Don, who had made three starts, the last of which was at Rotherham, until Alan Pardew's first game in charge on Wednesday, says:
"Everyone is on their toes and he looks really impressive - all the boys are over the moon with him.
"I am happy; he has given everyone a fresh start - if you are perform for him and give 100% then you will be in.
"He is feeling his way in and we are all trying his best for him."
Don admits the side needs to improve at home but reckons that a win in Wales will compensate for the draw against Forest.
"It is frustrating at home but Cardiff is a big game now; who knows, if we win at Cardiff it is like winning at home to Forest and drawing there, so you have to look at it like that.
"We are only three points off the top."
Looking at the Forest match, he says:
"I thought there was a good tempo to the game on Wednesday, it was fast and furious."
Don played, as it were, at the tip of the diamond formation, and adds:
"I tried to get in the box and get some knockdowns for the two front men - they will score goals if they get the service, so it was just about getting the supply in.
"Forest are a good side and will beat a lot of teams in this league; we were happy with a point there, I think."
Don nearly had a third spectacular strike of the season to go with the ones against Derby and Burnley, but he recalls:
"It was a bit unlucky but it took a little deflection which took the pace off it."
He does feel, though, that West Ham should have had a penalty or two, and adds:
"It was unbelievable; I thought I had two appeals and Jermain had one where he had a shot from a free kick which we thought was a pen.
"It is frustrating because we are just desperate for a home win - the crowd were great though they were also frustrated - but we are trying for them."
Don is included in an 18-man party that travelled to Wales on Friday.
SQUAD: James, Bywater, Lee, Repka, Dailly, Pearce, Hutchison, Kilgallon, Carrick, Defoe, Connolly, Mullins, Etherington, Mellor, Quinn, Byrne, Ferdinand, Stockdale.