Did you have more stress FREE TIME after you graduated? What did you do?

Nurses Stress 101

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Laurenslovely

96 Posts

Thank you @ fmxkrazyone. I had a clinical professor tell me you don't really get comfortable for 5 years... So I think what your going through is normal. I was the same, not wanting to work on a med surg floor, but I think it is the most realistic "choice." I guess we we gotta just learn to cope w/ constant stress ;)

serenitylove14

407 Posts

I had a shock. It was like dancing for 4 years and then just stopping cold turkey. Or I could put it in terms of taking some hardcore narcotics and suddenly stopping. I went through withdrawals. Not knowing what to do with myself. Thinking maybe I should read something or study something. Its been almost a year since then and I am having alot of stress free time, or as much as you can have with a 5 month old baby. But with that being said I plan on starting school again in 2 months lol. So I was only out for a year and am already going back to school.

Specializes in ER, progressive care.

Yes and no. Life after nursing school is a different type of stress. There was definitely a HUGE relief once school was over, but then there was the stress of the NCLEX. Then finding a job afterwards. The market is tough for both new grads and experienced nurses! I was very lucky, I moved to TX because of the military and found a job very quickly. I thank my lucky stars every day for that. Some of my classmates were not as lucky. It took some of them months to find a job.

Then, there is the actual stress of being a nurse. It's a stressful job. It's also very tough starting out as a new nurse as there is a huge learning curve. There have been days (I work nights, so I sleep during the daytime) where I couldn't sleep because of something being on my mind from work..whatever it may be. That has become less frequent now that I have some experience under my belt (>1.5 years) but it still happens. The test-taking does not stop after the NCLEX. Most, if not all, jobs require job competency exams and yearly competency exams. For my job, I had to take a math test, a medication test and an arrhythmia test before I was able to work the floor. There were others, too. If you decide to get your ACLS, TNCC, PALS (or if your job requires them), that's more studying for you to do. If you decide to go for nationally-recognized nursing certifications...more studying and test-taking. I think you get the idea.

plinytheRN

73 Posts

Specializes in telemetry, ICU.

I don't know where you are from, but I am in CA and when I graduated and started applying for jobs and looking for work- that can be horribly stressful and degrading. I am still unemployed (graduated in Dec.) and apply to multiple jobs every day and scour the web for any opportunities. It has been hard to stay positive with all the rejection, just know you have to be patient and persevere. Don't expect anything handed to you that's for sure! Good luck!

Laurenslovely

96 Posts

I don't know where you are from, but I am in CA and when I graduated and started applying for jobs and looking for work- that can be horribly stressful and degrading. I am still unemployed (graduated in Dec.) and apply to multiple jobs every day and scour the web for any opportunities. It has been hard to stay positive with all the rejection, just know you have to be patient and persevere. Don't expect anything handed to you that's for sure! Good luck!

Hi... I'm in NYC, but I am from CA (bay area). I have a lot of RN friends over there who received their ADN and still don't have jobs years later!! Its hard to believe! I don't think there is very much diff in ADN and BSN, but I hope BSN will help me land something, seeing my friends struggle. All my family is in CA, but I may just stay in NYC to work. I think NY is doing a little better than CA. Don't feel your skills are wasted, you did JUST graduate! I don't have any patience either, but I know I will need it to look for a job. Good luck :}

Laurenslovely

96 Posts

Yes and no. Life after nursing school is a different type of stress. There was definitely a HUGE relief once school was over, but then there was the stress of the NCLEX. Then finding a job afterwards. The market is tough for both new grads and experienced nurses! I was very lucky, I moved to TX because of the military and found a job very quickly. I thank my lucky stars every day for that. Some of my classmates were not as lucky. It took some of them months to find a job.

Then, there is the actual stress of being a nurse. It's a stressful job. It's also very tough starting out as a new nurse as there is a huge learning curve. There have been days (I work nights, so I sleep during the daytime) where I couldn't sleep because of something being on my mind from work..whatever it may be. That has become less frequent now that I have some experience under my belt (>1.5 years) but it still happens. The test-taking does not stop after the NCLEX. Most, if not all, jobs require job competency exams and yearly competency exams. For my job, I had to take a math test, a medication test and an arrhythmia test before I was able to work the floor. There were others, too. If you decide to get your ACLS, TNCC, PALS (or if your job requires them), that's more studying for you to do. If you decide to go for nationally-recognized nursing certifications...more studying and test-taking. I think you get the idea.

I do want to take ACLS, PALS, TNCC. A nurse in the ER I was shadowing suggested I take the classes b/c hospitals prefer not to pay to send you and it would be a bonus if I took them on my own. I don't mind continuing education. I hear you on the learning curve. I feel like I've almost graduated and there's so much I don't know!!! I guess you just learn the basics in nursing school. :}

RNperdiem, RN

4,592 Posts

At least when you are out of school, your free time feels a little freer. I no longer had thoughts of "you should be studying for that test" during my free time.

The work during the first year were far more stressful than school. School makes decision making seem so cut-and-dried. Full responsibility, judgement and decision making in ambiguous circumstances were new concepts to learn.

advsmuch08

81 Posts

Life after nursing school has a completely different kind of stress. You will have more time at home. It's such a weird feeling since you're used to reading or studying for finals and now you don't have to. Of course you may have reading for the job. This is your chance to pursue new hobbies and catch up with old friends. Plus, these are great ways to relieve some of the job stress you will be experiencing. Acknowledging the fact that you'll have these job stresses will help you mentally prepare for your new career. Best wishes!

Specializes in ED.

I've been a nurse for two months now, and work in a busy ER. There are days I want to pull my hair out and scream, but my days off? FABULOUS. I NEVER had a day off in nursing school where I had nothing at all to do if I didn't want to do it. I was in school four days a week, and worked three days a week, so my days off from school, I was usually working. This week? Four days off in a row. What the heck will I do with myself?! LOL. A few weeks ago? My nursing school BFF that lives a few hours away now invited me to her place for the weekend for a girls night, with less than 48 hours notice. And I was totally able to do it. There's a lot of stress with the job, but I mostly like going to work, I like the challenge of honing my skills and my critical thinking. And I looove only working three days a week!

healthstar, BSN, RN

1 Article; 944 Posts

I thought seeing the light at the end of the tunnel meant #freedom #stressFree #amazinglife

Boy....was I wrong!

Spent so many years in nursing school, spent 3 months studying for nclex, passed the nclex and days later started orientation as an RN! Did everything back to back and at the moment I didn't mind, I was very excited to do it all! When I am happy I don't think clearly !!!!!!

It was a terrible transition- nursing school and nurse in a hospital setting = are worlds apart!!!!

I faced the reality shock!!!! 3 (12s), sometimes no lunch, my orientation was 3-4 months, I was exhausted, burnt out already!!!!! And it was only the beginning of my nursing career and I felt like I had been working for 40 years!!!! That's how exhausted I was!

Mine was not a smooth transition because I failed to take a break and care for myself!!! I jumped from one thing to another!!!!!

One great tip: Search for a job that you might like, do not accept any job just because you're desperate !!!!! Apply at different hospitals not just to one or two units!!! It's better to wait 3-6 months to find a job that you like instead of accepting the first offer you get and be miserable!!! I also know that sometimes as a new grad we do not have much of a choice, we have to start somewhere to work our way up :)

M/B-RN

77 Posts

Yes, life is so much better now that I am done with school. Never ever do I have to wake up early anymore because I work nights and on my days off I can do whatever I want and not have to spread myself thin doing a little bit of this and then that.

Specializes in Endoscopy, OR, ICU, HIV, Bariatrics.

After recently graduating, I have had more "free time" but more stress. I'm constantly reassessing things I did at work the day prior. It's a constantly learning process.

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