Leaving nursing job after 2 months

[swimmingfever00]

Hi everyone, I am a new graduate nurse on the telemetry unit at a large academic medical center. This is my first nursing job after school and I'm on orientation. Nursing is a second career for me, my first job was in clinical research. I have a bachelor's degree in neuroscience and in nursing.

My goal after nursing school was to go back to clinical research. I was unable to find any jobs in the research field and I ended up accepting a position on the telemetry floor. The hospital I work for just posted a job opening for a clinical research nurse in orthopaedics unit and I want to apply for the position. But I'm afraid it may backfire on me if my manager finds out. I'm on the second month of a three month orientation period.

I enjoy interacting with patients, but I do

not feel intellectually challenged and I dread going to work each day. I feel like a glorified waiter at my current position and I think I would be much happier working in research. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

THIS RIGHT HERE IS NURSING - This meanness. Especia when you stand up to tell the truth about conditions, and especially attitudes of other nurses. It's a women's job, so instead of leaning in logic or intellect, let's make snide, low blow comments about the girls who don't just tow the line. Get out, as quick as you can, young one!!!! Bless you and good luck!

I'm not even sure what this means. Are you inferring that nursing is about meanness? That it's a woman's job and women are catty?

Sadly, your misogyny is showing.

Some PEOPLE are mean, some PEOPLE are bullies and nursing seems to have less than it's fair share of those. Unfortunately, it has it's full share of misogynists who are quick to opine that everything "bad" that happens in nursing is because women are snide to those who don't "tow" the line. (I believe you meant "toe the line," but as I said, your post is rather difficult to understand.)

The fact that some people believe that nurses all have bad attitudes does not make it true.

[remotefuse]

I feel the same way about nursing sometimes. I feel like pt satisfaction is EVERYTHING and catering to them is more important than helping them.

[cayenne06, MSN, CNM]

There isn't a huge reason to be offended by OP's statement about not being intellectually challenged. I don't say "never" very often, but I have NEVER seen a 2nd-month orientee who didn't have darn good reason to be "intellectually challenged." In other words, at that stage one is an absolute novice. If s/he finds her/himself not intellectually challenged, that means either s/he is either incapable of understanding that which is supposed to be learned or simply has no interest in the situation. To give the benefit of the doubt I will assume the OP's is the latter situation.

I advise leaving, without regard to the research position.

Dunning Kruger in action.

[caliotter3]

Please use the quote function so we can all know to whom you are being disrespectful.

You won the internet that day!

[suzil]

But obviously she doesn't care for the patient contact. That is what she does not find challenging. She doesn't see the importance of bedside nursing. She doesn't realize the potential of the life saving decisions she may make for a patient. Being the eyes and ears for a physician just isn't enough for her. Somehow she didn't realize this during her clinical rotations in nursing school. How did that not happen? I think for her happiness and the patient's well being/safety she should do what she needs to do.

[suzil]

It's sad that anyone would think being brash is the way to express a difference of opinion. I watched my Great Grandmother work as a nurse for years. She worked with seasoned nurses and new grads. She never once took the approach of being intolerant when a new nurse expressed their feelings about the position they took fresh out of school. No one wants to be coddled and treated like a child. But no one deserves to be spoken to as if they have no feelings either. Which any nurse would understand because that's the way plenty of nurses are treated by coworkers and family members of patients they are caring for.

No, I don't agree that a new nurses first position should be in telemetry. But that's where she is and unfortunately she doesn't like it. It's not what you say it's how you say it. You wouldn't tell a patient's Mother to shut up and leave the room. You would find a polite way to get her to hush. So why talk to a fellow nurse that way.

Example, You're new on the floor and I understand it's not something you enjoy. Two months into a position you really don't have a full grasp of the ins and outs of the job. The floor you are working on is one of the toughest but also one of the most rewarding. I understand you might feel as though you aren't getting the full on feeling or elation you expected to get when you started your journey into nursing. Two months in you're still getting your feet wet. Your superiors aren't going to give you everything on day one, maybe they realize you seem uninterested. I encourage you to find something that you do enjoy about the position. It's hard as a new grad to get a position in a hospital. Trying to apply for another job during your probationary period would not be smart. If you simply cannot stand it your best bet is to look outside of the hospital you are in now because both your current manager and the manager for the position you want will frown upon your desire to leave a new position so quickly.

I said everything you said without being...brash. I get that no one is going to hold your hand when you are a nurse. I know as a nurse you have to deal with the "real" rather than sugar coating. But don't you see enough of that on a hospital unit. Why aren't nurses more supportive of one another? No matter how many times you are annoyed by a patient you don't become intolerant...same principle should apply elsewhere.

How in the world did you "watch" your Great Grandmother work? How was that possible?

[suzil]

I've been in nursing for about 30 years and I'm not in education either. I have found it a combination of many thing and there is nothing wrong with wanting to be in research but it seems to be more of a rash interpretation of your current job. Every new adventure in a career takes time to get a clear picture of your responsibilities, what your strengths are and how many options are available to you. If you are truly interested in research, it would certainly be in your best interest to obtain some valuable experience in the field in order to get to the best results. The best leaders, researchers and educators are in fact the people who have climbed the ladder with a full understanding of the task, knowledge and responsibilities of those the lead, teach or research. Your benefits of any research efforts would be much more valuable. That happens to be a lot of what's wrong in healthcare today. Too many people out there making rule about things they don't fully understand. Stick with your job and make every effort to find the challenges, expand your knowledge and share it with your patients, families and coworkers. Then set out to research ways to make healthcare better.

But she feels nursing is like "waitressing" I don't think she likes the duties of being a nurse. You know patients can sense this. She doesn't feel intellectually challenged being a nurse. At 2 months! On a tele unit. Learning rhythms strips, drugs and numerous conditions? Think about it? She just doesn't like nursing. I don't know what she did during her clinical rotations. She really thought she could bypass the experience of being a real nurse and go right to research. I feel she is looking down on nurses.

[tyloo]

OP,

You said this is your second career, so have you done research before? I would call HR or read the policy online to see if someone in orientation could apply to a different department. I am highly doubtful though. I would stick it out, and since it is an academic hospital I'm sure there will be other research positions that open. Sometimes it is best to wait when the opportunity is right, and right now doesn't seem to be the best time.

Lastly, if you find your job intellectually unstimulating it is because you are not seeing the big picture. You are a new nurse, so right now you are very task orientated. You may be too busy worried about passing meds and getting tasks done instead of looking at the greater picture of the patient.

[amzyRN]

Try to stick it out at least a year, or else your resume will look like crap. You'll more easily get a job if you have a job. At least stay the minimum amount of time needed to transfer to the dept you want to work in

[1jkearney]

Well if your going to go there about self esteem , people who "name drop" and talk about themselves rather then stay on topic are up there as narraisitc. Who gives a crap if "your friend is ID doctor", can't you just make your point without all the "me, me me"?

Don't have ego, but do have issue with people on a "all nurse" platform posing as nurses.

So read your post and consider less about you and who you know and what their titles are.

Whoop de doo your friends mater not because this is about dissing on nurses and calling us "glorified waitress", and about people posing and giving their two cents when they have not even finished school"

[Bob Loblaw]

I guess it depends on where you live. RN's where I work will leave during orientation as they have already gotten another job. Doesn't matter new grad or seasoned hand. If you stay 2 years 10k bonus. I can leave today and next week get a better job. Everything is supply and demand. There's someone orientating now and its here 4th job from graduating a little over a year ago- each one pays more.

[baleen]

Well if your going to go there about self esteem , people who "name drop" and talk about themselves rather then stay on topic are up there as narraisitc. Who gives a crap if "your friend is ID doctor", can't you just make your point without all the "me, me me"?

Don't have ego, but do have issue with people on a "all nurse" platform posing as nurses.

So read your post and consider less about you and who you know and what their titles are.

Whoop de doo your friends mater not because this is about dissing on nurses and calling us "glorified waitress", and about people posing and giving their two cents when they have not even finished school"

Case in point. The insecurity seeps through the cracks.

As for the OP. And, full disclosure, I am not a nurse, I am a Tech, and have a month left of a BSN program......

It does seem that nursing is often a ton of serving, and much less than I would have thought of critical thinking. Though, I do find places, different fields/floors that have much more critical thinking.

It is helpful to go to third world countries, or remember what it is like to be poor or homeless and see how good of a job nursing really is. I have tons of gripes with it, especially the education, but those more accurately reflect what I want for myself that I am lacking, and frustration with my own choices, then mattering in the grand scheme of things. Nursing education is not going to change much anytime soon. So deal with it (I says ot myself)

I see it this way: how are your hierachies of need? Do you have security taken care of? How about love and belonging? esteem? If you are pretty full up on your needs, perhaps you can take real chances with your life. If you need more security to feel ok and build, money, etc....then stick with the slow building path.

Then again, sometimes the best track is to burn it all down and start anew. But that's never something I'd counsel.

Maybe dont work as many hours. Find other things that take care of some of your intellectual and emotional needs. Work towards what you want while you are nursing.

Advice....don't take my word for it.