Frustrated - looking for advice

[NurseMom2014]

Hi, I'm new to this community. I apologize if this is long winded. I'm an almost 40 year old new grad nurse. I've been working for nearly a year now in a busy L&D and mother/baby unit. I've had ups and downs in this unit and I'm frustrated and depressed at this point.

When I was hired, the offer was actually for the mother/baby unit. On my first day of orientation I was informed that I would actually be cross trained with L&D and utilized as a float between the 2 units. I didn't realize at the time due to my inexperience that a new graduate nurse being utilized as a float is not a good idea. There were supposed to be 5 other new grads utilized in the same way but due to varying circumstances I was the only one being utilized as a float. I came to realize that my peers were progressing much more quickly than I was. I still tried to view it as a good thing that I was being cross trained but I began to feel inadequate on both units.

Due to some management issues we've had a mass exodus of staff from nurses to physicians and morale is low. As this has caused us to become painfully short staffed, the executive decision was made to move me to L&D only. It's been a couple months now and I've finally started feeling like a somewhat adequate nurse. I still come home and fret over whether I remembered to chart or do this or that and I make minor mistakes as we all do and I still ask a ridiculous amount of questions but I finally feel like I'm getting it...or at least I did.

I was called into the manager's office who has determined from feedback that I am not where I should be by 1 year. I was given a list of issues most of which I disagree with and a month in which to please them otherwise I will be either moved somewhere else or terminated. I feel completely discouraged/humiliated. I can't even remember at this point why I wanted to become a nurse in the first place.

I have a family to support so in addition to working my butt off to try to please those with seniority over me, I've also started looking for a new job to be proactive and I have an interview set up already. In fact one of the physicians I work with delivers at this hospital and had already given me an excellent review before they even called me.

Here is my question to you. As I am a new grad....I am in a contract. However, I don't remember actually signing said contract. If I am offered the position at the other hospital, I will contact HR to find out if an actual contract was signed. My question though is contract or not, what would you do. Would you break the contract and take a new position at another hospital to save your sanity/license/dignity or would you stick it out with the possibility of termination or a move to a much less desirable unit hanging over your head? I'm far more loyal than I should be so I feel guilty considering this but I have to do what I best for myself and my family right?

[RN403, BSN, RN]

I would talk to HR now about if you are in a contract. Find out the terms of breaking your contract to ensure you wouldn't be digging yourself into a deeper hole. This should be included in the contract if you indeed signed one.

It is good that you are looking for other positions, however, I would also look for jobs in your current facikity if possible if you are indeed in a contract.

Best wishes.

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

If at any moment of your career you feel that you job depends on not doing your responsibilities good enough but on actually pleasing someone, then it is precisely the good time to get the heck out of there.