New Grad

[MB423]

Hi, all.

I am a new grad and have been working for 1 month on a busy ortho floor. I travel for this job and leave the night before a shift, stay at an apartment while there, and then drive back after my last shift. I have never liked the city that I now work in, I miss my family terribly when I am away. This next stretch, I am scheduled for 6 twelve hour shifts in a row starting tomorrow and I am absolutely dreading it. I cry every day before I go to work and every night when I get done. I dread going back to work even on my days off.

I plan to stick it it out for 6 months, but at this point, I don't think I will stay any longer than that. I received a bonus for a 2-year contract but I have put it away in a savings account and will not spend it in case I need to pay it back. I was offered a job before I graduated in the town where I live. I had worked at this hospital in several departments before being a nurse and LOVED it. However, it is a rural hospital and at the time I felt I needed to get out and experience the big hospital. I am regretting that decision now. I love rural nursing, knowing everyone I work with, living in this small town. So, my question is: do you think leaving this job after 6 months to either work in the acute care or clinic would be a bad thing? I would take a very small paycut: maybe $1-2/hour, but would not have the added expense of traveling. My current job makes me hate being a nurse, and honestly I am absolutely miserable in my day to day life while stressing over my job.

[StocktonNurse, BSN, LVN, RN, EMT-B]

Yeah I would leave. Missing your family is the priority. You are better off working in an environment that is close to home. As much as possible to try to utilize your license within the are that you live if you can. But if you now miss your family, and begin to hate being a nurse..then it's time to move on before things get worse. Just suck it up and put in your 1-2 weeks notice and jam home. If you can stick it out, then you will have to stabilize your emotions and that can be draining in itself. Utilize mindfulness, meditation, exercise, staying busy such as going on walks, or anything. But if the longing for your family and work is bothering you, then its time to leave asap. No regrets...you'll be an RN for the rest of your life. Don't worry about that contract, just save that bonus in case you have to pay it back.