Am I not cut out for nursing?

landonsles · Dec 7, 2004

I have heard that it takes a good year before you quit feeling lost, and up to two before you really feel comfortable with your skills. Don't know if that's true or not, as I am still a student. I would stick it out and give yourself a chance. Maybe find a nurse at your work that you like, and talk to her. I am willing to bet that she/he went through the same thing you're going through.

Good luck!

Leslie

Tweety, BSN, RN · Dec 7, 2004

Please don't be discouraged. You sound exactly like me when I first started out. In fact you sound like most new grads in med-surg. You sound perfectly normal. It's o.k. to be overwhelmed and stressed.

Be gentle without yourself, ask for help and advice, and give it time. You're going to be a great nurse.

shammy · Dec 7, 2004

I have to agree with 3rd shift guy.

In fact for me after a year I left nursing my life long dream from when I was 3yr old. Thougth I am not cut out for that. But I came back after 10yrs and loved it.

So my advice to you is

1/ give it time. No one expects you to know everything except for you think you should.

2/ ask questions you don't know it all. You have only just started learning. You will always have questions on different things. Nursing always is changing.

3/ Med/surg is hard. It is very diverse but you will learn alot. And get better at a lot of different skills.

Hang in there.

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Dec 7, 2004

Med/surg is hard. It is very diverse but you will learn alot. And get better at a lot of different skills.

Big Ditto to that!!

It took about 8 months of M-S before I came in to work and knew exactly how my day was going to go, and it did. The first few weeks by myself, you woulda thought I bought out the Kleenex company, it was so bad.

One thing you will learn is that even experienced nurses have a hard time with their assignments on some shifts.

Here's a tip: try to concentrate on the good things you do each shift, and make a little plan of action to correct the things that could be done better. Keep a little notebook for a few months or even a year, and you'll be amazed at how you've grown in that time.

PatrickJ · Dec 7, 2004

Hiya,

from what I read, you are experiencing normal trends and feelings. The fact that you are stressed tells me you will be one of those nurses that shines above many others because you seem to have good work ethics.

So many would just get thru the day and not worry.

Stick with it, it does take time. School helps you prepare for nursing but you never learn nursing until you actually do it.

Hang in there, it gets better. :)

SmilingBluEyes · Dec 7, 2004

It's not just you. Took me about TWO years before I felt "competent" in OB nursing. Be kind and patient with yourself. You will "get it" ....it takes experience and time.

abundantjoy07, RN · Dec 7, 2004

I like these replies...it's helping to cut down on my own anxiety...(even though I've got another year of school).

SmilingBluEyes · Dec 7, 2004

we've all been there, babynurse06!!!

nursemary9, BSN, RN · Dec 7, 2004

Oh my goodness Honey, you are being so hard on yourself!!

Please, don't quit. You are new. Give yourself a chance. I have been doing this almost 38 yrs. now--YES--that long-- & guess what?? I still ask questions.

There is nothing wrong with that. Like some one else said, give yourself a good year. You know, they don't teach you everything in school. In fact, they teach you very little. They do teach you how to THink, How to problem solve & they teach you how to even figure out what question to ask.

Please, don't ever be afraid to ask questions. That's how we learn. Never be ashamed of not knowing--do be ashamed of not knowing and not bothering to ask!!

Med-Surg is hard. Ther's a lot to it. So many little things. I work Med/Surg I know.

I just finished precepting a new grad; I have encouraged her to ask me questions. I know that NO ONE gets it all at the beginning.

Also remeber that after a good year or so if you find it is still not working out, there are other areas of nursing. That's what's nice about being a nurse--it's so diverse. You have many specialties, plus many settings open to you--there's Home Health (which is areal joy), occupational health, school nursing just to name a few. But PLEASE give it a chance!!! You studied long & hard for this.

I know you can do it, you're just feeling down on yourself; give your self a break & be just a bit easier on yourself.

Let ue know how you are doing from time to time--remember, my generation is getting ready to leave the field & we need young women and men to take over from us!!

Mary Ann

rnmi2004 · Dec 7, 2004

Im gonna try and make this as short as possible. I just graduated, got a new job on a med/surg floor in a small hospital with less severely ill patients. Ive been working there for a couple months and have been on my own for a little over a week. I cant seem to get it. Im still confused over the little things, like hanging blood. If I had a patient with a chest tube I wouldnt know what to do. I am usually assigned 5-6 patients without an aid and Im playing catch up all day. I never have time to eat, never have time to drink or go to the bathroom. I have to ask the experienced nurses questions all the time. I end most days an hour late, feeling near tears and stressed out. I feel like it takes me several times of doing something for me to learn it. Ive been wondering if it takes time to "get it" or if I should be thinking of changing careers. Any advice would be greatly welcomed.

You're a new grad, and you're on your own with 5-6 patients and no aide after only a couple of months? No wonder you're feeling stressed out. Is there any way you can ask to extend your orientation?

ICUnowOHN · Dec 8, 2004

Med/Surg is very diverse, and it will take time to learn. Like another poster said, you were taught to THINK, and now you are learning how to figure out what you need to ask. Hang in there. I've done Med/Surg, Telemtry/Cardiac Step down, Med ICU, Surg ICU, BURN/TRAUMA ICU, Neuro ICU/Stepdown, Home Health, and now Occupational Health. Give yourself a break, and go ahead and ask, we know you don't know everything. We sure as heck didn't either :)