals and policy and procedure binders.
Here’s what I hate. I still have student standards placed upon me, even though I am a full fledged employee. I have to work twice as hard as an RN, and do my job to 100% perfection Just to get half the respect. For example, often, a nurse will state in her report “I apologize, I didn’t have time to get ______ done,” the reply of which is “no problem, I’ll do it.”
However, if I didn’t have time to do something, it is considered gross incompetence, and an opportunity to lecture me. I may not be an RN, but I’m an employee doing the same job, with the same expectations, and the same patient load. Sometimes I have to prioritize and will run out of time before I can take care of minor details.
I’m also tired of asking for help and getting replies such as “go read the text book and the policy and procedure manual.” When I’m a student, I have two patients…plenty of time to go read a text book, or spend time flipping through manuals and binders. This is real life, I have 4-6 patients. I need help or an answer right away!!! And seriously, I’m almost 30 years old, I don’t need a lesson in how to research a fact in a text book.
ARG! I get that the RNs feel that I’m still a student and still have lots to learn, but in this role, doing my job comes first, and learning comes second. And yes, in general, by simply doing my job, I’m learning infinite amounts of stuff every day. So please, trust that when I need to learn something, I will ask you to teach me!
Sorry, just felt like ranting. I feel better.
By the way…thanks for all the supportive words everyone sent me after my last rant.
On an awesome note, R. and I are super excited. On Friday at 8:35pm, we’re taking a plane to Victoria. The closest I had to a vacation this summer was four days in a row. So, I used a Westjet credit. We’re staying at a nice harbour hotel, and plan to spend the weekend wondering around the downtown area exploring. The highlight will be a ghost tour that we’re taking on Saturday night.
I could pee my pants I’m so excited!
Well, back to World of Warcraft!
