Depressed, confused, lost, and not sure if i should even be a nurse! :(

slowens · Sep 2, 2007

What about the option of being a traveling nurse? Change of scenery?

munkypants · Sep 2, 2007

Hi,

first off, its not a huge deal to take the training and run! something which i have learned very rapidly in my first year of nursing is that no one looks out for you- you do it for yourself! (bar a few amazing people that have helped me out fantastically!)

having just read ur post, i really felt for you. ive just finished my first year, and i promise you, it does get better. i was like you throughout my training, not 100 percent sure if i was following the right degree or not......

our training works slightly different in the uk tho, and i was lucky enough to get a nicu placement, which kept me sane! i was lucky enough to get a job in nicu, and had a big enough mouth to get myself on a postgrad training course for neonates, therefore inadvertently having an amazing orientation programme. even with all this, i really struggled during my first year, becoming accustomed to the politics, the workload, learning new stuff everyday... (and believe me, u should never stop learning!), as well as continually learning about myself and how i dealt with situations......

What i will say is that nicu is amazing, it combines the high tec with human, there is so much taeching involved, both with students and parents, and the multi-disciplinary teamwork and co-operation is absolutely amazing. the chances to further ur education, qualifications and personal satisfaction are great.

I guess this was all really just to say to you to keep ur chin up, and you will find ur area, as nursing is amazingly diverse, but u need the training and suppoet in order to do ur job the best u can, and still be sane at the end of the day!

keep ur chin up, ears open, stay out of ward politics (very dangerous!), and learn to speak up when you need help....

best of luck

x

shmoofins · Sep 7, 2007

I hear you, I didn't really like nursing in school either. I was never all that into it like some other people in my class were. I wanted to change my major (although I didn't really know what else I'd do and I was already halfway through the program) but my family convinced me to stay because I'd have such a "great job" after I graduated. Now I really wish I had just switched. I even worked at a hospital while I was in school, so I had some idea of what hospital work would be like once I got out. I didn't like that job either. I should've just listened to my gut and switched.

I graduated in May and I really don't like it. At least not floor nursing, anyway. I quit my job on the floor and now I'm looking for non-floor stuff even though I don't have enough experience for all the things I'd like to try. I just couldn't cut it on the floor though and I didn't like it at all. I dreaded going to work and was so stressed and nauseas all the time. I never felt like I got it, even compared with other new grads.

I'm considering leaving the field altogether and looking for other jobs that just want a degree of some sort. I hear they're kind of weary of people with nursing degrees because they're afraid they'll leave for better pay and whatnot. I know my resume looks kind of weird for some of the stuff I'm applying for. I really want to go back to school for something else. I've also put in applications with different kinds of Nursing Jobs so I guess I'll see how that goes too. I don't really know what to do. I really wish I'd just changed my major, then I wouldn't be in this mess. I'd still have a job I liked too (even if it was low paying).

kell1566 · Sep 10, 2007

this is the best thread for me right now... i came home today along with soooo many others at least 3/4 a week thinkin why am i doin this...... i love nursing and teaching and people and everything... but the interns not knowin much more than me is scary there is NO communication between mds and rns so guess what the pt doesnt know much more....... its jus awful.. im in medsurg 4-5 pts.... today i had only 3 and felt absolutely burnt out.. the patients families everyone pullin and pullin at me and i cant tell u nething bc the mds arent tellin us nething....... md: oh that pt is goin for that test today.... rn: yes they jus called to come get him and its ordered....... thanks for not even knowin **** about them!!!!

right now i dont know if its the hospital, my floor or what but i dont feel like a nurse.. i feel like i push meds and do paperwork and thats not what i wanted out of nursing.... i have no idea what to do... its only been 3 months what to do what to do.. any usggestions let me know!! :devil:

maybaby9 · Sep 11, 2007

I still feel the same way as I felt before, I'm really not into what I'm doing, and I'm literally losing my hair and somewhat depressed. I'm trying so hard to stick it out and just give it some more time...because I am in a new grad program right now, and they say they "want" you to stick around for a year after the program is completed (I did not sign a contract or get paid any additional money, it was just something written on a paper and was told to me when I was hired), but I just don't know if I can do that...I am going to try to stick with it though. But isn't that completely horrible of me if I leave before they "want" me to? I'm afraid if I do at like the 6 month mark or so I will be treated like crap those last couple weeks before I leave, I am scared I won't be able to find another job if I leave this one because it makes me look bad. And all at the same time, I just think all this headache is not worth it to me, my sanity is more important. I feel like I'm at a road block. Some days I can be somewhat positive, but most I feel like I just need to get out. I'm even considering moving, I'm just not happy where my life is at right now. I just needed to vent some more, I appreciate everyone being so supportive and understanding.

pocovan, MSN, RN, NP · Sep 16, 2007

:welcome:Maybe you would like being a visiting nurse. I love it. You do many of the same nursing skills, but outside the hospital setting. You organize your day/route and patient schedule. You also do a lot of patient teaching.

blueberrybon · Sep 17, 2007

Maybaby9: You are going to be ok! I think you possibly might just be going through a change in life, and it coincided with your beginning nursing! These things happen. It's ok.

Just know that you WILL figure it out because you went through school, studying until all hours, sacrificing who knows what, all in the aspiration of "something". That "something" is still there waiting for you. Find it. You WILL be ok.

Blue

blueiwahine · Sep 23, 2007

I've been reading around on the boards, and I see alot of new nurses feel the same way I do. The thing is, I was never really that "into" nursing, even during school. I graduated in May, and have passed my boards and have been working in a hospital for over a month. Everyday I wake up and have to go to work, I seriously just want to cry. I know I'd be nervous doing
All I can say is hang in there...I just made my year of being a nurse...I have wanted to quit everyday...I have just begun to feel comfortable with what I am doing...still want to quit...just not everyday now...I love my pts...just hate all the paperwork...I'm working long term care...which is better than the hospital...still not sure that is where I want to be... I'm still looking...so just keep looking...you'll find where your suppose to be. Lots of Luck...

blueberrybon · Sep 27, 2007

So, you've been a nurse for about a month and you have 10 PATIENTS!!??!!
That is way too many patients way too fast an orientation. Is there a better hospital in your area that offers a real orientation. My hospital has a 12 week med/surg orientation.
As for the posters that suggest you get out of med/surg, I disagree. I think you're at a bad hospital for not providing you with a proper orientation and way too many patients per nurse ratio. I would NEVER take care of 10 patients. I work Trauma med/surg and that is impossible. Don't even think its safe on regular med/surg.
I hope you find a good situation and your niche.

I'm a new nurse (relatively) and I have 22 patients! UGHHHH....

I feel like I'm in a fog lately. I'm trying to learn the ropes at a sub-acute facility, after 8 months of a pediatric doctors office. This is a new ball game. I've been orienting for a week and three days now, I have 1 week to go, then I'm on my own! Not sure if I'll be realy, but we'll see.

Blue