help! new grad...I hate my job...and want to quit

Nurses General Nursing

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I previously had made a post in first year of nursing about my orientation experience. Basically, new lpn grad, no preceptor, just ask questions if I haven any. Working on a med-surg/cardiac unit. My nurse manager says I am getting a normal orientation, and then she even scheduled me to come to work the evening shift after taking my boards in the morning! I'm lucky I passed since I was worrying about the 2 hour drive home and getting home to change into scrubs before work. I asked her if it was a good idea that she schedule me that day and she said "oh it will be good for you to take your mind off things" umm ok.

Next week I get off "orientation" if you want to call it that, and I have a sick feeling in my stomach. I hate going to work everyday. I hate being at work. I am not enjoying anything. I seriously cant imagine working in a hospital for the rest of my life, being stressed out and overworked. I hate feeling stressed out with patients, phones ringing, medications, etc. I am not enjoying learning anything to tell you the truth. My friends I graduated with are excited about their jobs and say how much they love nursing...wish I could say that. I like taking care of people, but that does not make up for all the stress. I told my husband I'm not sure if nursing is for me, and he looked at me like I'm crazy and asked why I just spent the last year in school. Good question! In school I really felt like nursing was for me. I graduated 3rd in my class. My friends say maybe I should try working in a clinic, maybe the hospital is just not for me. Well anyway, I just really want to quit and I have only been working there barely a month.

So I am wondering should this be a huge red flag to me saying nursing is not for me, or maybe its where I'm working, or maybe just that I'm a new grad? All I know is I am realllllyyyy confused right now, and now I have to go into work and I'm getting that sick feeling again. I know that tonight all I will be thinking while I'm working my shift is how much I dislike this and want to quit!:(

Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg- Risk Mgmt.
I previously had made a post in first year of nursing about my orientation experience. Basically, new lpn grad, no preceptor, just ask questions if I haven any. My nurse manager says I am getting a normal orientation, and then she even scheduled me to come to work the evening shift after taking my boards in the morning! I'm lucky I passed since I was worrying about the 2 hour drive home and getting home to change into scrubs before work. I asked her if it was a good idea that she schedule me that day and she said "oh it will be good for you to take your mind off things" umm ok.

Next week I get off "orientation" if you want to call it that, and I have a sick feeling in my stomach. I hate going to work everyday. I hate being at work. I am not enjoying anything. I seriously cant imagine working in a hospital for the rest of my life, being stressed out and overworked. I hate feeling stressed out with patients, phones ringing, medications, etc. I am not enjoying learning anything to tell you the truth. My friends I graduated with are excited about their jobs and say how much they love nursing...wish I could say that. I like taking care of people, but that does not make up for all the stress. I told my husband I'm not sure if nursing is for me, and he looked at me like I'm crazy and asked why I just spent the last year in school. Good question! In school I really felt like nursing was for me. I graduated 3rd in my class. My friends say maybe I should try working in a clinic, maybe the hospital is just not for me. Well anyway, I just really want to quit and I have only been working there barely a month.

So I am wondering should this be a huge red flag to me saying nursing is not for me, or maybe its where I'm working, or maybe just that I'm a new grad? All I know is I am realllllyyyy confused right now, and now I have to go into work and I'm getting that sick feeling again. I know that tonight all I will be thinking while I'm working my shift is how much I dislike this and want to quit!:(

This sounds like a terrible place to start a career in nursing! Where is the orientation program with classes, a real preceptor and a full orientation to what you have to do by someone who LOVES working there!? I say, look for a center that can really support you while you learn. Nursing has a steep learning curve for new nurses and new nurses NEED A LOT OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT! They also need formal training if they are to succeed. I say, go to another hospital and see if they can give you what you need.

Where are your friends who are excited about the jobs and love nursing working?

im sorry you're having such a rough time :( i think what you're feeling is normal...and i also think it's the hospital you're working at. maybe you can check out the hospitals your friends are working at. good luck! :)

HI, I think what you are feeling is normal. Most nurses leave nursing in 5 yrs and right now the mean age of nurses is 47. This should tell you something. Nursing can be extremely difficult and not as respected or as well paid as it should be. Don't be afraid to try some other job in nursing but give this one a little longer. It can be a real culture shock at times. Hope you find happiness.

Hi, i'm a new grad also in an new grad program. My first preceptor and I did not click and I was miserable and wanted to quit as well my first 6 weeks. I recently moved to a new floor with a new preceptor and it's made all the difference in the world. I swear it was going from hell to heaven in one day.

The point is I thought it was bad having a preceptor who didn't click, I can't imagine NOT having a preceptor at all. Also, the fact that you said the lady wanted you to come in right after taking the boards just doesn't sit right with me. It sounds like that particular facility may not be a good place for you to be starting. I don't think I would give up on hospital nursing yet just maybe try to get someplace where you have more guidance around you and that is positive before ruling out hospital work all together.

Good luck to you, trust me I know its not easy..

I too am a new grad, and already quit my first job after 1 month. Like you, I felt sick to my stomach every morning before work and while I was there I couldn't wait to leave and I was sure all the other nurses hated me including my preceptor. I ended up telling my nurse manager one day that I was not returning to work (that's how much I hated it!). She told me that I was going through a "hazing" process and that I would have the same experience elsewhere. Well, I thought that was a load of crap. I will begin my new job in a new hospital next week and hopefully this time I will have a positive experience.

I too am a new grad and I already quit my first job as a nurse after 1 month. I also felt sick to my stomach every morning before work and while I was there I couldn't wait to leave. I swore all the nurses hated me including my preceptor. I decided to inform my manager one day that I was not returning to work (that is how much I hated it!). My manager told me that I was going through a "hazing" process and that every new nurse goes through it. Well, I thought that was a load of crap. After that job I spent 2 months at home, depressed and filled with self doubt because I felt I just wasted 4 years in school. Well, now I've picked my self back up and next week I will begin my new job at a new hospital. Hopefully this time I will have a positive outcome.

I too am a new grad who experienced almost no orientation. Luckily the nurses on my acute care unit realized what was happening as it was happening and have helped me quite a bit. If the nurses had not been so nice about it I probably would have quit after a month, but I will mosy likely stay(becasue the nurses have treated me so nice).

I would suggest that you find a place that will treat you the same way. Don't give up on nursing becasue of of a bad experience at one facility.

You probably don't want or deserve to work in a place that treats brand new employees like that anyway. They should be kissing your fanny for walking in the door and applying.

Stand tall and create the future you deserve.

Steve

It's the combination of being a new nurse, not getting a proper orientation and perhaps being on the wrong unit. Your nursing school friends are probably receiving a better orientation, or are not on their own yet like you are, so naturally their anxiety levels will be less than yours. It's not a reflection on your nursing abilities. I would try to switch units or go somewhere with a better orientation - get out now before you go crazy and quit nursing altogether.

Specializes in Mental Health and MR/DD.

I will admit that when I was a new nurse I was overwhelmed. I wanted to quit and go back to my old job, but decided to stick it out. Its normal to feel this way. Fortunatly thought you don't have to stay at the hospital if you feel it is not for you. There is another forum (sorry I can't remember the name of it) that has alot of information about this subject of not liking what they are doing. Me personally, I got tired of floor nursing so I got out of floor nursing and got into management.

RS0302 - Hi, I'm a new grad right now and hating my first job. The other nurses tell me "the grass isn't greener anywhere else". I'm wondering if I should just quit nursing all together. Right now, I've only wasted two years in school becoming an LPN. Should I waste another year becoming an RN if I hate it this much? Love my patients/families, but cannot handle the stress/workload AT ALL. I go home crying almost every day. I have nightmares the nights before I'm scheduled to work. Did nursing work out for you after all? I'm hoping to hear a success story about sticking it out. Right now I just want to throw in the towel. :crying2:

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