Don't People Have Bills To Pay?

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

You can always tell when I've been hanging out on the Allnurses.com forums too much -- I get up on a soap box. I'm amazed, though, at how many new nurses are grasping at straws to find "reasons" to quit their first jobs because they're unhappy and they're just positive that things are going to be better elsewhere. Even if there is no elsewhere in the immediate future. It's not THEIR fault that they're miserable -- it's the job. Or their co-workers are all mean and out to get them. (Probably because of their incredible beauty.) Staffing is a nightmare, the CNAs are all hiding and they're afraid they're going to "loose" their license. They'd better quit RIGHT NOW, so they don't "loose" that license. (I wonder if that one is as transparent to spouses who are looking for a little help with the rent -- not to mention those school loans you've racked up -- as it is to some of the rest of us.) The job is ruining their lives and their mental health -- they're seriously worried for their mental health if they don't quit right now. Where did all of these fragile people come from?

Seriously, folks. The first year of nursing sucks. You have the internet and all of that -- how could you not know that the first year of nursing sucks? It does. We've all been through it. The only way to GET through it is to GO through it, but there's a big group of newbies every year who are SURE that doesn't apply to them. No one as ever been as miserable as they are. No one understands. They HATE going to work every day. Management is targeting them and they're sure they're going to be fired. They're concerned that their mental health might be permanently damaged by the trauma of staying in that job ONE MORE DAY. Given the inevitability of "loosing" that license and permanent damage to their mental health, it's all right to quit that job tomorrow, isn't it? Or maybe it's that their DREAAAAAAAAM job is opening up, and they've been offered the job. It's OK to quit this job to take their DREAAAAAAAAM job, isn't it?

How do they even know their dream job is hiring if they have every intention of making their first job work out? What are all those job applications doing out there, floating around if they're serious about this job? You DID intend to keep this job for one to two years when you took it, didn't you? If not, shame on you!

The first year of nursing sucks. You're going to hate going to work every day, and some of you are going to cry all the way to work and all the way home. You'll be exhausted, both mentally and physically and your normal hobbies and activities may take second seat to the job. You'll be constantly afraid of making a mistake, and you will MAKE mistakes. You'll feel incompetent. You may lose sleep because you're worrying about your job. Switching jobs isn't going to miraculously make you confident and competent. It's just going to delay you on your path through that first miserable year. It may even look bad on your resume, paint you as a job hopper. (I'm always shocked by how many new nurses are on their third or fourth job in less than two years who will assure me that they're not job hoppers. Honey, if you're on your third job in less than two years, you're a job hopper. Really.)

Don't people have bills to pay? Or is it that no one feels responsible for paying their own bills anymore? How is it that so many people feel free to just up and quit a paying job without another one in sight? I guess I'm getting old, because I really don't get it.

[unicoRNurse]

Timely post. I learned today of two new nurses who quit their jobs -- one after 6 months, and I don't think the other worked for a whole month before quitting without giving notice. As a student graduating in May, half of me thinks, "job openings!" and the other half of me wonders exactly what I am in for...

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

Seriously, folks. The first year of nursing sucks. You have the internet and all of that -- how could you not know that the first year of nursing sucks? It does. We've all been through it. The only way to GET through it is to GO through it.

The first year of nursing sucks. You're going to hate going to work every day, and some of you are going to cry all the way to work and all the way home. You'll be exhausted, both mentally and physically and your normal hobbies and activities may take second seat to the job. You'll be constantly afraid of making a mistake, and you will MAKE mistakes.

Switching jobs isn't going to miraculously make you confident and competent. It's just going to delay you on your path through that first miserable year.

My first year, definitely not my dream job, and involved a lot of angst. But I learned a lot and was offered the psych unit I wanted in the first place, a year later.

[ceccia]

how does it affect your life if random strangers on the internet quit their jobs? why do you care? it doesn't, and you shouldn't.

[Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN]

I love you more and more each post Ruby!

i look back at my first year and I can see how much I learned , how much I thought I knew and most importantly, how mic I did not know! I too thought people were picking in me, now I can see that they were just trying to help me learn.

And I can also so see why some thought I was stupid because I did make some stupid mistakes because I was too proud to,ask for help!

but I never quit because I needed that lay cheque! What do these people who quit after one month live one?

[Caffeine_IV]

I agree regarding quitting without having a job lined up. That is unwise if you have financial obligation. But these days, I don't feel we owe our jobs any loyalty. Unless I signed a contract for 1-2 years, I do not feel any guilt for quitting just as they don't feel guilt when nurses are fired and laid off, poor staffing, crappy schedules etc.

I haven't known loyalty or seniority to benefit nurses in places I've worked and I work with many seasoned nurses.

[nichefinder]

I quit my first job after 6 months to take another god forsaken medsurg job in a bigger city, the only reason was to move into big city for better job. Let me ask you OP, have you even hated your job? Lol, I mean, I am wondering what kind of departments you have worked at. I am plan to quit here after my 6 months so I can transfer within the hospital to somewhere where the pt is knocked out and I don't have to talk to them or the family member. So shame on me for not holding on for 1-2 yrs hating my job and my life.

Anyway, what kind of job do YOU have? If it's some kind of hotsy totsy easy job, I will not accept you for writing this ridiculous thread. Unlike you, I am determined to find a workplace that I really enjoy and love, and by no means I am sticking out more than I need to in order to achieve that "DREEEEEEEEEEAM" job which seems so infantile and worthless to you. Thanks for the laughs, but this was pretty ugly thread.

[Ayvah, RN]

The first year of nursing sucks. You’re going to hate going to work every day, and some of you are going to cry all the way to work and all the way home. You’ll be exhausted, both mentally and physically and your normal hobbies and activities may take second seat to the job. You’ll be constantly afraid of making a mistake, and you will MAKE mistakes. You’ll feel incompetent. You may lose sleep because you’re worrying about your job.

I agree with most of your post, however I'm wondering why this aspect of nursing is considered 'ok'? What other job routinely makes new people cry and hate waking up each day as a new person in the field? I've seen so many nurses (not just the new ones) stressed, crying, having symptoms of depression (to the point of having to go on medication for it), and other symptoms such as high blood pressure and even chest pains.

Safe staffing is a real issue with nursing. Graduating nurses who are not prepared to be nurses is a real issue in nursing. It may be harder for more experienced nurses to fully relate to the pressures of being a new nurse today vs when they started.

[Katie71275]

New nurse and I LOVE my job! I love working with my patients(L&D). There are a few bad apples(staff and pt alike) but for the most part, I enjoy work every single day and look at it as a learning opportunity. We are hopefully relocating this summer though out of state(after almost a year), but no way would I think of moving without a job lined up!

Oh and I think people who say they weren't prepared for the work...either weren't adequately exposed to it during school or clinicals...During our clinicals over the last 2 years, we were told over and over about staffing problems, and how nurses are overworked, less resources...we all went into it with eyes wide open. No naïve little girlie here.

[SHGR, MSN, RN, CNS]

how does it affect your life if random strangers on the internet quit their jobs? why do you care? it doesn't, and you shouldn't.

Agreed.

It would have been nice to have had the internet back when I was a new grad and hated my job, as I would have known that I wasn't the only one, but online forums weren't available then. I am not sure how much that would have helped though.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

To answer your question, Ruby, yes...people have bills to pay.

The next job each time sometimes gives a bigger paycheck, more perks, or sometimes more flexibility.

I had sustained a job for 5 years total as an LPN, continued with this job while studying my BSN. That job had it's pluses, and minuses so low it measured Kelvin.

As a "new RN", I've had a job where the new grad program was a hit or miss-I missed; in hindsight, I know I had to grow FIRST before getting that position-it was a dreeeeeem position but is wasn't my "NOW" position to get to the "dream".

I moved to being a supervisor at a nursing home; they respected my previous experience and gave me some tools to transition as an RN, and now I'm back on the market after 6 months; I start a new job in two weeks, and just got a call about another position; if either of these jobs give me and support my ability to do my best while giving me an opportunity to grow even more in my nursing I will take them and stay; I have no issues staying at a job; I've done so and it has made me a better nurse.

I want to grow as a nurse; the market has decided to dictate and run roughshod sometimes; and I get that; however, I will do what I need to do to get the experience I need-I can't have this glut market eat me alive; that's not the type of nurse I am.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Think you may be missing a concern that we didn't have in the olden days.

New nurses are now working for THE MAN .. known as corporate America.

They quickly realize that nurses are corporate grunts... working for corporate profits.

And it's only going to get worse.