Am I too stupid to be a nurse?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi,

I am a very new nurse and quit my last and first job after 2 months due to EXTREME ANXIETY. I know it sounds rash, but I don't even regret it. I was unbelieveably miserable...it's now hard for me to want to try again. I feel like at my last job, all these nurses could multitask like no other and were very detail oriented. The new nurses with me did not have a hard time like me, which leads me to believe I may not be suited for this job. It's like my brain can't process/handle dealing with so much at once. I don't want to put patients in danger, so I'm just really scared to try again. idk why it seems so much harder for me than other people in my cohort. I get very anxious and nervous in fast-paced environments, which is why I think I may not be a good fit for nursing in general. I know people are gonna tell me it's bc I'm new, but compared to my peers throughout nursing school and my last job, I was always significantly slower... Any advice is appreciated. Do you think I should switch careers?

Specializes in Frontline stuff.

Hi!

Have you considered that you may have ADHD & your multi-tasking abilities for new things has nothing to do with your intelligence level? In fact, you may be compensating for attention issues with your intelligence.

I would consider doing some screenings that you can find online to see if maybe you have some other symptoms & perhaps getting evaluated. If so, you could consider medication & try again.

I suffer from ADHD. Getting treated for it was a game-changer for me.

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Specializes in Allergy and Immunology.

OP,

I agree with everyone of the above posters, especially the one about the name change... that just reinforces the negative perception you have of yourself! Think more positively! It can do you wonders...

Also, I agree with seeking help with your anxiety. I went for a long time being undiagnosed. Don’t make the same mistake I did and wait until you have a mental breakdown to seek help. Do it BEFORE!!! I can’t emphasize that enough. I was diagnosed with panic attacks, generalized anxiety disorder and little seasonal depression. It made a world of a difference when I saw a doctor and began therapy and medication.

I was always anxious at work and school and had the negative inner monologue as well. Therapy helped me combat those thoughts. Negative self talk is extremely harmful and shows up in your everyday life as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Then you start to believe those nasty things that you said about yourself.

My therapist once asked me: would you speak to a good friend the way you talk to yourself?... telling them they’re stupid and worthless and dumb?... I said no, I definitely would not, that’s very hurtful. So, it put it into perspective. I try to be a better friend to myself.

I hope you find something that fits you. But, until you address the real issue... your anxiety, I think you may find you’ll always have an issue with your performance at work.

Good luck to you!

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Specializes in Adult residential.

I found myself in a similar situation. After graduation I got a job in a nursing home and was immediately overwhelmed. I quit after 5 days of orientation. I found an adult residential program (group homes for special needs adults) which was willing to hire new grads. I have been in this job for over a month and find it much slower paced then the nursing home. The pay is about 50K a year but there are many pros to the job like day shift only, paid holidays, you don't have to give meds, etc.

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Been a nurse for a year and I had a lot of anxiety. Still do. Sometimes we are hard on ourselves and we are actually doing a better job than we think. I used to ask my assistant managers what I could do to improve and they would always tell me that I am a good nurse. Heard a few comments from my coworkers and they notice how hard i work. It’s fine. Just take some time, breath, and apply to a units that are slower paced. I felt the exact same way two months after I began. Every new nurse does.

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On 11/6/2019 at 11:07 AM, AmIDumb said:

I think I'm an anxious person in general (I was never diagnosed with an anxiety disorder but I probably should be haha). i think my problem was I was just too slow and my preceptor was getting annoyed with me. That made me more anxious and it made me feel like I wasn't cut out for the work. I'm trying not to give up, but the idea of going back to inpatient gives me rashes and flashbacks from my last job...idk if I can live like that again, but at least I moved closer to my family after i quit!

I’m going to tell you this, you shouldn’t worry about your preceptor Or anyone thinking that you’re too slow. Everyone has different ways to manage tasks during a shift. When I started nursing, I started with 8 patients, always had someone on a ventilator, get this, this was a medical surgical floor. 8 patients, and that’s from 7-3pm and then, I’d get an admit , my 9th patient from 3-7pm. What I’m trying to say is, I was slow, took my time and I learned not to care about what people thought about me because I only care about my patients’ safety. Not my preceptor’s. You also have to remember what you had to go through before getting your license, hard work and dedication. I’m not about to lose my license because I was rushing to give meds or doing a task that could potentially harm my patients. I’m glad you’re mindful of things, keep it up.

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I feel the same way! I graduated nursing school May, took my NCLEX in July, and started a new job at a LTC/Skilled nursing facility in September. It was and still is a HUGE adjustment. It also doesn't help that my sister (who is an RN as well) works for the same company - so nurses and doctors having high expectations of me doesn't help my nervousness! I am almost two months in and I am having the same problem. I am a very organized person, but I struggle with anxiety and am afraid of not doing the "right" thing, or I know what the right thing to do is, but my mind is consumed with a million other things that it just goes over my head. I took the job mostly because it was my best $ offer, and was WAY more than what other places wanted to pay new grads and I also realized that I shouldn't just accept a job offer because it's better money. Where I am right now at my current job, I am seriously considering quitting and taking the big pay cut, if it means peace of mind for my anxiety. It is very overwhelming, so I understand where you're coming from. I am looking to quit, and I am mad at myself a bit for giving up only after two months, but if you feel like it interfering with your outside life, and you need to leave for your mental sanity, it is always the right choice. Your first year in nursing is a difficult adjustment as it is, so being in an environment where you don't feel supported, makes it 10x worse.

Don't quit nursing all together. Like others have said on this topic, maybe "bedside" nursing, or a fast-paced environment is not for you. Or maybe you need to start off slow and steady, build some confidence and maybe years from now, you'll be doing something you never thought you would be doing. In the three months of being employed at a LTC/SNF, I realized that's NOT the nursing for me. Apply to other places! I've been looking into dialysis centers (a lot of them don't require experience!), and doctor's offices, and outpatient surgery centers (although they usually require OR experience). We tackled nursing school and tackled NCLEX. We can do this. Nursing has so much opportunity. Everyone is different, and choosing to work in a slower-paced environment as an RN doesn't make you any less than an RN working in a hospital. It's a matter of preference, and coming from a person who is going through the same exact feelings at the moment, experience will come in time! Good luck!

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On 11/6/2019 at 1:17 PM, Lurkndmurk said:

Yes, there definitely are. I'm currently working at this office setting. REALLY laid back, REALLY chill, AWESOME people. I'm never running around with my head cut off. I'm never stressed here. I get things done when I get them done

I don't think this is typical for an office setting either. Definitely the exception. Most office settings I've worked in are fast-paced and short-staffed. Patients typically don't die in offices (only occasionally), so you don't carry the burden of doing something wrong that may kill a patient.

It's not just you. Many young nursing grads are not lasting more than 6 months inpatient before coming to outpatient. This is a nation-wide problem that needs to be dealt with.

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Specializes in ICU.
12 minutes ago, 2BS Nurse said:

I don't think this is typical for an office setting either. Definitely the exception. Most office settings I've worked in are fast-paced and short-staffed. Patients typically don't die in offices (only occasionally), so you don't carry the burden of doing something wrong that may kill a patient.

Its an office office. Not a doctors office ? we don't have patients coming in and out. We are nurses over various group homes & take care of the individuals living in those group homes. So, If anything happens, we assess them. We monitor them, do labs, make appointments, interact with pharmacy to deliver meds, chart, scan, upload to virtual chart, file, flu shots, etc. It's definitely a diamond in the rough of nursing jobs.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Nurse Navigation, Oncology.
On 11/7/2019 at 5:24 PM, AmIDumb said:

Thank you so much for your response! Right now i have interviews for inpatient pediatrics and outpatient dialysis. I am leaning towards dialysis bc the hospital for the peds interview is very high rated/high paced (Similar to my last job). I think you're right that any job will be stressful. I think being surrounded by my fam will make this next job more bearable hopefully

Ok good I'm glad you're interviewing! I'm highly anxious myself and have only realized this year that, to employers and many who know me I appear to have a diverse job portfolio having averaged about two years at each. The honest to goodness truth is that I've rarely stayed long enough to become an expert in any role because of my anxiety and negative self talk. I'm working on that myself. Please know it will get better.

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On 11/6/2019 at 1:28 PM, Orion81RN said:

Easy to say but you really shouldn't compare yourself to other new grads. They have their own struggles that you know nothing about. Some are really good at hiding their anxiety. I know I myself quit jobs as a new grad due to extreme anxiety. Yet, I remember an experienced coworker running around like a chicken with her head cut off asking me, "Orion! How do you stay so calm!" I most certainly was not calm on the inside. I promise you're not the only one feeling this way.

I really like this advice...thank you.

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I agree with those that say to look around for jobs that might have a more relaxed atmosphere. Not sure if you were working inpatient before, but definitely search for some outpatient, maybe slower paced jobs before throwing in the towel!

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Specializes in Critical Care.

NO! We had people in my online RN-BSN class that passed, and appeared barely literate. We were instructed to speak in the third person instead of the first person to be "scholarly" and classmates were typing on the discussion forum, "Pretend you gonna help your grand maw make a cake. And she says to you, hand me that flour". I was shocked beyond belief. Especially that they PASSED!

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