I accepted the fact nursing isn't for me, what do I do?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I'm just an LPN but I'm starting my RN programs this fall. I've been a nurse a few months and I suck at everything. I have tremendous anxiety working as a nurse. Its starting to affect my home life. Here's some of the things I'm having issues with.

* When to call the Dr and when not to call the Dr

*What do I need an Dr's order for

* Nursing interventions

*Being confident

*Paperwork

I feel extremely not cut out for a nurse, I don't have those critical thinking skills.

I feel the other nurses make fun of me and I hate relying on them for help.

One told me, she's not babying me and I need to bring cheat sheets with me.

I'm scared of making error.

I had an resident fall over the weekend and had an skin tear on his arm.

Well silly me, I put an ABD pad, kling and tape.

The oncoming nurse ate me up about it. I had to stay over an hour doing paperwork and redo his dressing at 12 am.

I'm now dreading starting RN school this fall.

I'm thinking of withdrawing myself, I love helping people but hate feeling so knowledgeable.

"What were you feeling before the patient fell", the psych nurse in me asks? Maybe that incident is the straw that broke the camel's back and now you are unloading all this pent up fear? Take a long weekend if possible and think about your options. And you are never "just an LPN"!!!

I think your work environment has everything to do with your feelings. Nursing is one of the only careers where you expected to just know everything your first day BUT those critical thinking skills, organization, communication skills and confidence don't just happen they take time to form and develop. There is not one nurse that knows everything, the beauty is you're constantly learning and you'll reach points where you gain little bits of confidence after doing something well. I'm a new grad and having been going through the same thing.

Specializes in ER.

I also think you shouldn't write yourself off because of your coworkers making fun of you. They are jerks. If you had just a bit more experience you'd know they are nitpicking, and trying to make you feel inferior. Unfortunately I don't have a solution. If you can find one supportive person, your stress will be halved.

I think feeling this way is more common than you think. Especially if you don't have a supportive working environment. During my first few months as an RN my supervisor told me they didn't think I was cut out for the job and put me on an additional 3 months probation period. I was mortified! I questioned my decision in becoming a nurse and thought about quitting. I had major anxiety about communicating with the doctors, asking for help, and overall confidence.

Let me tell you that ALL of that improves with experience and we have ALL been there. I hope your're able to find a place with more supportive staff/coworkers. Nursing is an ever changing and learning career. I've been an RN for 5+ years and ask questions all the time. Team work makes the dream work right? :)

Good luck to you and stick with it!

First, I want to reiterate what some others have said..you are not "just an LPN" - you are part of the nursing spectrum and some of THE most qualified, gifted and jam up nurses I have ever worked with where LPN's.

Secondly, nursing school is not reality. Not by a long shot. It's a very controlled, patterned out education and foundation for nursing in general. Many times nurses graduate without having done an IV insertion or a cath insertion or wound care. It's not unusual and you are still very new. Nursing homes, even the good ones, are extremely difficult work as the patient to nurse ratio is so high and the acuity level is as well. It's physically and emotionally intense in it's own way.

Lastly, do not EVER let another nurse, family member, patient, doctor, tech, etc make you question what you know in your heart you want to do - which is - it sounds like - be a nurse/in health care. There will ALWAYS be one person where you work that is unfriendly, lazy, complains, negative, whatever..often times the behavior has nothing to do w/you but I know it may feel like it does. If the nurse you are working with isn't willing to answer your questions, ask your supervisor or another nurse. Believe it or not, these negative experiences are also building your confidence and knowledge base. You will get a thicker skin as time goes on.

Hopefully you will take some time and rethink about not moving forward w/school. Nursing, while not perfect, offers a lot of variety and opportunities and moving to the next step (RN) will expand your abilities and critical thinking skills which will give you more confidence as well. Good luck.

Are you currently working long term care? I ask because I have seen several new nurses get chewed up and spat out in a nursing home. My first job was in LTC and it was so hard even though I had a great mentor. I stuck with it and it all worked out in the end but I wouldn't advise others to start there. I wouldn't do it the same way if I could go back. I love LTC but 30 to 40 residents is too much for even a seasoned nurse. Add skilled charting, wound care, med administration, supervising staff, and unsupportive administration to that load and you have a perfect storm for burnout or even a trip to the board of nursing.

I agree with all of the others that said "it's pretty normal to feel this way". Nobody leaves LPN school ready to confidently handle every situation. Don't let these feelings keep you from RN school. There is a reason you wanted in to the field, just focus on that. Remember that there are MANY fields of nursing, maybe where ever you are working now isn't where you are going to flourish best (and that's okay!).

+ Add a Comment