Related: Confidence, Fear, Feedback, Learning, Mistake, New Grad, New Nurse, New Nurse Tips, Precepting, Preceptor, Quitting, Success, Teamwork

It is the profession’s worst nightmare: a nurse draws 3 cc’s of insulin instead of 3 units.  Thankfully, a preceptor is there to double-check the dosage. It could have been lethal.

The first few months of most nursing jobs begin with working with a preceptor—a mentor who is by your side to make sure nothing goes amiss.  Whether you are fresh out of nursing school about [...]

Related: Doctors, Embarrassing Moment, Learning

Ever have a Most Embarrassing Moment (MEM) in your role as "Nurse: Healer of All Things"?

My problem is narrowing the possibilities to only one.

The one that makes me laugh the most (and turn red at the same time) is one I can share only with other nurses. No one else really sees the humor in it.

I was (newly) working at a Family Practice office with [...]

Related: Boundaries, Communication, Doctor-Nurse Relationships, Learning, New Nurse, Respect

I was a Family Practice nurse for a doctor just out of residency. She was young and sweet (just like me), still had some learning to do (okay, just like me). We had three exam rooms, and her office was in one of the hallways, and my work area was in another part of the small building.

When the doc would finish with a [...]

Related: Communication, Confidence, Delegation, Doctor-Nurse Relationships, Fear, Leadership, Learning, New Grad, New Nurse, New Nurse Tips, Nurse Support, Patient Advocate, Problem Solving

“No, these results are not normal. We know what’s normal.”
The words of Tommy’s parents dripped with condescension.
A second-year nurse on the peds floor, Anna was gaining confidence every day. But this was a blow. Her patient Tommy, who suffered from Nephrotic Syndrome, had been tested. Anna assessed that the results fell within a normal range. Years of dealing with the chronic illness, however, had made [...]