Reconsidering Nursing

[mestiza98]

I've been a nurse for a little over 1 year & I'm starting to reconsider whether or not this the right career path for me.

My first job as a new grad was in a hospital working the overnight shift. I voluntarily resigned because I felt like I did not belong. The atmosphere of the unit wasn't great. The senior nurses constantly looked down on me because I was the youngest one on the unit. I was told by my manager that I don't react quickly to situations & when I give report to the oncoming shift, it "sounds like THEY'RE giving report to ME" and it "sounds like I was never in this patient's room all shift."

I currently work in a rehab facility & I enjoy it there. I have supportive supervisors and co-workers that help me out when I need it. But I still don't feel like I'm a good nurse.

I feel like I don't make good judgement calls, I still don't react to situations as quickly as I should, I feel like I don't know how to think outside of the box or critically think. I'm always worried every time I go back into work that I forgot something & left the next shift with a ton of stuff to do.

Sometimes, I feel like I'm not cut out to be a nurse because I lack in other areas. Especially critical thinking. I mean, anyone could make a patient feel happy & comforted. But if I can't do the other tasks that go with my job description, what's the point? .. or at least that what it feels like.

Does anyone else feel this way or has anyone thought this way? Thoughts? Experiences?

[Nola009]

The critical thinking and 'putting the pieces togeather' is supposed to come with time. Don't let the others get you down. They might be picking on you because you're new and they are miserable themselves. Nursing is a tough gig. I've been working as a nurse for around a year and a half and have second guessed this career choice too. From what I hear, that's kinda common amongst new AND old grads. The work is so much different from what a lot of us thought.

[Libby1987]

If given enough time you can be thorough and know when to ask questions, home health might be your thing.

As a revisit nurse you can be more task oriented while having more time with patients. If able to be detail oriented and learn critical thinking, you might like the position of case manager.

[EKRN2014]

Don't underestimate yourself! Not everyone can "make a patient feel happy and comforted." That comes from truly caring about them, which not every nurse does (unfortunately). About the critical thinking part, when you are in a new situation, do you reflect and think what you could have done better afterwards? This makes you actually do better next time. Maybe organization is the problem with your report. Do you have a brain sheet where you write down important things. Then, you can say "at 0800 I assessed patient x and these were my findings" etc. Hope this helps! Good luck and don't give up yet.

[Anonymous1257]

anyone could make a patient feel happy & comforted

i have to disagree with you here, this takes a special kind of person. If you have the ability to do this then you possess the core skill of nursing - patient care. Everything else, while important, is ancillary to patient care.

I say say stick with it, it sounds like you're in an environment where you have a chance to thrive and learn. Give yourself time to master the extra stuff and never let go of the core skill you already have.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Merged two threads.

[MidLifeRN2012]

OP...this sounds like something I would write. At almost a year as a nurse myself, there are many days I feel inadequate and wish I stayed in my previous 9-5 cubicle world.

Fortunately, I work in a place that is new nurse friendly and is teamwork oriented. And it's psych so there are not a lot of codes (except grey) or extensive medical problems.

They say it gets better with time. Like you, I'm hoping so