Hey new grads! I just want to give some encourgement from one new grad to another. Here's my story:
As most of you probably already know from my posts, I started off in the ICU right out of nursing school (bad mistake, but that's another topic). I had several preceptors, some good, some not so good. I was stressed to the max, vomiting before coming to work, crying at home. Then one day, the light bulb went off and I decided enough was enough, ICU was not for me.
So, I asked to be transferred to the ER. Granted, I never had an ER rotation while in nursing school, and never thought the ER would be someplace I would "fit" in. However, when I did my rotation in the ER while in my new grad residency program, I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT! But because I already had agreed to work in the ICU, I didnt want to "rock the boat" and ask for a transfer (mistake number two).
I go to my director in the ICU and asked to be transferred. I told her the ICU was not a place for me at this time in my career and it was a bad mistake going there right out of nursing school. I also explained to her I'm a hands on repitious learner, and I need to do things several times before I become confident. I also explained that I feel very overwhelmed and way over my head and I know what I don't know and I'm not gonna pretend I'm confident when I'm not, because I could potentially hurt someone and lose my license that I worked so hard for.
The director tells me she is "blown away" by my honesty, and she will allow me to transfer. She put a good word in with the ER director and I transfer. Not only did I transfer, I am also working the weekend alt program (Sat and Sun nights, get paid for 3), which is a total blessing.
Fastfoward to a month later, I get an email from the ICU director who wants to do my 6 month evaluation. I was NOT looking forward to this evaluation because I thought it would be "bad". I will have to sit and listen to her tell me how "bad of nurse" I am. To my surprise, I got a satisfactory evaluation, mainly because I was very honest about my orientation and my abilities. I also got high marks in my work ethic, time management, being a team player, and my willingness to learn. The ICU director also wants to hire me back in a year once I get some experience.
Well, I now have no desire to go back to the ICU because I have found my nitche in nursing. For the last 3 days, I have attended a SANE educational course, and I am FASCINATED by the foreniscs! I want to become a SANE nurse and I am putting those wheels in motion to get the ball rolling. I also want to become a certified Foreniscs nurse. I believe being a SANE nurse will allow me to show compassion to those victims and allow me to make a difference in their lives at such a vulnerable and traumatic time. Not only that, I will be helping the community by helping get a rapist off the streets.
Never would I have imagined I wanted to do this type of nursing. I would not have had the opportunity to even know what I wanted to do, had I not experienced what I've gone through. Hang in there new grads! It does get better! I used to want out of nursing, I used to think I made a mistake by going into nursing, but it was not the right type of nursing for me. Hang in there and find your nitche. Don't give up!
