Tonight is my first solo shift.
NurseXY RN-BSN.
No more "Let me ask your nurse...", "Let me ask my preceptor...", "What do I do now..."
Just me and my paper brain. I'm probably making a bigger deal out of this than it really is. My coworkers are really great about helping, and I haven't met any of them that I feel I couldn't ask to help me. I have been essentially on my own for a few weeks now, even with a preceptor. Multiple times my preceptor got called away to take patients of their own, so it's not like it's my first time solo.
Still, it's different.
There is an excellent chance I will get floated tonight, or even left at home on call because coming off orientation puts me right at the top of the "bad list". Both of my fellow ex-interns floated their first night off orientation. They both said that it was simply boring being off our unit. At least I don't have to worry about a step up in acuity, haha. And the nice thing is we can only be floated to other ICUs, no floors.
My first shaky day of clinical (during which I participated in a code, got to put in a flexiseal, put in a foley, and started an IV--we were only supposed to observe, haha!) seems like a long time ago, mostly because it was way back in 2009. Not to mention the hurdles I've crawled over, ducked under, or simply lowered my head and obliterated since then.
I'd wax nostalgic, but I really need to get some lunch and then take a nap before my night shift.
Thanks for reading about my journey and offering bits of advice and encouragement along the way. It means a great deal to me.
Special shout out to Kirsten, Tiffany, and Running Wildly for being with me from the bitter beginning--probably couldn't have made it without you!
Congratulations
ReplyDeleteYou did all this on your first day of clinical, that would be so hard to imagine myself in your shoes: "My first shaky day of clinical (during which I participated in a code, got to put in a flexiseal, put in a foley, and started an IV--we were only supposed to observe, haha!)"
ReplyDeleteNice! Good luck tonight...you'll be great!
ReplyDeleteGOOD LUCK!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteStill here cheering you on!!!! I knew you could do it then and I knew you could do it now. Congrats on becoming one of us!
ReplyDeleteAye, congrats XY - I hope you feel proud of your achievement, you've earned it :)
ReplyDeleteThat's great! You will be fantastic. And even on your own, you are always part of a team. I still have to ask questions after 5 years of this stuff! Congratulations on completing your orientation :)
ReplyDeleteOy.
ReplyDeleteHell of a shift.
More later, going to bed now.
I STILL remember that rush the first time I introduced my self as the nurse who would be taking care of you.
ReplyDeleteWas a rush... and quite honestly I was scerrrred to death.
Heh heh.
Good times.
My first week "by myself", I was more tired than usual - even though there was no change in the 'physical nature' of the job than last week when I was still on orientation.
ReplyDeleteMy Father smiled and said "It's because now you have the full, bone-crushing weight of responsibility on your shoulders. No more running it by someone else. You're it. The buck stops with you."
And ya know what? He was absolutely right! The added mental strain definitely manifests in physical form.
You get used to it.
But you never forget it...