Im a nurse and most nurses seem to agree 2 years is the mark when you become proficient.
I passed the nclex but there are so many things you only learn by doing and living it, not reading it on a book or on a lecture by a nurse who stopped working with patients 20 years ago.
This sucks because until then your coworkers are not going to fully trust you and, in my case, they want me to do things their way, because otherwise it's wrong. Add 6 nurses to the mix that feel entitled to this and you'll understand why Im burning out: every one of them feels entitled to correct me, but the way one works contradicts how the next one does.
I wonder if this is a rite of passage across industries and workplaces and if in some industries it takes way less than 2 years to be proficient.
If this is how life is, how do I survive till year 2?
Define proficient? I've never stopped getting better at any of my jobs, but I hit "good enough" after a year or two. After 5 I had improved processes and procedures enough that I could do my boss's job, and when they gave that job to someone else I left to do a similar higher position elsewhere.
I still carry those skills with me, so I am much more prepared even when dealing with something new because I've dealt with similar problems in the past.
Suck it up. If the experienced nurses want you to do something a specific way then do it that way until you're experienced enough at it to decide a different way. In other words, you should probably learn their way first, unless it's a danger to self or patient.
I've been in my field for over 15 years and I'm still learning. There should always be something you won't feel completely proficient at, yet.
I've been an actor for 25 years and a marketer for 15. I still actively learn and develop both skills through classes, workshops, research, participation...
Nothing should ever stop the human mind learning and growing.
In my line of work I usually say "1 year to learn the basics, another year to become proficient". All of this is on-the-job training. A relevant skill beforehand is assumed. IT/Offshore seismic survey tech.
Working as a nurse I'd imagine you'd have governance documents or procedure documents written by your organization. Just use those to reference back to, that should cover a semi-decent portion of your nursing role.
Id imagine most nurses would cool their jets at that 8-10 month mark for routine care and then when you've got new grads they'll have someone else to focus on?
This sounds like a process management problem more than a proficiency problem. Why are nurses doing things in a different way? Are there no standard operating procedures that are followed?
Have never been a nurse, but in my job (accounting) I just keep doing things different ways and finding ways to streamline and automate stuff as the work gets more complicated all the time.
I would advise saying yes, and after doing it the way they want THEN ask why.