I am a new grad RN, graduated in Oct 2004 been working since Novemeber. I am struggling to say the least! It is not the work that is necessarily too hard (although I am just barely keeping up) but I am finding that the staff is what is getting to me.
Some of the other RNs are very snotty and do not help me at all. I may ask a question and they say they are too busy to answer it. Or if they do answer it, they will look at me like I am incompetent and should know this already. Truth of the matter is, I am a very good nurse but am still being treated like an incompetent fool. At times, even the nursing attendents are refusing to help me turn or wash pts (I work neurosurg). I am left to turn total care pts on my own! Then one shift I already had the full pt load and the charge RN insisted that we were short staffed and that I had to take another pt. I told her that I could not do that _ I did not feel comfortable but was told that I had no choice. So I received this fresh post-op cervical discectomy on PCA morphine. NVS q 15 minutes X 12 hours. Needless to say betwen all the pts and meds and assessments and charting and turning I was running around like a madman. NO help at all. And I missed filling out one section on a sheet (for charting) and was almost written up. I was almost in tears.
I am not sure what to do. I am completely unhappy and dread going to work. This is not what I pictured my career being. I am not sure if this is a normal phenomenon and I should just stick it out or should I look to work somewhere else with more supportive staff?? Any advice would be appreciated for this overwhelmed new grad!