Still feel stupid, a continuation

Nurses New Nurse

Published

Some of you may remember me when I posted last month about my new job as a new grad on a very busy floor. Well, it got worse for me. On my 3rd day, I got a new preceptor (not by choice, I ended up having 5 different ones) and one of my patient's needed blood. Preceptor asked me if I ever gave blood, which my response was "No". We got the blood together, verified the blood and patient together, then she handed me the blood bag, saline bag, tubing, and said "I'll be out at the desk if you need me" WHAT THE ???? I said "UH, NO, you are going in with me, I said I have NOT given blood before". She was annoyed and went in with me. There were so many other times that I was pretty much left hanging. I felt like I was bugging my preceptors when i asked questions. I still asked though, that's how you learn. The floor was so busy, and when giving assignments, the charge nurse would NEVER take into account the acuity of the patients. So, for 3 weeks, I had almost all the high acuity patients and I could NOT get caught up. I would drive to work, think about it, my stomach in knots, by the time I got to work, I would have to walk very quickly to the bathroom so that I could either have diarrhea or dry heaves. I was miserable, they wanted me off orientation in 4 weeks, of which I was just starting my 4 weeks. I was so upset and sick that I finally just had enough. There were so many other instances that I haven't mentioned here because I'd be writing a book if I did....LOL

Anyway, I resigned my position. AND within 15 min. I got a phone call from a much smaller hospital that I had interviewed with before I got this other job, and they offered me a position with the same hours. I took it and start in a week!!! The nurse to patient ratio is much smaller, the acuity is much less and I think I will learn better and have time to breathe in between.

I so think that new grads are left to fend for themselves way too often and are thought of as "stupid" at times by other nurses. I do believe nurses eat their young, some of them. I think new grads need much more time than 4 to 6 weeks of orientation. Nursing school is a foundation, and we don't know everything contrary to alot of nurses beliefs. We are NEW grads, that means NEW nurses. You all were at one time. Give us a break out there and be patient with us. We are learning and we are YOUR future caregivers! I think people forget that aspect. We are the ones who will take care of you when you are older and ill, don't you want us trained properly???

Just a thought...

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Specializes in L&D, QI, Public Health.

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Congratulations on the new job. I hope this one suits you better.

It sounds as if you have learned some important "life lessons" over the past couple of months. To protect yourself better in the future, it might be a good idea to think through them and make a plan for avoiding similar problems in future jobs. For example, you might make a list of questions you would want to ask in an interview to assess the unit's orientation philosophy ... or ... you might want to ask about their experience with hiring new grads and how they modify their orientation to accommodate the special needs of new grads.

Some units are much better at orienting new grads than others. Some are better at meeting the orientation and scheduling needs of experienced nurses. The next time you go job hunting, be sure you know what your needs are and look for a good match. Finally, your story may be a good one to tell students/new grads about so that they can learn from it and perhaps avoid making a few wrong choices for themselves. You may be able to help some of the people on this bulletin board who are seeking suggestions for questins to ask during an interview.

Good luck with the new job,

llg

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Specializes in Peds Cardiology,Peds Neuro,Pedi ER,PICU, IV Jedi.

Hi RNLisa,

From the post above it sounds as if you made an excellent decision to end your employment at your former hospital.

Let us know how your new job works out!!

vamedic4

Got to get new tires.

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Thank you, I start next week at my new job. I will be with ONE preceptor instead of the 5 at my previous job. I am excited to get started and to begin my career as a nurse!! Thank you all for all the encouragement I receive from this website. You are all a great bunch of nurses!!

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Hi Lisa,

You should private message me - your situation is ssooooo similiar to mine and I even posted asking peoples opinions about switching hospitals. I'm very disappointed in the training i've recieved so far as well, and like you have felt that I've been left hanging at times that were not appropriate. I understand we do have to learn to think for ourselves but when it endangers the life of another person that is not the time.

I'm getting a new preceptor in a couple of days; if it doesn't get better I too will probably look for another place of employment. Also, like you I go to work stressed, come home stressed and even on my days off all I can think about is work and how I can improve what I did wrong yadayada. It's horrible. Well, best of luck with the new position. I'll be really interested to see how it goes for you. Email me!

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Specializes in Wound and Ostomy care, Neuro, Med-Surg.

Hi RNLisa-

Your situation sounds just like mine. I graduated nursing school in May, took boards in June and started my new job in July. I started at a busy busy big city hospital on a renal floor. I did all of my clinicals and worked at a much smaller hospital (where I originally was dying to work at once I graduated). Unfortunately, I lived a little over an hour away from the smaller hospital and decided to stick to something closer. Well, I started in July and HATED IT!!!! I was MISERABLE. My poor husband could barely live with me because I was crying all the time and waking up having panic attacks. I told myself everyday that I wanted to quit nursing for good. The floor was WAY too busy. I personally don't think they should have hired new grads, only experienced nurses. The acuity of the patients were through the roof and after a couple of days with my preceptor shes wanting to give me three patients on my own. Now at the smaller hospital with less acute patients, I could do that (plus I've worked there and knew the system). I said no way. The orientation program was not impressive and the place is so busy they're anxious to get new grads out of orientation and on the floor. So fortunately my floor manager was wonderful and allowed me to leave, she even said in the future if I decided to come back her door was open... what a relief.

So, make a long story short, I've sucked it up and decided to take the hour or so drive to the smaller hospital that I used to work at and where my heart's at. I have an interview on Tuesday with the nurse manager of the floor where I was an extern. She said I have a day position waiting for me there, I just have to formally interview first. You have to do what makes you HAPPY! I refuse to be stuck in some job where I'm miserable! I'd rather drive over an hour and love my job than drive ten minutes and be miserable. You gotta go where your heart is and where you can dedicate yourself. I'm proud of you RNLIsa for taking a stand and leaving, its tough, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

llg- that's great advice! I think I was guilty of not taking a lot of things into consideration and asking the right questions before accepting the position. I now learned a valuable lesson!

Sorry for the long post, just wanted to share my similar story... Good luck with the new job!!!

AriRN

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I feel good knowing I am not the only one who feels like this, but I do feel bad that it happens way too often to new grads. As I have said before in other posts too, I think the way new grads are treated and what they are expected to know and do is way too much. My nurse manager at my previous employer also told me that she wishes the best for me and said if in the future I want to come back, they would welcome me with open arms. I am hoping that I will love my new job and not want to change again for a long time. I just feel so much relief. I am looking forward to starting and hope it will be better. I wish you the best of luck too!!

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New job: Going pretty darn good so far! I know it's only been a week, but boy what a difference between this job and my first one! My preceptor is awesome, is so smart, so nice, and really explains things well without making me feel stupid or alone. I followed her the first day on the floor, assisting her, then the next day, I took 2 patients and did all the assessments, charting, meds, treatments, baths, calling the docs (which was my first time actually doing that myself) and my day went pretty well. I took care of an outpatient in for dressing change, charted on her. I just felt so much more at ease and felt as though I was actually learning something. I hope it continues.

What a difference changing jobs can do!!! LOL

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What a difference changing jobs can do!!!

Congratulations on your success at your new job! That is so awesome that you so wisely assessed your situation at your first job and came to the conclusion there was something better just waiting for you out there. Good for you!!!

I'm wondering too if I've taken on a job that I'm going to be unhappy with. I couldn't go to sleep last night until after 3:00 am stressing out about it and had to be up and out this morning to yet another orientation class.

I'm working in oncology and am not sure if this will actually be a good fit for me. I'm working nights which I'm definitely NOT adjusting to very well. I'm going to give it another month and see how it goes -- I'm hoping it will be better once we're finished with all of these orientation day classes, which are mostly a review of what we already learned in nursing school.

One of the issues I'm having is that I feel like I'm "bothering" my preceptor because she is soooo busy when I'm there. She's very nice and a very good nurse but she has very little time for me. (I've only had a few nights on the floor.) One night I was on she was also the charge nurse -- I learned absolutely nothing that night and never had an opportunity to talk with her about my questions.

I'm hoping this will get better, but I guess what I'm looking for here in this forum is permission to leave if it doesn't work out without feeling guilty (we have to pay back $1000 to the hospital if we leave before 1 1/2 years -- I guess it would be worth it if I'm miserable!).

Any words of wisdom RN Lisa? Anyone?

Thanks!

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Congratulations on your success at your new job! That is so awesome that you so wisely assessed your situation at your first job and came to the conclusion there was something better just waiting for you out there. Good for you!!!

I'm wondering too if I've taken on a job that I'm going to be unhappy with. I couldn't go to sleep last night until after 3:00 am stressing out about it and had to be up and out this morning to yet another orientation class.

I'm working in oncology and am not sure if this will actually be a good fit for me. I'm working nights which I'm definitely NOT adjusting to very well. I'm going to give it another month and see how it goes -- I'm hoping it will be better once we're finished with all of these orientation day classes, which are mostly a review of what we already learned in nursing school.

One of the issues I'm having is that I feel like I'm "bothering" my preceptor because she is soooo busy when I'm there. She's very nice and a very good nurse but she has very little time for me. (I've only had a few nights on the floor.) One night I was on she was also the charge nurse -- I learned absolutely nothing that night and never had an opportunity to talk with her about my questions.

I'm hoping this will get better, but I guess what I'm looking for here in this forum is permission to leave if it doesn't work out without feeling guilty (we have to pay back $1000 to the hospital if we leave before 1 1/2 years -- I guess it would be worth it if I'm miserable!).

Any words of wisdom RN Lisa? Anyone?

Thanks!

All I can say is this: if you are unhappy, stressed out, and have that "feeling" that you are in a situation which may be unsafe to the patients and yourself, then you need to figure out if that is what you want. I felt like that too, like "am I a loser if I quit already?". BUT, the bottom line is: This is YOUR license now, not your instructor's as it were in school. It is YOUR reputation. AND it is your patients that will suffer if you feel you aren't giving them the care they need and deserve. You have to FEEL it. If you don't feel that it is a good situation and you aren't getting the orientation you need, then find something else. You will find something that fits. It may take time. IT WILL take time, but you will find that job that you feel good about going to every day. Do some soul searching. I did, and I am glad I did change. Keep your chin up! Anything else, let me know. You can always PM me.

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congrats! during my last clinicals, there was a new grad who didn't recieve a good orientation and was now on his own. i will be starting my first shift as a nurse next week and i know who my nurse will be and have already informed him that i will be asking questions. i feel like i know nothing about nursing when i get on the floor! school really is a totally different ball game and hospitals should take that into account before trying to make you take care of very sick patients when you are just starting out. Good Luck!

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