Things You Need To Know Before Becoming A Nurse
It is mentally, physically, and emotionally draining. It requires patience, knowledge, dexterity, and the ability to multitask for an entire shift (eg. 12 hours). We are given a patient load of 4-5 patients at a time, most requiring multiple assessments, medications, lab work and etc. There’s always something happening and something that is needed to be done. Sometimes we don’t sit down, take our breaks, or bathroom breaks because there isn’t enough time on our shift to do everything. We are actually teachers, psychologists, pharmacist, and more to an extent. When you talk to us, we are actually doing a comprehensive assessment on what you’re saying, what your understanding and fears you might have undergoing procedures, how this will affect your daily living and family dynamics. We are advocates. We call in social workers, nutritionist, and physiotherapist etc. in to ensure different areas of health are met. We create care plans to ensure recovery or that your wishes are carried out till the end of your life. We are the around the patient all the time and we are responsible to notifying your physician when there is a change in your health status or assessments. You need to question your pharmacist and physicians orders because they might be wrong. There’s so much more to i…
It is stressful and you may experience anxiety.
As mentioned above, nursing isn’t easy. You find yourself worrying about anything when you’re on the unit and off the unit. Where is the patient’s lab report? The patient might go into septic shock! Did I forget to initial after I gave my medication? Did I forget to chart? Will someone write a report about me? I experienced anxiety for the first time in nursing school. I didn’t realize it until the last year but it bottled up over the years. Hearing from graduate nurses, it seems to be common and if it isn’t dealt with soon, there are negative consequences to your practice and ability to work as a nurse. The safety of yourself, colleagues, and patients are at risk.
Nursing school will not prepare you to become a nurse.
Nursing school teaches you the basics but you will always feel like you’re prepared as a nurse.
You will get criticized for doing the right thing.
Under stress and pressure, your co-workers may give you a hard time for following procedures. Just because they don’t follow protocols or policies and cut corners, it doesn’t mean you have to. Protect your licence and follow the correct method. Keep yourself accountable and the patient safe. Unfortunately, you may experience emotional and mentally draining situations that you have to deal with in your workplace – its everywhere.
Your sleep schedule will be messed up.
Typically you work 4 shifts on 4 shifts off. This consists of 2 dayshifts followed by 2 nightshifts. Getting off work at 7am and trying to sleep with the sun in your eyes can be hard. It is hard to get back into your daily night routine when you work nightshifts. Your body will suffer from inconsistent sleep pattern changes. Nursing isn’t’ for everyone. Your class size will probably decrease over the semesters. If hospital work isn’t for you, nursing gives you opportunities to work elsewhere – clinics, peoples homes, community, overseas, and centres. Despite all the negative stuff I talked about, nursing is rewarding. It will challenge you and builds stronger character.