Falling apart after only 5 days as a new rn

Published

i quit my old job of ten years to pursue what i went to school for for so long and i started on a med-surg floor last week. I am going to ccu after 6 weeks to do more orentation for another 6weeks. it also seems from rumors from this staff that this unit i am going to is bad..... they have trained over 3 new nurses for that unit recently! which just set my heart rate up... what i am going into?

Anyway, My preceptor is....ok? She a bit ruff but i feel like i am learning. But the first day i came home and cried. I was so overwhelmed and she wasnt to nice to me. I have had a few other precepters cause she took off and i liked that i got to see how it would be with other nurses. But i am still overwhelmed. I am trying my hardest to grasp it all and do it all right! well have seen 2 codes and had 2 deaths and i have only been a nurse 5 days total! I feel like a chicken with out a head when i am on the floor. UGgh its just so hard, but i keep plugging along.

Unfortunately my mil had a stroke yesterday and she is the one who care for my son while i go to work=( so i was left scrambling on who to call, who 2 tell i couldnt go in today. i ended up calling everyone and they told me it was ok and we would figure something out. How bad does it look that i am not able to work today.? I am trying to find some one to help me with my son but its not easy. I feel horriable for so many reasons I think i will be able to work 2 more days this week. And then i will have my husbands niece until August. I was planing on putting him preschool,daycare setting in september. I Cant put him there sooner do to his age. I just not sure how to proceed? am i gonna lose this job? I feel like i am stuck and i am not gonna just leave my son with anybody just because of a new job! Oh please tell me things will get better?

:crying2:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am sorry about your mother in law, but these things happen. Right now the more important thing is her health and your son's well-being, not the job. And as far as that goes, I'm right there with you. I start my first nursing job last week and I made it to the third day before I went home and cried. It's just so overwhelming!! Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Oncology, Med-Surg.

im sorry your having a bad orientation week. how is everything going right now? you have a lot on your plate. i hope your doing ok. please let us know on your status.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

hey take care of your son .when it comes down to it it is only a job,life will go on.On a different note I read on this great site all the time about new nurses being overwhelmed going home crying ,this has GOT to stop ,we have got to change this.take care.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

well i just finished week 4!!!!!!!! i feel much better, i am still overwhelmed but am able to navigate a little better. I worked 3 strait days in a row and i feel like it helped. Because i knew my patients very well, had looked up there meds and was familiar with what needed to be done! I spend such a long time the first day trying to verify orders in the chart to what i have in the mar, that i often feel so overwhelmed by 9am with all that needs to be done. But by day 2 and three went a bit better.

But i did have a situation where my preceptor left me on the floor to cover our patients and was asked to cover another nurses patients while she went to lunch. My preceptor did not do this, and was upset to find out about it when she got back. anyway the nurses pt she left me was someone getting bld who need vital in 10mins, pt going to the or that needed to be on a stretcher soon, and all my patents!!!!! well needless to say as soon as she walked off the s* hit the fan=0 my patient was getting pt for the first time and almost feel, luckily i walked in and we were able to get him to bed, but he was soiled. he has a stage 4 ulcer that needed a dressing changed d/t be covered in poop! pt with blood need vitals now and i couldn't get the stupid thermometer to work, and then had a temp and i transport was there to pick up the patient they need 10mins ago!!!! and no one was around i had one nursing tech and one unit clerk, and 2 rn who were busy with there own drama! well i got threw this situation, but the patient i had to get down to or ended up complaining about me and how i rushed her!!!!!!!! she had wanted to call her husband and was on her cell phone,. And yes i did rush her

because i thought when the nurse gave me report that she had told the patient i would be getting her down stairs asap. and i was so overwhelmed and confused that am sure it came threw. But oh well my preceptor apologized to her and i was told not to rush people! that was the worst of my week 4, but i was pleased with my progress so far. and i am still standing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospice, Oncology.

Erin - Hang in there! All we can do is pray, and do the best we can do. Every day that you go to work becomes easier. However, I think it will take about 6 months to feel comfortable on the job. Also, everyday that you go to work, you are gaining valuable experience! Nursing is hard, school is just the tip of the iceberg, compared to the "real world." There will come a shining light within you that points out where your special gifts and talents lie. Always remember, this is your first job, not your last. Also remember that EVERY new nurse goes through the exact same things...the key word "through." That means you DO come out on the other side. Every day has an ending, and God willing, as the sun comes up, another day begins.

I have started several "new" jobs in my lifetime. One thing I noticed...it's always the same feelings when I start..this too shall pass! Sometimes I think that the grass is greener on the other side. Then I decide that I need to make the grass green right where I am standing. Our attitude and mind-set have a lot to do with it.

I just had to drop you a line of encouragement. Your circumstances ring so familiar with me. I wish you the best of wishes in your new job, as well as with your personal life! God bless!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
hey take care of your son .when it comes down to it it is only a job,life will go on.On a different note I read on this great site all the time about new nurses being overwhelmed going home crying ,this has GOT to stop ,we have got to change this.take care.

Absolutely agree. In what other profession is there so much stress that tears are common? Its not just new nurses either; at my current job experienced nurses cry as well.

We need to support the California Nurses Association to go into other states to implement ratio laws in the rest of the country. This will be the first step towards positive change not only for the nurse but for the patients too. We need to be able to have a lunch break every day, and be able to feel like we can safely care for our patients every day. This is advocating for our patients as well, which is why it is so critical that change comes.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospice, Oncology.

Amen, Ayveh!! If I could figure out how to lobby to my state, I would do it. I became a nurse because I care!!! I refuse to be beat down into a human being that doesn't care because I have quantity of patients, over quality of care!! Somehow, together as as a whole, we can make difference. I would be willing to help, but don't believe I'm qualified to be THE leader-LOL.

Thanks for posting!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med Surg.

Relax and breathe! Don't panic. If your child is of daycare age, you've got quite a ways to go with juggling live at home and life at work. Life happens to us on and off the job. Though I truly believe that you will not lose this job, worst case scenario is that you have nothing invested in this particular job. It is just a job. Home and family....now that's the job that matters and that's the one that you really don't want to fail in. But we are all only human. My thoughts to you and your family! You will find out once you gain more experience in nursing and with your little one/ones that sometimes, not a lot of times, when it rains, meteorologists give it a name.

Take care and don't leave home without your umbrella!:urgycld:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

erin, your current circumstances sound all but too familiar to me. i am also a new nurse, since this past may, and like you i found and still find myself extremely overwhelmed. i chose to work on an extremely difficult med surg unit at my hospital (thanks to a number of suggestions from other nurses i trust) against better judgment, and now when it seems that the majority of my classmates are chilling and enjoying their life as new nurses i feel like i'm in the middle of a mass casualty crises. i have been on the floor for 5 weeks now and things are getting better. my first week i decided to take care of two patients myself then when i felt comfortable (100%) i went up to 3 patients, which took 2 1/2 weeks. i spent two days with 3 then jumped right to 5 and have been taking care of 5 patients by myself with my preceptor watching from the side lines. i have been extremely overwhelmed but i know in the long run i am benefitting from biting the bullet now. for the last 2 weeks my preceptor's job as a rn has pretty much been to get coffee and to check behind my documenting to remind me of things i've forgotten, and oh yeah "to hold me up and tell me to breathe from time to time." after next week i will officially be by myself, so i have done my very best to take full advantage of the little time i have with a preceptor by testing my coping skills. i will keep you in my prayers but rest be assured you are not alone. i will also keep your mother in law in my prayers. god bless, and keep your head up and hopes alive. ray.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Rayshanna,

I had the same feelings as you and erin01 mention here, "when I was in my last semester of nursing school and my clinical instructor expected me to be in full control of 4 patients". At that time I thought this must be how it is for all RN nursing students.

I'm curious, what was your clinical experience like in your last semester of nursing school how many patients were you assigned to?

Best of Luck to you and erin01

Sincerely,

tlc2u

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Dear TLC2U

My last semester of school was excellent. I did 2 months on a cardio unit, which I loved, and then two on neuro ICU. I enjoyed the unit that I precepted on so much that I wanted to work there, but my preceptor recommended that I go to the floor that I currently work on instead (she use to work on this floor). The floor that I work on has quite a tough rep the saying is "If you can survive 6Main you can work anywhere". A few of my instructors also recommended for me to go work on this floor because of "my energy level". I know that in a year I'm going to look back thankful, but right now I ask myself WHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYY. Lol. Thanks for the encouraging words.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion