First Job

[poliwag48]

Hi!

In May I will be graduating (Lord willing) and I am scheduled to start my first job in July (I am blessed/lucky enough to already have a job waiting for me once out of school/ passed NCLEX!

I did not expect these feelings, but I feel very nervous that I will not do well at this job.
I suppose due to a few factors:

- my friend who graduated last year was let go from her first job; she said it was her own fault and was "too slow"

- everyone says the transition from school to work is awful and shocking

- I am in the beginnings of my preceptorship and am feeling a bit shocked already at how much nurses do (and how much of it I have not been taught/prepared for yet!)

Is it common for new grads to be let go? I am just now learning of all these "fun" adult terms like, " retention rates" and it increases my concern for how hard it will be to stick in a job....

I guess I am wondering if its common for nurses to be fired or something? idk... I am maybe being a worry wart?

I am excited to be a nurse and I think my excitement for all the future holds in this next year increases my fear of losing it (I am so so so excited for the unit I was hired to, the area its in, the apartment I may rent, the starting wage; so I am very nervous I will lose this opportunity!)

Thanks for any advice, insight, encouragement, anything!!!! Even tips on ways to be successful or stories of how your first job was/ where you worked and how you adjusted?

Happy Nursing!

[LibraNurse27, BSN, RN]

I have only seen a few nurses be fired and I have been a nurse for six years. I do work in a union facility. In general it is much harder to be fired from a union facility as the union is there to back you up. Most of the nurses I knew were fired due to stealing and using narcotics. If someone is not doing well on their orientation we usually offer to extend the orientation.

My advice is to go in with a positive attitude, because anxiety about being fired will only distract you and make you more likely to make mistakes. Ask questions! Double check all your meds. Practice skills while you have a preceptor to guide you, and ask everyone to let you jump in when their patient needs something you need to practice. It's good to be confident but of course to understand that you are not yet an expert and be open to how much there is to learn. I hope you work in a facility that supports new grads and will work with a great, welcoming team!

[Nunya, BSN]

Seriously, the worst part about my first job initially was how tired I was when I got home. I was fine at work but once I laid down I realized how tired I was, and I worked in a small level 2 NICU. Yes, there was a LOT to learn, but I figured I made it through my BSN and I could make it through orientation and the job afterwards. Then nights was hard even though I'm a night person, but I got used to that. Ask questions, get to know your co-workers, smile, laugh and just look at it as an extension of school... you are working hard at school so you'll just continue working hard at work. Thousands of nurses graduate each year and go to work and very few overall are let go. You can do it!!