Depressed after nursing school

[Irish_Mist, BSN, RN]

I recently graduated from an accelerated BSN program. It was intense and very stressful. I've found that I am depressed and don't feel like doing much. I start my new job in a telemetry unit in January. I graduated with a great GPA. I have nothing to be depressed about. Any tips or advice? Is it common to experience depression after graduation?

[llg, PhD, RN]

Yes. It's common to feel depressed and a bit "at loose ends" after finishing anything major or stressful. You were "push, push, push" during school -- and when it suddenly stops, it's natural to feel a little "off" for a while until you adjust to your new lifestyle. Also, there is the process of facing the reality that graduation did not automatically fix everything in your life that you would like to change. Life goes on -- with all of its trials and tribulations. A certain feeling of "let down" is common.

[Irish_Mist, BSN, RN]

Yes. It's common to feel depressed and a bit "at loose ends" after finishing anything major or stressful. You were "push, push, push" during school -- and when it suddenly stops, it's natural to feel a little "off" for a while until you adjust to your new lifestyle. .

I think that's exactly my problem. Everything was go, go, go. I had no time for much of anything other than school and two twelve hour night shift clinicals per week. Now, that has all come to a screeching halt so I think internally, my mind is wondering what's next. And then I have anxiety about staring my internship. Yikes.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Do not go throwing the word "depressed" around lightly. If you feel you are depressed, discuss that with your doctor.

If you feel you are not capable of starting a new position, deal with it before hand. New jobs are another level of stress.

[Irish_Mist, BSN, RN]

Do not go throwing the word "depressed" around lightly. If you feel you are depressed, discuss that with your doctor.

If you feel you are not capable of starting a new position, deal with it before hand. New jobs are another level of stress.

Thank you, Been there, done that.

[bear94, BSN, RN]

Yes. It's common to feel depressed and a bit "at loose ends" after finishing anything major or stressful. You were "push, push, push" during school -- and when it suddenly stops, it's natural to feel a little "off" for a while until you adjust to your new lifestyle. Also, there is the process of facing the reality that graduation did not automatically fix everything in your life that you would like to change. Life goes on -- with all of its trials and tribulations. A certain feeling of "let down" is common.

This is extremely true.

Especially, for me, the last part where she states "there is the process of facing the reality that graduation did not automatically fix everything in your life that you would like to change."

I will forever have the memory etched into my brain from when I visited my doctor during nursing school. I felt I was depressed because nursing school was so stressful and it had sucked all life out of me. I said something to him like, "I think things will just be a lot better for me once I am done with school." He said to me, without missing a beat, "life will not get any better once you graduate. You will find yourself miserable if you keep telling yourself that life will get better after this and life will get better after that. Life only gets harder from here. You can make changes now and live in the present, or live life constantly waiting to jump through the next hoop."

And he was absolutely right. Not sure if any of what I just said resonates with you at all, but if it does, I hope you can figure out what changes you need to make in your life to find happiness. Best of luck to you! Know that it is normal to feel some type of funky way after graduation. You are not alone.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I remember a student telling me, "All my troubles will be over if I can only graduate." Some people focus only on the next milestone in front of them and forget that life is a marathon, not a sprint. Reaching the next milestone is not the end of the journey. It's just a marker of your progress at that point. More is to come.

[LovingLife123]

When you start your job, I'm sure that feeling will go away as you will have that feeling of go, go, go, Only ten times more so as a new grad. Nursing school will seem like nothing compared to what you will be taking on.

[pmabraham, BSN, RN]

Irish Mist (appreciate the handle), you are not alone. Hugs. I graduated this past December 13th with a very good GPA; enough to earn an award from the faculty at pinning. My boards are scheduled a little over 2 weeks from now, and start my first RN job in early February (cardiac / telemetry). To say I feel out of place is an understatement. Yet, life goes on; and so we press on. We've conquered one dream; now onto another. Don't give up!

[RNrhythm, BSN, RN]

I felt the same way right after graduation.

I suggest you get some exercise and reconnect with the idea of leisure. Spend some time with family and friends. Got to a movie. Did you used to leisure read? Exercise really helped me.

Congratulations on landing a job so quickly!

[Buyer beware, BSN]

I remember feeling as you do now a bit lost in a world of endless possibilities and asking myself is that all there is?

Because if that's all there is let's keep on dancing. Let's break out the booze and have a ball. If that's all there is...

Then I felt an abrupt tap on my shoulder and one of the nurses from the crusty old bat club said, "wake-up buttercup, it time to do perineal care in room 666 so step on it!"

[ottersloveoysters]

Do you have any friends from nursing school you can connect with? I'm sure you are not the only one feeling this way.