Depression After Graduation...

Nurses Stress 101

Published

Restlessness, agitation, sensitivity, sadness, feeling stuck, inattention...

Anyone ever experience these feelings after graduating from nursing school? What did you do to alleviate these feelings?

Yes! It took my forever to find a job and now that I have one I hate it with all my being. It is making me sick. What is making you feel so depressed?

Bored and broke. Quit smoking, starting running and working out again, kids are still in school; I feel like there's something missing in my life (school?). Not really sure what to do with myself. Maybe I forgot how to enjoy my free time.

I felt a bit like that the day after pinning. It's just a normal reaction to having so much more free time, after all these years of nursing school. But there's still a lot of stuff you can do, like get ready for NCLEX, brush up your resume, start applying for jobs and stuff like that.

Specializes in LTC, medsurg.

I know everyone has his or her own problems. However, try to change your perspective on things. Be more positive. I work a very busy med surg floor and I had those feelings in my first year.After having been a nurse for many years, I have seen some horrible illnesses, people losing limbs over bacteria, etc. I walk out of my hospital every shift very GRATEFUL for what I have. My health, my family, I have so much to be thankful for and you probably do too, so please try to count your blessings and not dwell on the negative. Be thankful that you can provide to your children and be thankful that you have children to hug everyday. I'm sorry if I'm offending any body but i felt the need to get that off my chest. God bless you all. Now I'm going to go tuck in my child and thank God I have a beautiful healthy child, even though I'm tired and beat. Love and peace :).

I felt a bit like that the day after pinning. It's just a normal reaction to having so much more free time after all these years of nursing school. But there's still a lot of stuff you can do, like get ready for NCLEX, brush up your resume, start applying for jobs and stuff like that.[/quote']

I've already passed my NCLEX and have been looking for jobs since March 3rd. Thanks for the advice.

I know everyone has his or her own problems. However, try to change your perspective on things. Be more positive. I work a very busy med surg floor and I had those feelings in my first year.After having been a nurse for many years, I have seen some horrible illnesses, people losing limbs over bacteria, etc. I walk out of my hospital every shift very GRATEFUL for what I have. My health, my family, I have so much to be thankful for and you probably do too, so please try to count your blessings and not dwell on the negative. Be thankful that you can provide to your children and be thankful that you have children to hug everyday. I'm sorry if I'm offending any body but i felt the need to get that off my chest. God bless you all. Now I'm going to go tuck in my child and thank God I have a beautiful healthy child, even though I'm tired and beat. Love and peace :).

I am grateful and I'm always working on "flipping" my attitude, but I am also human with very human emotions--that's not going to change. I'm not persistently depressed, just wondering if it's a normal reaction and what to expect, as I have never graduated from nursing school previously, so I have no clue. Thank you for reminding me to be more grateful.

I just graduated from nursing school earlier this month. I found myself experiencing similar emotions, especially right after graduation. As I have not yet taken NCLEX, preparing for it is one of the things that helps me take my mind off these emotions. In general though, this reaction seems to be in response to how life changing graduating from college is. After spending the overwhelming majority of one's life in school, the fact that the "student" phase of live is over is quite . . . emotional. As with any change in life and lifestyle, I think it's normal to feel anxious and even depressed at times.

In addition to what RockinChick66 has said, I've personally found that establishing some sort of routine has helped. Like you, I've started excercising again (something that's difficult to do with all the study time nursing school required), as well as *gasp* really enjoying the weekends as weekends!

One of the things I'm anxious about, though, is the job market. Both being able to find a place to work, and how to do well in my first job. It's both unfortunate and ironically comforting to know that even nurses have a difficult time finding work. One of the things I'm finding helpful is a book I got for my birthday calledYour First Year As a Nurse, Second Edition: Making the Transition from Total Novice to Successful Professional by Donna Cardillo.

i dont think it was graduation that got you feelin depressed and restless i think it was quitting smoking! :smokin:

Specializes in nursing education.

I do know what you mean. Something that filled all of your time, gave your life a certain direction and form, now it's done and you have to figure out what to do. Now your whole identity is different. An enormous amount of work- done! You did it!

Congratulations on graduating and passing NCLEX. It's hard when you feel like you should be happy, and you don't. I can totally relate. I don't know what to do about it, but please be reassured that your feelings are not abnormal or unusual.

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I just wanted to compliment the posters in this thread. I just finished reading an article about how, in today's society, too many people fail to realize that sometimes, negative or unpleasant feelings are "normal." They are too quick to label their unpleasant feelings as "abnormal" and think that there must be something wrong with them. Many jump at a possible mental health diagnosis and reach for medications to "fix" their feelings instead of processing them.

As the posters here have said, it is normal to have feelings of "let down" after finishing something as major as nursing school. It can take a while build a new life for yourself to replace all the focus and energy you were investing in school. But if you give it time ... and move forward in your life to plan new activities ... the feeling of "let down" will pass. What are you hopes for the future? What are you planning for your next few months ... few years?

Congratulations on your achievement and I wish you the best of luck in your nursing career.

It really helps to know that it's not that unusual. It makes sense, but it's not what one might expect after such an important accomplishment.

Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Flight.

I know how you feel, I've been in college since 2001, (I. Now have 3 degrees+certs ) so its been my whole life . Now I have all this free time

And I don't know what to do with myself. I've partied for a week straight. I've cleaned my house , I've tried sleeping all day. I'm just lost. I took a kaplan review class and I'm waiting to really sit Down and study hard core once I have my att.

I quit my tech job 1/2 way thru this semester, so my job has been filled and it's silly to interview for my Job back after a few monts when I'm just gonna leave for an RN job.

So no school no work. Not a darn thing to do but sit and think =\

+ Add a Comment