For new nurses who hate their first job there is hope!

I am 7 months into nursing. To start off I hated my first nursing job. I had anxiety almost everyday going in. I dreaded going to work. I felt i couldn't quit because I wouldn't find another job or would let them down. It was a horrible med surg unit with 6pts no free charge and hardy any help ever. The 6pts were every needy, and sometimes almost all of them were total cares. Morning meetings were moring beatings about threatening to write everyone up if they dont do this or that. No support for nurses what so ever. I only had 6 wks of training on the floor. They were so busy the training wasn't good, they didnt have time to explain or show me details. My preceptor I did like her though. Well at around 5-6 months of experience i decided to start just looking for a new job to see if I got any call backs. And I did at another hospital and I love it there been here for a month. They actually care about there nurses. You call for help 3 nurses show up. Its a tele PCU unit so the ratio is 4-5. It is so much more organized the way things run. People are happy and like their job. They give out rewards for good job! Just letting nurses know that all I needed was 6months experience and they hired me. So just stick out the first 6months your first crappy job and don't be afraid to leave. I was a little scared. Just do your pros and cons, and ask a ton of questions. I am so happy I left and dont regret it all.

Thanks so much for this post, I am not in this situation but if I ever do feel this way glad to know we are never really stuck. Glad you're in a positive environment now. When the new job asked why are you leaving your old job what did you say? Or they didn't ask?

All I said was looking for a better opportunity. Although he did used to work for the same hospital system that I was at and knew how bad that hospital system was getting after being bought out by tenet. So he didn't hound me with questions on it. Guess i was lucky Lol but in texas they need nurses bad too.

I just left a SNF job with no notice because I felt like every shift put my license at risk (not to mention my mental health). I've been in healthcare a long time. I've had stressful situations. I have never seen acuity go up and staffing go down as rapidly as I did there. The staff who has been there longer all said this was the worst they'd seen. Everyone was awesome, but we were all so stressed and hurried that A LOT got missed, meds were 8 hours late, pts were understandably angry about it, and we all left 4+ hours late EVERY shift, but got in trouble for OT. Lots of pts who really needed 1:1 care. Just all around BAD. I have NEVER left a job with no notice, but I have worked WAY too hard to risk my license over a job that I hate in an area of nursing that completely goes against everything I entered nursing for.

Thankfully, I have two light PRN jobs and I can work for my mom part time, so I can still pay my bills without this gig. I also have some good leads for hospital jobs in areas I love, so we'll see. I had very mixed feelings about abandoning them when I know this will add hardship (especially while they are under survey this week), but my license and sanity are worth more to me, and I have to look out for myself. I know something better is in my future, just as it was for you. I'm glad you found something you love! :)