I graduated in May and started my first job as an RN in July on a busy surgical floor at a local hospital minutes from my home. It was a perfect set up. The nurses I worked with were awesome, the supervisors were supportive and helpful, and as mentioned before, it was minutes from my house. The problem was I was about to be off orientation and I was terrified! I am definitely not cut out to be a floor nurse. The thought of taking care of 5-8 patients all by myself scared me to death!! I felt overwhelmed and worried that I was going to miss something when I no longer had my preceptor to catch me when I fall. The type of fear I was feeling wasn't normal new grad fear. It was clearly my personality and I can't change that. Anyone who has been a floor nurse should know what I mean. You either can do it or you can't. And it's not safe to "wing it." I recognized this was not where I belong as a nurse. I was always running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. So, needless to say, I decided to leave my job. Now I am unemployed and truly worried I have wasted the past 4 years of my life going to school for a career that I am not going to be able to do. My husband and parents think I'm a failure. I'm beginning to believe it also.
I love patient care and would work a lot better in an environment where I could spend more one-on-one time with my patient, but where are jobs like that when you don't have experience? And now I'm worried it will look bad that I quit a job after 3 months, but I truly felt like something bad was going to happen if I didn't get out now. I have applied at 2 dialysis centers, ECT, and considering correctional nursing. But again, all of those positions state experience required. I applied anyway, but not feeling too confident.
If anyone has any sound advice for me, I would greatly appreciate it.
Everyone has put in their two cents worth, and some very good suggestions too. I would also like to add that I did not get that anyone was bashing you for having anxiety about your job. They said get help, that's reasonable. That's not putting you down at all.
Specializes in UR/PA, Hematology/Oncology, Med Surg, Psych.
There is not a "floor nurse" personality. Floor nursing is very hard; nursing in general is very hard. Most new nurses are scared ****less coming off of orientation, what you felt was not something new. The learning curve after school is extremely steep. Many new nurses cry, stress, have insomnia, etc., but they persevere. What is it with certain new nurses lately that can't deal and want a 'less stressful' nursing position? Well I've been a nurse for 20 some years and I've never had a low stress nursing position and if there is one, I'm certainly in front of you in line for it. I'm sorry you feel that you may have wasted four years on a degree that will be too stressful for you, but perhaps your story will be a warning for all of those student nurses with stars in their eyes.
Specializes in UR/PA, Hematology/Oncology, Med Surg, Psych.
You are not a failure. You got through nursing school, now you are looking for your niche.
The good news is tbat nursing is very broad, there is so much you can do.
Private duty sounds like it is right up your alley. You have one patient.
Some other possibilities: clinic nurse, psych nurse, public health department, cancer screening.
You will figure this out.
Private duty nursing requires experience. The nurse is alone with the patient and must be able to handle any situation. And for the love of all things good, PLEASE stop suggesting psych nursing as a low stress nursing position. Psych patients can have medical issues also. Plus a good psych nurse must have tip top assessment skills. Many psych patients are very somatic (its part of their mental health disease process) and the nurse must be able to spot the real from the imaginary.
And what on Earth is a cancer screening nurse? I've never heard of such a thing, unless your talking about Endoscopy clinics or such.
I strongly disagree with those posts that keep insisting that "floor nursing" isn't the issue. Yes, it is. I have been in this person's situation. No, I didn't go through nursing school with rose-colored glasses.
But when I graduated, I besides knowing that I enjoyed psych and the NICU, I didn't have a strong sense of my place in nursing. Fortunately, there is a nursing shortage. So, if a new graduate nurses doesn't like his/her first job, there is NO REASON to be filled with anxiety and misery to stick it out. Quit! As I said before, using it as a learning experience. What did you learn are your strengths and weaknesses? I learned that I don't want to work with cardiac patients who can be fine one minute, and then decline in a matter of seconds. My psych patients may be on suicide watch, but I am much more confident in my ability to handle that situation. The latter plays to my strengths as a nurse, the former to my weaknesses.
Now, I would suggest sticking it out if you LOVED floor nursing, but just didn't feel completely confident. But I don't believe that is the case. This person didn't love floor nursing.
My ex-husband referred to me as a pit bull. That's because I don't quit, or let go or give up. But I let go of that first nursing because I am also not stupid. You simply must leave some things behind in order to move forward. And it simply isn't healthy to work for 12-hours in fight or flight mode. That's what I was doing, and I think this person felt the same way.
You can easily address why you left the position in three months. It isn't a big deal. Any good nursing manager will respect your ability to assess the situation and decide it wasn't right for you. And if they can't, you don't want to work for them anyway.
Sometimes in life, you just need to know when to walk away.
I strongly disagree with those posts that keep insisting that "floor nursing" isn't the issue. Yes, it is. I have been in this person's situation. No, I didn't go through nursing school with rose-colored glasses.
But when I graduated, I besides knowing that I enjoyed psych and the NICU, I didn't have a strong sense of my place in nursing. Fortunately, there is a nursing shortage. So, if a new graduate nurses doesn't like his/her first job, there is NO REASON to be filled with anxiety and misery to stick it out. Quit! As I said before, using it as a learning experience. What did you learn are your strengths and weaknesses? I learned that I don't want to work with cardiac patients who can be fine one minute, and then decline in a matter of seconds. My psych patients may be on suicide watch, but I am much more confident in my ability to handle that situation. The latter plays to my strengths as a nurse, the former to my weaknesses.
You are wrong. In most markets of the US, there is no nursing shortage. It is irresponsible to continue to perpetuate this falsehood. This mindset is behind many new grads feeling so disillusioned and gob-smacked upon finding out that the nursing job of their dreams is not available to them immediately upon graduation.
Another aspect of this post: Do nursing schools no longer educate their students that graduating from school and passing NCLEX is only roughly the first half of their education? I remember it being made perfectly clear that my first 1-5 years working as an RN would serve as the rest of my education. The thought that one could, as a new grad, go into home health, school nursing, case management or any other independently functioning position was ridiculous. Personally, I do not ever want a new grad coming into my home to independently care for me or my loved one, nor would I want them making care management decisions on my case without ever having experienced real-life medical care.
The abundance of new grads here who are unwilling or unable to tolerate floor nursing is a direct result, in my opinion, of the above issues: the nursing shortage myth that won't die, and the failure of nursing schools to properly prepare their students for the real world.
I strongly disagree with those posts that keep insisting that "floor nursing" isn't the issue. Yes, it is. I have been in this person's situation. No, I didn't go through nursing school with rose-colored glasses.
But when I graduated, I besides knowing that I enjoyed psych and the NICU, I didn't have a strong sense of my place in nursing. Fortunately, there is a nursing shortage. So, if a new graduate nurses doesn't like his/her first job, there is NO REASON to be filled with anxiety and misery to stick it out. Quit! As I said before, using it as a learning experience. What did you learn are your strengths and weaknesses? I learned that I don't want to work with cardiac patients who can be fine one minute, and then decline in a matter of seconds. My psych patients may be on suicide watch, but I am much more confident in my ability to handle that situation. The latter plays to my strengths as a nurse, the former to my weaknesses.
Now, I would suggest sticking it out if you LOVED floor nursing, but just didn't feel completely confident. But I don't believe that is the case. This person didn't love floor nursing.
My ex-husband referred to me as a pit bull. That's because I don't quit, or let go or give up. But I let go of that first nursing because I am also not stupid. You simply must leave some things behind in order to move forward. And it simply isn't healthy to work for 12-hours in fight or flight mode. That's what I was doing, and I think this person felt the same way.
You can easily address why you left the position in three months. It isn't a big deal. Any good nursing manager will respect your ability to assess the situation and decide it wasn't right for you. And if they can't, you don't want to work for them anyway.
Sometimes in life, you just need to know when to walk away.
What year was this post written, 2006? There is NO nursing shortage! Maybe in the area where this poster lives, but overall - no.
Bad advice with this ... and as a soon-to-be graduating nurse, at least I know this. Hiring managers have the ability to be "picky" for lack of a better word, and who may be the better choice? The new grad who took off after 3 months or a grad who left after a year (or 3)?
Yes, there is a nursing shortage where I live. Several of my classmates took jobs with $2500 sign-on bonus. I just accepted a position with a $3500 sign-on bonus. In other parts of my southern state, hospitals are paying $7000 sign-on bonus.
If you are having a problem finding a job, maybe you should consider relocating.
Most of my graduating class had job offers prior to graduation.
I don't think there is anything wrong with saying that your personality isn't a good fit for a certain area of nursing. I am pretty introverted. I could handle the multitasking part of floor nursing but the constant open ended chit-chatting exhausted me. Personality mismatch for floor nursing. I did fine in the ICU, nights on PDN, and even phone triage is okay because it's very scripted with fairly short conversations.
I worked in a burn unit before and now I work phone triage. Both are stressful in their own ways but I personally find the stress that comes with phone triage to be something that I can handle more easily.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
As far as correctional nursing, that wouldn't be my first choice, no. What scared me on my floor were the number of patients and the type of care they required. Bedside nursing is not for me. As far as dialysis, the positions I applied for are in clinic and not home care. No, I do not feel like I am ready to be autonomous in the field. Nurse residency programs are now accepting apps for c/o 2017. So I believe I missed my chance for that. You're probably right, I guess. I probably should have stayed, but I was feeling so scared and stressed. I know that's not healthy. Thank you for your response.
((HUGS)) The first year or two is really rough. The days I spent crying to and/or from work was, at times, pathetic.
It stinks! Yes. I agree. Nurses are being asked to do more with less...which really chaps my behind because of all the years we fought to increase staffing to primary nursing (All RN staff with CNA's). Nursing (I did not agree with this) felt that the patients would get "better care" with an all RN staff....and the LPN's we forced to leave acute care (big mistake...HUGE)
So, here we are. Back at square one with high patient acuity. Large patient loads. Crappy benefits. No pensions.
What the heck happened??? (rhetorical question)
YOU have been anxious since you graduated. ((HUGS)) Have you spoke to your family about how anxious you feel? We ALL felt incompetent when we graduated. What I find sad is that facilities no longer wish to mentor anyone. They seem vested in a wham bam orientation and then throw the new grads to the wind. Sink or swim. Schools aren't preparing new nurses the reality of nursing...so sad.
Have you tried reaching out to your old manager. Ask to talk with her about your anxiety. I would consider, if I were you, trying to go back and get that year experience. I have found that once you have worked...you will not be considered for any internships, but it never hurts to try.
Correctional nursing is a very stressful position as you are usually the only nurse for the entire prison. OR it would be you and maybe one or two other people. Sometimes and LPN and a tech for large populations or prisoners.
You got past orientation and they kept you. It is possible they saw something in you that can't see. YOU graduated. You passed boards. Have confidence. You really aren't "alone" there is always someone you can ask questions, someone that you feel has your back.
Sometimes you just need to bite the bullet. ((HUGS))
Actually I didn't think this thread was really about floor nursing but rather about ability to cope under pressure during the learning curve. Perhaps OP truly thinks it's about the floor but I believe her response would resurface elsewhere, hence my thoughts about dealing with the underlying fear response.
No one has to love nor stay with a type of nursing but most successful marketable nurses were able to stick long enough to develop a marketable skill set, in some type of bedside care where critical thinking, decisiveness and multi tasking under pressure can be demonstrated.
I do know of one lower pressure job in public health that a friend's daughter obtained right out of her brick and mortar BSN program. But this gal had some impressive prior relevant public health experience in 3rd world countries.
Actually I didn't think this thread was really about floor nursing but rather about ability to cope under pressure during the learning curve. Perhaps OP truly thinks it's about the floor but I believe her response would resurface elsewhere, hence my thoughts about dealing with the underlying fear response.
But you're just making assumptions. If the OP had a string of jobs with the same complaint, sure. But I've known plenty of new grads who weren't a "good fit" but did fine in another setting. I'm sure you have, too.
It's not even like the OP is wanting some unicorn work from home part time making six figures position. They were literally asking about new grad positions other then floor nursing. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with starting out in a clinic or dialysis or LTC or psych or corrections. The OP hasn't voiced any long term plans that would make getting floor nurse experience important.
.thumb.jpg.e7b5bd336d518053002d5b4dbeef882b.jpg){kind=small}
.thumb.jpg.de0b1803a7b639db80953e3a326388a1.jpg){kind=small}
twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN
1,289 Posts
Everyone has put in their two cents worth, and some very good suggestions too. I would also like to add that I did not get that anyone was bashing you for having anxiety about your job. They said get help, that's reasonable. That's not putting you down at all.