I need help. I am struggling with my nursing career. I finished school in December 2015. I took my NCLEX in March 2016 but I didn't start working right away. I finally was hired in October 2016 because a friend helped me get a job in Med/Surg.
I HATED IT... I AM 40 AND THE WORK WAS SO PHYSICAL. I ALSO STRUGGLE WITH LOW SELF-ESTEEM AND I WAS ALWAYS FEELING SO STUPID AS A NEW NURSE THAT I FELT LIKE I WOULD NEVER LEARN SO I TOLD MY DIRECTOR THAT I FELT VERY UNHAPPY AND I WISHED TO TRANSFER TO PSYCH. SHE WAS AN AWESOME PERSON AND I GOT THE TRANSFER.
I LIKED PSYCH MUCH BETTER BUT THE POSITION WAS NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS ONLY AND THAT MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR ME TO GET CHILD CARE. I ALSO HAD A BULLY NURSE ON MY BACK AND THE STAFF ALWAYS SEEMED TO BE AT EACH OTHER'S THROATS. THE UNIT WAS POORLY RAN AND MY DIRECTOR WAS FIRED. I FELT VERY STRESSED SO I PUT IN MY 2 WKS NOTICE AND QUIT.
THAT WAS IN JULY OF 2017. I HAVE STRUGGLED TO KEEP A JOB SINCE THEN. I TOOK A COUPLE HOME HEALTH JOBS AND I GET AS FAR AS ORIENTATION AND NEVER GO BACK. I TOOK AN O.R. POSITION AT AN OUTPATIENT CLINIC AND QUIT AFTER THE FIRST WEEK. I TOOK A TELEPHONE NURSING POSITION AND QUIT AFTER THE FIRST WEEK.
IT NOW SEEMS LIKE I CAN'T GET HIRED AND I'M SCARED TO APPLY FOR CERTAIN JOBS AND NOT LIKE THEM. I ONLY PUT MY FIRST TWO JOBS IN MY RESUME BUT IT STILL LOOKS LIKE I DON'T STAY AT JOBS LONG BECAUSE OF THE TRANSFER TO PSYCH.
MY DREAM JOB IS POSTPARTUM AND I NEVER GET CALL BACKS BECAUSE MY LACK OF EXPERIENCE.
I MUST ADD THAT I AM A HARD WORKER AND I ALWAYS GOT POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM PATIENTS AND STAFF. I JUST FEEL LOST AS A NURSE AND I'M AFRAID TO PUT MY BODY THROUGH HECK IN MED/SURG ETC AT AN OLDER AGE.
