Discouraged new RN

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2012

If you can't just pick up and move to another hospital or unit, the best thing you can do right now is change your mindset about your present job. Do what you can to make it better, don't wait around for someone else to make it better for you. Being a "measley ADN RN" does not mean you're destined to be doomed. Are you looking to get a BSN? Get your degree and take advantage of tuition reimbursement programs that may be available with your present employment. Yes, you're working many hours and don't think you can fit in school ... many many nurses have gotten their BSNs while working as you do. Nothing good comes around without some level of sacrifice and perseverance.

I graduated last May and just started a new grad position at the university's hospital earlier this month ... on a med/telemetry unit. It's the same unit on which I completed my med/surg clinical and capstone, so I was there for a while before being hired. I'm not entering that work environment blindly. I have already gotten a feel for the potential politics and have decided it's something I can handle. Additionally, the floor has several male nurses (including myself) which on some level are helping to diffuse the estrogen-charged drama that has a potential to exist on my particular unit. At this point, I see myself liking this job for a while, and there is an incredible level of support from management along the way. They don't want you to fail. I don't know if I will spend the rest of my working life here (one never knows) ... but I guess I am lucky to be starting my career here.

There are hundreds if not thousands of unemployed nurses reading this thread right now that are envying the fact that you have a job, and would kill puppies to take your place. I'm not going to tout the "if life hands you lemon" phrase ... but in every aspect of where you choose to work as a nurse, you are always in the driver's seat.

Jess_Missouri_RN · Jul 19, 2012

Been on a med/surg floor for 2 years. First year was hard, I thought, and not so much physically hard but mentally hard. IT GETS BETTER!! I searched and searched for a new job, every day. Went on interviews, never got hired so I stuck it out. Glad I did. You dont realize it but you ARE learning and one day it will just smack you in the face, seriously. I literally just woke up one morning and thought, I got this. I may not like what I am doing but I so got this. I went from nervous new grad to charge nurse and preceptor in two years! No, med/surg is not for everyone but it is a good foundation for whatever you want to do.

I now have a job in a clinic working M-F days, no weekends, no holidays and my med/surg experience got me there. I also work PRN on my med/surg floor just to stay current on my skills and knowledge because it is truly amazing how much you learn and continue to learn. The floor I worked and now work PRN is very high stress, it can be more of a psych medical floor at times, we are understaffed at times so having 7-9 patients was not unusual (on night shift) and sometimes no tech so hello, you get to primary as well. No night secretary ever, so needless to say, we are busy.

What I love about med/surg is the ability to really get to work on your assessment skills and critical thinking. I amaze myself sometimes when I walk into a patients room and just know something is wrong and 30 minutes later after a rapid response this person is in ICU because of resp. distress, or whatever.

Its hard, its hard, its hard. I could say it a million times and it wouldn't be enough. Med/surg isn't for everyone, I dont think it was my calling but it is good experience and you dont have to stay forever. And believe it or not the attitude you have going into work shapes your day/night. If I am so dreading going in and stressing over what mess I will walk into, I have a crap night. But if I jam to my ipod in the car on the way, staying positive I may have a stressful night but nothing I cant handle and my nights go much better. I would often arrive to work, sit in my car, text my husband "I have arrived in hell" and go in. Not really the best attitude to have so I started to change it and my nights didn't get better but my ability to handle my nights got better.

nursie_nursie_415 · Jul 19, 2012

If you are able to alter your perspective & accept certain things about working in a hospital, then things will get better. Inpatient is chaotic at times & by now you have learned that we are R.esponsible for everything, in control of N.othing. When confronted with difficulty, pray, stay professional & keep focused on being safe & what is best for the patient. It took me a LONG time to implement this - I have spent many hidden moments crying in a lonely corner. It can be very depressing as a new grad especially when not only the nurses are eating their young but everyone else wants a piece of the RN too. We are treated very badly from the moment we clock-in & people seem to think that we don't have feelings. Never would I have imagined working in med/tele for almost 5 years, but when I got burnt out a few years ago & even invested in a career change, after that failed I realized that no matter what line of work nothing goes smoothly all the time. When I stay focused on being a 'people person' & do my best to genuinely help my patients & colleagues, I find enjoyment after my 8 hours knowing that my best effort was exerted whether noticed or not.

Since our hospital hasn't been hiring anyone for years (except for one Transition To Practice new grad last year), my colleagues & I know each other very well & thankfully we work hard as a team - no matter how tough a day is, if I have good nurses with me the shift goes by smooth. If I am working with rude/lazy/manipulative/passive-aggressive RNs & staff, I've learned to manage my expectations & deal accordingly. All the nurses I work with all feel that we've been in med/tele for too long but we admit that we've become accustomed to the flexible schedule & pay (lots of overtime opportunities), plus transferring to another hospital/unit is unheard of these days because of hospitals being in financial trouble. We are all thankful to have jobs & feel terrible for the new RNs who are out of luck. There are many RNs who have been working with us in non-RN positions (monitor tech, equipment rep...) for over a year now & it has put employment into perspective for us.

Surprisingly, on rough days it has been the MDs who have given me comfort & kind words. This is opposite of what I was brainwashed into thinking during nursing school, that MDs are mean & heartless. Perhaps because I work in a teaching hospital, the [House Specialist] MDs here are truly seasoned & are genuinely compassionate for not only the patients. My managers are also very approachable & polite, supportive people. I know this is not normal in most hospitals & for this I am grateful.

Because I was an LVN for years I was familiar with the political aspect of hospital business & when I took my first RN job it didn't shock me as much. There are many ways to approach politics & I've found a way to balance it with patient care that works for me. Working short-staffed is the norm & although it's not right, sometimes fighting about it doesn't help. It's part of choosing your daily battles. Don't get me wrong, though, when our patients need advocating we let our voices be heard...

I have lots of non-RN friends & talking about our work day is a nice reality check. Sure, "life & death" issues are the more serious stressors that healthcare workers are faced with but after a few years you get the hang of things & become proficient in handling the immense workload. Being an inpatient nurse is a thankless & impossible job but that's what makes us nurses - problem-solving & making miracles for the patient. It is truly a blessing.

imintrouble, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2012

:hug: You'll be ok.

Phoenixbyrd · Jul 19, 2012

For the rest of us that maybe haven't got our license yet; what about med/surg is so difficult and bad?
Josh
P.S. And always remember, you are NEVER alone. NEVER!

Ditto what Josh said- if you don't mind, will you describe what makes med/surg difficult? Is it the patients? The conditions? The work itself? Is it seeing suffering? Being overworked and understaffed? Since reading these boards I have long since discarded the idealization of the profession. But please do give examples of what makes it a drudgery. :heartbeat Maybe a good ventin' is in order.

mikeicurn, ASN, RN · Jul 19, 2012

Ditto what Josh said- if you don't mind, will you describe what makes med/surg difficult? Is it the patients? The conditions? The work itself? Is it seeing suffering? Being overworked and understaffed? Since reading these boards I have long since discarded the idealization of the profession. But please do give examples of what makes it a drudgery. :heartbeat Maybe a good ventin' is in order.

I only worked Med/surg for a short time, and have spent most of my time in the hospital in ICU. That having been said, I don't mind working med/surg. The things you are hearing about being short staffed, high pt to staff ratio, administration expecting too much from you, no time for breaks, etc ... are not exclusive to med/surg. I heard the same things when I worked LTC and also in the ICU. You have good nights and bad nights. I know people in our hospital that love working med/surg. You just have to find your individual niche. I used to run around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to do everything at once. We had one nurse in my ICU that had been there for 35 years (she just retired a few months ago). She never ran around, looked flustered, or got her blood pressure up. I started watching her, and she just prioritized and did one thing at a time, until the work was done. I started trying to do the same thing, and low and behold my work got done more efficiently, I didn't miss stuff anymore, and I was so much less stressed.

Livy022 · Jul 19, 2012

If it makes you feel even the least bit better I'm feeling the same way you do. I quit my teaching job to go to nursing school. I then took a job as a tech at the hospital I wanted to work at so I could have a job out of school... after working my butt off and going above and beyond (not to mention a fabulous review from my manager), I not only didn't get a job in my first choice dept, I also got passed over for a position on my floor (the BSN nurses who did externships on my floor got the position over me.. BSN vs. ADN)... It took me months to find a position. Most people want days. I wanted overnights. Now I'm working 8hr days. ........... and my marriage failed while I was in school.

It'll get better. It has to :)

itsmejuli · Jul 19, 2012

Sometimes it doesn't get better and we have to admit that acute care is not for us.

ira1078 · Jul 20, 2012

i agree with nitenurse4ever and Paco69 :) be thankful with what you have. unlike some of us who are unemployed and havent landed a decent hospital job since getting our licenses. i've had my license for about a year now but with no luck

NickiJules · Jul 20, 2012

Hi, OP!

Sometimes I think if every new nurse felt the same way as me, there would be no nurses, period. It's been that bad. The anxiety, stress, no breaks, staying late every day, forgetting or missing things, feeling like I've left a mess for the following shift, task after task after task (not feeling like a NURSE to my patients)... and sometimes a short bout of depression before my shift begins. Whew!

However, as everyone is saying, it actually DOES get better (maybe not good or great, but better)!

My advice...

- Put it in your mind that you can stick it out another 8 months. One year of med/surg is a good foundation and will help you move to other areas of nursing. The beauty of nursing is you can move around and do almost anything, once you have some experience under your belt.

- If 8 months seems unbearable, keep applying to other jobs anyway in the meantime, and talk to admin or the hospital mentor about how you're feeling. They can help you move within the hospital.

- If it's an option, try a shift change. I switched to nights a few months ago, and it's been better.

- Most importantly, be patient with yourself!

Get your experience and then move on to something better. Nursing on one floor is always going to different in some way than another floor. You will find the right place for you. You are not limited to the hospital either. If you don't like medical, try behavioral health or even community nursing. They are much more open to hiring new nurses and the job is usually less stressful. I did psych for a year and left only to gain med/surg exp. I'm considering going back!

Good luck! And remember, you are not the only nurse who feels this way.

bookworm78910 · Jul 23, 2012

I've not worked in Med/Surg, but have in LTC. It was very stressful and busy, with a 20:1 ratio, with 1 or 2 aids. My way of dealing was reminding myself why I love nursing and focusing on helping patients and developing therapeutic relationships. It helped that I live in a small community and worked with several friends.

I agree with the folks who say do what you can to change your situation, but in the meantime, change what you can control: your attitude and perspective.

Good luck.

Pedal · Jul 23, 2012

I'm one year out of school/post-licensure. Let's all face it. We are dealing with a broken system. Why set high expectations? Do what you can do within your sphere of influence. If you can't enjoy the work, why bother? There's a million different kinds of jobs you can do with nursing. I have a friend working at a blood bank. No stress, low-ish pay, but she loves her job and coworkers. I got psych part-time and thoroughly enjoy it. Again, low stress. Low pay yes, but I'm getting experience and that is what counts for later on down the road.