Considering leaving hospital after new grad internship

Jess_Missouri_RN · Aug 28, 2012

I spent 2 years on a busy med-surg floor as a new grad. Like others have stated even the one year isn't enough anymore. I landed my dream job and I believe my 2 years at the hospital landed me the position. I now work M-F days and make $3 more an hour. No weekends/holidays. Love it, it's clinic work so hang in there! I know med-surg as a new grad. It's hard and stressful but it does get better, I wanted to leave so many times my first year but stuck it out and the second year was a breeze!

Music in My Heart · Aug 28, 2012

My question is- if I left after the internship, do you think I could possibly get a nursing job in another area (outside of the hospital)

Could? Sure... I think you'd be swimming upstream, though...

do you think employers would frown upon leaving after an internship?

Yep, I think so. You're trying to market yourself and failing to secure employment post-intership indicates either (a) they didn't want to hire you or (b) that you're something of a ship-jumper.

I think if the hospital offers a permanent job on a unit (not on float pool) after the internship, we have to sign a year contract.

Not such a bad thing. A year goes by quickly. I spent 3 years 'settling' while looking for a chance to get something desirable.

try to stick it out for a year for the experience and just be really stressed out and unhappy?

Stick it out... and forget 'try'...

"Do or do not... there is no try"

the risk of losing my license.

Um, kind of a cop-out IMO.

I don't want to keep bouncing around from job to job, but it is really important for me to find an area of nursing that I can do well in and have some enjoyment.

Ultimately, sure... for now your primary concern is getting some professional experience and making yourself a desirable candidate.

I just really don't think it's in Med Surg!

I can't blame you. I put up with it for a year myself only because I wanted to prove myself... which I did... which led to a (a severely under-paid) ER gig... and then to a second ER gig (with some great people but terrible staffing and equipment)... and then to another ER gig in a great facility from which I intend to retire in 25 years.

CherryAnn1967 · Aug 28, 2012

You don't appear to be happy with your decision. I'm not sure if you must enter into the nursing profession through *a fire storm. *I know of med/surg nurses with 15 years experience, mostly in med/surg, who express similar sentiments. The profession of nursing and supporting technology changes at such a rapid rate that older nurses are leaving because of the demands of technology. Floor nursing is a specialty. It is not for everyone. *If you tough it out for two years and go back to home care, five or so years later the skills you gained over those five years will be obsolete. *If you go back to med/ surg you will need retraining. *I loved community health nursing it suited my personality. *I was 99% sure that was what I *wanted to do. *I didn't trust myself *and went for the 1 year experience in med/surg. *I had never felt more out of sorts in my life. *I left med /surg after a few months and got a health department position as a new grad. *I had fellow graduates who knew they wanted to be in the ER. *They went for it and loved it. *Some fellow grads thrived on excitement, who did advanced life support in nursing school. *Some like you were LPNs with years of experience that wanted to go back to home care. *That was 15 years ago on the east coast. *If you are willing to move, would you consider the north east coast, the mid atlantic region or Florida. *Have you considered government agencies, the military, school nursing, university nursing, state agencies, county health department, CDC, NIH other research facilities, nurse educator if you are a BSN. *Going back to home care and getting your BSN or Masters. Sounds to me like the world is your oyster. *Take a second look and fulfill your dreams.

RNGriffin · Aug 29, 2012

It baffles me why you wouldn't be suited for a position in home health after having worked in home health as an LPN. You typically don't see acute care listed on home health job postings, but I could be wrong. With that being said, if you are unhappy you should finish your internship and seek a better opportunity. The worst thing you could do is stay in position where you are uncomfortable & wait for termination( if that is likely)

Guest343211 · Aug 29, 2012

OP, I am sorry if this is a repeat, but I skimmed through the thread and didn't see this bit mentioned--that is, repayment.

Most internship programs make you pay back a dollar amount if you don't stay at least two years or something like that. At least this is so around here. Usually the dollar amount is in the thousands.

I don't know if that is a consideration for you, but often enough, it is.

Something to think about.

2BRN123 · Aug 29, 2012

"I think if the hospital offers a permanent job on a unit (not on float pool) after the internship, we have to sign a year contract."

So if they offer you a job you have to take it and sign a contract? or you can decline?

I think you need a 100% yes or no on that. Really scope out the details of this program before you make a decision. Are other people intending to proceed with employment after the internship? Is the program architected to be a training program with the possibility of long term employment? An orientation to hire situation would be an all together different story, as .... you'd be walking away from a job you were hired to after x amount of time.

I'd really make serious inquiries into your employers expectations of you before you make a decision either way, as... you might not really have anything to worry about...or you might.... nobody can say though until you know the specifics of the situation you're in.

SE_BSN_RN, BSN · Aug 29, 2012

I did not mean to offend anyone by my post. I know it's a very tough economy. My classmate from nursing school was offered a job here and I got hired on last minute by the hospital for the internship because they had a spot available. I know it's very tough for new grads to get into internships in California. But I also know a lot of my classmates from California would not be willing to move across the country for an RN job that pays $18 an hour when they have LVN jobs that pay $30 an hour. I heard some hospitals in California are having new grads actually do internships with no pay for the experience, because that's how bad the job market is for new grads.
I did not want to take any spot from someone else. But I did not have a job when my classmate told me about this internship opportunity, so I thought it would be a good experience for me. I do agree that having a year of acute care experience in a hospital setting will look much better on my resume than doing an internship. I just worry about making medication errors with having so many patients, and also about not having much time to interact with patients. Part of the reason I went into nursing is because I really love having patient interaction and being able to help people. The hospital setting is really different for me from the home health setting because I feel like the focus is more on time management, charting, monitors, equipment, procedures, versus actual one on one talking with patients and having that connection. I feel the role of the nurse in the hospital is so important though. I just don't know if I'll be able to handle the pressure and provide enough patient care. I worry with having so many patients and still being a new nurse that I may miss something and lose a patient because of it. It's not just my own feelings of being stressed. I also worry about having so many acutely ill patient's lives in my hands and wondering if I'm capable of that kind of responsibility. Maybe with time, I will feel more confident and more comfortable. I have had 3 different preceptors on my 3 different clinical shifts, and most of them I was just shadowing and didn't get to do much. Maybe with more hands on experience, I'll feel more confident. But it's just a tough call.
I did look for home health jobs as RN's but many of them only provided a day of training and they did procedures like wound vacs and antibiotics through PICC lines, and different procedures I've never done in nursing school or in my previous home health jobs. I didn't feel like it would be safe to be on my own in patient's homes without proper training. At least in a hospital, there is more support around if you have questions or need help. I am hoping to figure this out. Just having so many different emotions these past few weeks after moving to a new city and adjusting to the hospital setting. I'm hoping it will get better throughout the training, but just right now feeling very scared of being on my own on the floor

My question is why couldn't you do HHC at your old job as an RN? Did they give different cases to RN's and LPN's? I work in HHC, and we have RN's and LPN's that care for the same case, different shifts. Were you as an LPN not IV certified? You could have done wound vacs and IV's as an LPN in CA. I know, I graduated LVN school in Santa Clara and got IV certified the week after graduation.

MissNurse1105 · Oct 12, 2012

Hi all. I finished nursing school in May 2011 in California and have been looking for a job as a new grad RN, which as all new grads know has been really difficult in this economy. Before I did my RN program, I worked in the home health setting for a couple of years as an LVN. I worked as a private duty nurse and my patients needed more help with ADL's than serious medical treatment. Since the job market is so terrible in California for new grad RN's, I've been looking all over the country.
I was accepted into a new grad internship in the midwest, so I moved across the country by myself for this 13 week internship in MedSurg. The pay is very low compared to California (less than $20 an hour). But honestly, I don't care much about the pay- I feel like I needed the experience and it's been awhile since I've been in the hospital setting so I thought it would be good for me. I did not sign any contracts with the hospital since there's not a guarantee of a job after the internship, but I think they intend to offer a job if I do well since they are training me. I'm in the Float Pool right now and doing classroom training and working with preceptors on the Med Surg unit.
My main concern right now is that after being in a hospital setting on the unit, I feel so uncomfortable and like it's not the right place for me. It is very different than home health and the nurses here have 8-10 patients. It is so stressful and chaotic and I feel completely overwhelmed. Every day I come home so stressed out and overwhelmed. Honestly, I never really wanted to work in the hospital setting but many jobs I've applied for all want a year of acute care experience. I felt like maybe this is something I need to do to get that experience and then move onto an area outside of the hospital (like community health, outpatient clinic setting, etc.) The patients are so acute in the hospital and I'm not used to dealing with so many time management issues, and knowing how to treat these patients. It's so fast paced and I feel lost. The other interns in my class seem to all enjoy the challenges and the fast pace, but I feel overwhelmed and like I really don't want to be there! I know everyone says your first year in nursing is the most stressful, but I wonder if some people are just not cut out for floor nursing. I felt very confident and happy working in home health, but feel completely the opposite on the Med Surg floor.
Part of these feelings may be emphasized by feeling homesick- I really miss my family and friends and lifestyle in California (and the mountains!). I am 3 weeks into the 13 week internship, and I do intend to stay for the internship because I DO want to learn more clinical skills and grow as a nurse. But honestly, I really don't think I want to work in a hospital setting. My question is- if I left after the internship, do you think I could possibly get a nursing job in another area (outside of the hospital) and the internship would be valuable experience? Or do you think employers would frown upon leaving after an internship? I think if the hospital offers a permanent job on a unit (not on float pool) after the internship, we have to sign a year contract.
My question is- if hospital nursing is something I really don't want to do, should I leave after the 3 month internship and just put the internship on my resume, or try to stick it out for a year for the experience and just be really stressed out and unhappy? I can do it if I really have to, but if the hospital setting is not really what I want, is it really necessary? I want to do the right thing, and feel so confused right now. I don't know if it's worth the mental stress and also the risk of losing my license. (I have heard on the night shift that they sometimes have up to 12 patients, which really doesn't seem safe to me for any nurse- let alone a new grad!) I would really appreciate any advice! I don't want to keep bouncing around from job to job, but it is really important for me to find an area of nursing that I can do well in and have some enjoyment. I just really don't think it's in Med Surg!

You know what, im going to disagree with alot of things that these others nurses are saying, I felt the same way with my first nursing job, and i continued to feel that way after the first year, i stuck with it and hated every minute of it cuz i felt i had to. Sure my time management got better, my prioritization expanded and i got really good at my job. I coulda done it with my eyes close, but I still wasnt happy. I still hated my job. If you are only a few weeks in and you are hating it, there is a good chance you wont like it a year into it either. So you have a decision to make. You could still look for another job before you decide to quit. Just dont put it on your resume so your new employer doesnt judge you from your decision to leave the hospital. You could try and transfer to another unit while you may really like alot better, L&D's pt ratio isnt too bad, niether are critical care units, or ICU's, and the OR and PACU is pretty good as well. Or you could stick it out and be miserable. It will make you a better nurse, but hey not everyone is a hosptial/acute care nurse and thats OK! You tried, you dont like it, theres nothing wrong with that. I disagree with the nurses who are saying "oh someone else could have had your spot". WOW really? how were you gonna know u didnt like it until you tired it? and everything happens for a reason, god has a place for the nurses who "didnt get your spot", and you were put here for a reason. Maybe it was to make you realize where you really should be, or maybe its to make you a better nurse to bring you into another place in your nursing career, no one knows but god, so dont let anyone make you feel guilty about that! I decided not continue working that setting anymore and I am happier and less stressed, and i dont feel bad about it all. I got into nursing to make a different and for the nurse-patient interaction. And working on a med surge floor with 7-8 patients gives you NO TIME to even talk to your patient. I feel ur pain mama. just dont quit until you got another job.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Oct 12, 2012

quit now or face not getting good reference. Future employers understand "I moved"

nikky55 · Sep 12, 2013

I know this thread is old, but I agree with MissNurse1105. So many responses are so hostile on this thread! In this tough CA new grad market we do all we can to get experience where we can. It's true that many jobs require at least a year of acute care experience, otherwise your doors close. I understand that maybe if you wanted to do home-health, acute care probably isn't all that necessary. But regardless, you're still not taking up "anybody's spot", because if they wanted to get their behind off the couch and move to another state, they can do that too, and I'm sure something will be available. But it's easier to just sit behind a computer and bring out their frustration on someone else who landed an internship. We can't know what exactly we want until you're thrown into it and you experience it for yourself. I totally understand what you mean, 8-10 patients sounds absolutely insane! and it's normal for new grads to feel unsafe for like an entire first year or more.

Btw if you don't mind sharing, I'd love to hear an update, where did you end up? how did the internship turn out? I hope you're doing amazing wherever you are :)