How do you tell when being an RN is not for your?

Nurses General Nursing

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I have been an RN for 2 years. Recently diagnosed with depression. I'm trying to figure out if part of the reason I became so depressed is b/c I just don't feel competent as a nurse. Even in nursing school I felt like nursing might not be for me, but was in an accelerated BSN program and chalked it up to stress.

I don't like the stress/responsibility of being an RN. I feel anxious whenever the poop hits the fan. I imagine good RNs thrive on that adrenaline, whereas w/me it just makes me forget everything I know and need to do. I am not a very detailed person. I realize this about myself. I try and be detailed, but usually don't catch all the things in documentation. (I originally saw the psychiatrist to find out if I had Adult ADD as it's difficult for me to stay focused at work and I felt like I was making dumb mistakes, but she dx'ed me w/ Severe depression instead). I'm basically trying to find out how can you tell when you're a square peg that just doesn't fit into that round hole? And if bedside nursing isn't for me due to the stress what are some other ways to use my RN license (have BA in Psych also)? I know I don't want to go into Informatics as I don't consider myself a computer geek. Thought of home health, but have never worked med/surg so feel like I might not be confident/competent enough to do things out in the field on my own w/all cases.

Thanks for any helpful thoughts you can provide.

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Specializes in Ortho and Tele med/surg.

Well, you said you have 2 years of experience right? Then go find your niche as they always say. Maybe this area of nursing is just not really for you. Try something else. There are so many things you can do. To be honest with you, the stressful hospital setting is not for everyone. I can tell you that I know nurses who have been working in the same area for 20+ years and they still get stressed out too. Life is WAY too short to be feeling depressed. Get the help you need and get out! Trust me, don't put your health in danger. I know that I won't stay on the floor for ever. Plus, there are other areas that are not as stressful. Just my 2 cents.

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Specializes in Med.Surg/ Psychiatry.

There are several areas of nursing you could explore. Office management nursing jobs are not as stressful. I used to do patient care/ acute care and i was so overwhelmed i nearly gave up on nursing. Please take care of yourself first before anything. Job will always come and go but good health matters. Browse around and find where you are more comfortable with. All the best!

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Reading this post was like you were reading my mind. All through nursing school I felt the same way. Unfortunately I failed out of nursing school 3rd semester. I hated every minute of nursing school and in a way I guess I wanted to fail. Between the catty students and teachers that just didn't care I gave up. If I could do it over again I wish I would have put in more effort but I was depressed and had no interest. Right now I'm trying to find my way. Should I try nursing again or something new? I've applied to a few ABSN programs hoping to get in but I don't know if I should do this again. I commend you for finishing nursing school and working all through your depression. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. Whatever you decide to do I wish you the best.

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what kind of nursing are you doing? i have only been a nurse for 8 months and i work in home health and ltc. i am not a detailed person at all and i am struggling with that mostly in home health. home health, especially on the medicare end, has so much documentation that has to be perfect. also, we are not computerized so everything is handwritten.

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Specializes in Skilled Nursing/Rehab.

i am not a nurse, but i have been doing a lot of research on nursing... perhaps being a school nurse, or working for an insurance company as a case manager would be more up your alley. here is some copy from a want ad in my town from cottingham & butler:

"our nurse case managers are responsible for handling case management activities through direct telephonic contact with patients & families, healthcare providers, and payors. no nights, weekends, holidays, or travel! competitive compensation and benefits offered.

qualified candidates will have an rn and 3+ years of case management experience. strong preference will be given to certifications such as case manager, chronic care professional, or health coach."

i hope you have some people supporting you as you deal with your depression. take care of yourself, and it does get better. keep us posted on what you decide!

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Specializes in School Nurse.

I will second school nursing :) although having a couple more years under your belt would make it easier. I became a school nurse after working in home health, pysch, geriatrics, med/surg etc for 15 years. I still learn something new every day, so don't let that stop you!

I also have done home health - didn't have alot of medical experience at the time and they do take new grads. I had a ventilator case as my first HH case and learned so much.

But as others have said, take care of your health first. Its hard to concentrate when you are depressed. Been there, done that D/T a stressful work load and crappy marriage. Got some anti-depressants and a divorce and am much happier.

Being that you have your BSN will open doors for you - look around on these boards and see what others are doing.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.
i am not a nurse, but i have been doing a lot of research on nursing... perhaps being a school nurse, or working for an insurance company as a case manager would be more up your alley. here is some copy from a want ad in my town from cottingham & butler:

"our nurse case managers are responsible for handling case management activities through direct telephonic contact with patients & families, healthcare providers, and payors. no nights, weekends, holidays, or travel! competitive compensation and benefits offered.

qualified candidates will have an rn and 3+ years of case management experience. strong preference will be given to certifications such as case manager, chronic care professional, or health coach."

i hope you have some people supporting you as you deal with your depression. take care of yourself, and it does get better. keep us posted on what you decide!

you must be very detail oriented to work for an insurance co. you have to review every last entry and check and double check things. i would not suggest this line of work for someone who is not detail oriented.

op, i am sorry to hear that you are dealing with such an uncomfortable crossroads in your life right now. everyone hates that feeling of being out of place, and it only adds to our stress. if we internalize that stress, it turns into depression, as i am sure you know.

see what you can find out about working for a psychiatrist/psychologist since you already have the education in that area. i think that you will find your niche there.

whatever you decide, i am hoping that you will take care of yourself. keep up with the counseling. it can only help.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

My situation is very similar to yours...I, too, have a BA in Psych and also have my BSN. I've only been a nurse for a year but have begun to loathe floor nursing. I knew in nursing school that floor nursing would not be a good fit for me but I pursued it because I wanted hospital experience and the skills that come with it before moving on to Public Health Nursing.

At this point, I can't stomach another day on my floor but I'm fortunate to work for a good Hospital that will pay for my graduate degree 100% (minus books). I'm looking to obtain a Dual Master's Degree in Nursing and Public Health. My dream job would be a Director of a program at the CDC or even the World Health Organization. For now, my goal is to transfer to a less demanding/less specialized floor, or at least a floor that I can tolerate while I study for the GRE and go back to school.

So, i'm not sure what your interests are but Public Health Nursing offers so many opportunities. TeleNursing is also a popular field within Nursing. My aunt actually does this from home part-time.

Don't give up hope. There are so many options out there within Nursing...I know both you and I will find our niche!

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care, Case Manager.
Reading this post was like you were reading my mind. All through nursing school I felt the same way. Unfortunately I failed out of nursing school 3rd semester. I hated every minute of nursing school and in a way I guess I wanted to fail. Between the catty students and teachers that just didn't care I gave up. If I could do it over again I wish I would have put in more effort but I was depressed and had no interest. Right now I'm trying to find my way. Should I try nursing again or something new? I've applied to a few ABSN programs hoping to get in but I don't know if I should do this again. I commend you for finishing nursing school and working all through your depression. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. Whatever you decide to do I wish you the best.

Missy, have you tried to repeat your 3rd semester at another nursing program? I heard that sometimes you can do that. How long has it been since you've been out of nursing school? Whether you want to try nursing again or something new it all depends on you. When I first went to nursing school, I hate it and decided not to continue after the first semester. I still had my name on the waiting list for my first choice and when they called me after a year, decided to give it a try again. It was not easy. I also failed the 4th semester just by 1/2 point. I didn't have the same motivation that I had in my previous semesters and was feeling a little anxious and depressed. Again, I made the decision to repeat the course and finish the program. It's a matter of not giving up and what you want out of life. Take care of your depressio and don't lose vision of why you went into nursing in the first place.

Black Jade

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care, Case Manager.
I have been an RN for 2 years. Recently diagnosed with depression. I'm trying to figure out if part of the reason I became so depressed is b/c I just don't feel competent as a nurse. Even in nursing school I felt like nursing might not be for me, but was in an accelerated BSN program and chalked it up to stress.

I don't like the stress/responsibility of being an RN. I feel anxious whenever the poop hits the fan. I imagine good RNs thrive on that adrenaline, whereas w/me it just makes me forget everything I know and need to do. I am not a very detailed person. I realize this about myself. I try and be detailed, but usually don't catch all the things in documentation. (I originally saw the psychiatrist to find out if I had Adult ADD as it's difficult for me to stay focused at work and I felt like I was making dumb mistakes, but she dx'ed me w/ Severe depression instead). I'm basically trying to find out how can you tell when you're a square peg that just doesn't fit into that round hole? And if bedside nursing isn't for me due to the stress what are some other ways to use my RN license (have BA in Psych also)? I know I don't want to go into Informatics as I don't consider myself a computer geek. Thought of home health, but have never worked med/surg so feel like I might not be confident/competent enough to do things out in the field on my own w/all cases.

Thanks for any helpful thoughts you can provide.

Have you ever asked yourself why you went into nursing in the first place? I always knew that nursing was stressful and did not like the responsibility, but when I think about being able to help people all those things didn't matter. Everybody feels incompetent at some point or another. You just have to say "I can do this" and don't let the negative thoughts cloud your field of vision. Nursing is not for everybody and like somebody said "life is too short". I had attended a worskshop a long time ago, when I thought I wanted to be a social worker. The speaker was a social worker with 20 years of experience. He seemed so bitter about life, saying that level of stress is high, but pay is low. I asked him why he didn't changed careers. According to him, it was already too late for him to do that. Then I asked him how he dealt with stress, he made a hand signal of "drinking". Please don't end up like him and make sure you take care of your depression first and foremost.

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Specializes in Home health was tops, 2nd was L&D.
i am not a nurse, but i have been doing a lot of research on nursing... perhaps being a school nurse, or working for an insurance company as a case manager would be more up your alley. here is some copy from a want ad in my town from cottingham & butler:

"our nurse case managers are responsible for handling case management activities through direct telephonic contact with patients & families, healthcare providers, and payors. no nights, weekends, holidays, or travel! competitive compensation and benefits offered.

qualified candidates will have an rn and 3+ years of case management experience. strong preference will be given to certifications such as case manager, chronic care professional, or health coach."

i hope you have some people supporting you as you deal with your depression. take care of yourself, and it does get better. keep us posted on what you decide!

the copy ad you wrote specifically states qualified candidates will have a rn and 3+ years of case management experience...the op does not have that...it is very difficult to break into case management and those in it seem to dislike it...

you have the right idea she needs something where she would feel confident and comfortable.. home health is not a good choice as it is so much documentation (in medicare agencies) and so very detailed.. and many people get uncomfortable being alone with no back up.

only the op knows what she would feel comfortable with. and i wonder if her doctor feels nursing is the best idea with severe depression at this exact time?

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