Discouraged new RN

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Hello all, I am new to this mesage board so I want to give you all a quick shout out ::Hello:: before I start my whine!! :chuckle I have been an RN for about a year and a half & I am really miserable. :crying2: I have had three positions in this time period:the first one was in a Birthing Center and the other nurses were not having a new grad so this along with other things (very insecure & not greatly skilled)= failed probationary period. Job 2 Oncology, I gave this position up ( preceptor worked 6 twelve hr shifts in a row) I just couldn't do it. Position 3 Charge Nurse PRN in a skilled wing in long term care & rehab. center this position was not great for me either as I did not have the skills that I needed, I worked when asked but after they hired someone full time (no insurance provided so I was not interested) no more calls for me. I have now been looking for a position for the last 3 months with no luck, I will get interviews then when they check my references someone must be lowering the boom on me. I only quit one position and the other was pretty much temporary (long term care)so I dont understand what is the problem. I really need to get to the bottom of this bad work reference thing & try to fix it. I have went to school for four years to get this degree & ran it in the ground in less than 2 years. Oh yeah, I have been a housewife & Mom for most of my life so I have very little work experience. Thank ya'll for listening & if you can help, please do.....

Lesi RN

Specializes in Nursing Education.

Come down to Asheville .... nice places to work here. :)

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Specializes in Nursing Education.

Come down to Asheville .... nice places to work here. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Hello all, I am new to this mesage board so I want to give you all a quick shout out ::Hello:: before I start my whine!! :chuckle I have been an RN for about a year and a half & I am really miserable. :crying2: I have had three positions in this time period:the first one was in a Birthing Center and the other nurses were not having a new grad so this along with other things (very insecure & not greatly skilled)= failed probationary period. Job 2 Oncology, I gave this position up ( preceptor worked 6 twelve hr shifts in a row) I just couldn't do it. Position 3 Charge Nurse PRN in a skilled wing in long term care & rehab. center this position was not great for me either as I did not have the skills that I needed, I worked when asked but after they hired someone full time (no insurance provided so I was not interested) no more calls for me. I have now been looking for a position for the last 3 months with no luck, I will get interviews then when they check my references someone must be lowering the boom on me. I only quit one position and the other was pretty much temporary (long term care)so I dont understand what is the problem. I really need to get to the bottom of this bad work reference thing & try to fix it. I have went to school for four years to get this degree & ran it in the ground in less than 2 years. Oh yeah, I have been a housewife & Mom for most of my life so I have very little work experience. Thank ya'll for listening & if you can help, please do.....

Lesi RN

I think if I were you, I would attempt to start from square 1 all over again. Your job hopping would be a red flag for any employer, whether or not it is your "fault". 3 jobs in one year spells potential trouble. It sounds as if you had lousy preceptors and/or lousy orientations. I work L&D and we never expect any new hire (experienced or not) to do with less than 3 months geeral orientation. L&D takes well over a year to even begin to feel comfortable.

I think I would be very honest about your experiences and try and get a good entry level job with some solid med-surg background. Be adament about a good preceptor. I ahve been a preceptor and not everyone ias cut out to be one. That will give you good overall skills and the ability to learn some assessments and critical thinking skills.

It sounds as if you got a raw deal. Good luck.

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Hello all, I am new to this mesage board so I want to give you all a quick shout out ::Hello:: before I start my whine!! :chuckle I have been an RN for about a year and a half & I am really miserable. :crying2: I have had three positions in this time period:the first one was in a Birthing Center and the other nurses were not having a new grad so this along with other things (very insecure & not greatly skilled)= failed probationary period. Job 2 Oncology, I gave this position up ( preceptor worked 6 twelve hr shifts in a row) I just couldn't do it. Position 3 Charge Nurse PRN in a skilled wing in long term care & rehab. center this position was not great for me either as I did not have the skills that I needed, I worked when asked but after they hired someone full time (no insurance provided so I was not interested) no more calls for me. I have now been looking for a position for the last 3 months with no luck, I will get interviews then when they check my references someone must be lowering the boom on me. I only quit one position and the other was pretty much temporary (long term care)so I dont understand what is the problem. I really need to get to the bottom of this bad work reference thing & try to fix it. I have went to school for four years to get this degree & ran it in the ground in less than 2 years. Oh yeah, I have been a housewife & Mom for most of my life so I have very little work experience. Thank ya'll for listening & if you can help, please do.....

Lesi RN

I think if I were you, I would attempt to start from square 1 all over again. Your job hopping would be a red flag for any employer, whether or not it is your "fault". 3 jobs in one year spells potential trouble. It sounds as if you had lousy preceptors and/or lousy orientations. I work L&D and we never expect any new hire (experienced or not) to do with less than 3 months geeral orientation. L&D takes well over a year to even begin to feel comfortable.

I think I would be very honest about your experiences and try and get a good entry level job with some solid med-surg background. Be adament about a good preceptor. I ahve been a preceptor and not everyone ias cut out to be one. That will give you good overall skills and the ability to learn some assessments and critical thinking skills.

It sounds as if you got a raw deal. Good luck.

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the first one was in a Birthing Center and the other nurses were not having a new grad so this along with other things (very insecure & not greatly skilled)= failed probationary period.... Job 2 Oncology, preceptor worked 6 twelve hr shifts in a row.... Position 3 Charge Nurse PRN
Lesi, these "failures" are not about you!

You need a unit that wants you and is willing to nurture you while you gather and hone your skills.

You need a preceptor who knows enough to work a reasonable schedule--somebody who works six 12's in a row is not a role model for being a nurse unless your plan is to burn yourself out in a year, while being unpleasant to be around. (Can you imagine what that does to a girl's mood?)

You need not to be supervising anybody for at least a year, some hospitals say two to three years.

Find a hospital with a solid orientation program, and when you are interviewing, tell them you want a) to work with a team that will want and value you, b) to have a preceptor who knows how to set appropriate work habits for herself and c) to be groomed for more responsibility but not have it forced on you before you are ready!

You deserve this. Good luck, hon!

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the first one was in a Birthing Center and the other nurses were not having a new grad so this along with other things (very insecure & not greatly skilled)= failed probationary period.... Job 2 Oncology, preceptor worked 6 twelve hr shifts in a row.... Position 3 Charge Nurse PRN
Lesi, these "failures" are not about you!

You need a unit that wants you and is willing to nurture you while you gather and hone your skills.

You need a preceptor who knows enough to work a reasonable schedule--somebody who works six 12's in a row is not a role model for being a nurse unless your plan is to burn yourself out in a year, while being unpleasant to be around. (Can you imagine what that does to a girl's mood?)

You need not to be supervising anybody for at least a year, some hospitals say two to three years.

Find a hospital with a solid orientation program, and when you are interviewing, tell them you want a) to work with a team that will want and value you, b) to have a preceptor who knows how to set appropriate work habits for herself and c) to be groomed for more responsibility but not have it forced on you before you are ready!

You deserve this. Good luck, hon!

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