New nurse miserable at new job

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hi, there. This is a common story, I guess, but here goes.

I got a job at a nursing home and have only been there a few days. I had a few days of orientation, then one day when I was on my own and it was awful. They have been super nice and given me more help to orient me because I just felt I was drowning. How nice they have been to me makes me feel even more guilty because I just hate it. I haven't learned all the residents yet, I keep being switched back and forth between two different halls, and each 2-hall assignment includes approximately 20 patients. I just graduated last month!

There are so many things to do, so many things to keep track of. I can't seem to get the hang of when to call the doc, when to do this, when to do that.

I desperately need a job and don't have much in the way of other prospects right now, but all I want to do is quit so I can end this pervasive depression, anxiety, and fear. If I did quit, do you think my name would be mud in the whole town? Or what do you think I should do? So afraid I will make a huge boo-boo and hurt someone and also lose my license, which would end all possibility of a nursing job for me anyway. Freaked out.

Specializes in Ortho, OB/GYN, long-term care.

First of all BREATHE! It is ok to be freaked out especially at your first job. Now, understand this, at any job where you are the "new kid" you will have assignments that will be floating in nature. The nurses with seniority will get the consistent assignments. Second, it is ok to ask for more orientation. You worked too hard to get a license to risk loosing it because of being afraid to ask for help. We all started just where you are and it will get better. When I am training a new nurse or aide or whoever I always ask that they get a notebook and keep it with them every day.

The first thing you need to write is the duties that are the same every day, narcotic count, bed check, med pass, charting, and make you a schedule from the time your shift starts till it ends as to what you need to accomplish and when you need it to be accomplished Then as you go add to it. When something comes up new write it down. With the load of patients you have on your assignments you can not be expected to know and remember everything. Also, most nursing homes have a policy of keeping a picture of the resident in the chart and with the MAR. If yours does not maybe suggest this to your DON. And use your aides. Most in long term care have been there for a while and can and will point out to you who they are.

Hope this helps, and if you still do not like the job it is ok. Not everyone is cut out for the same fields. Just make sure not to "burn bridges". Leave with plenty of notice and a clear explination of why you are chosing to leave.

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

too much too soon in my opinion. Do the best you can. You will not feel comfortable for many months. Ask lots of questions. Nursing is very hard

Specializes in geriatrics.

I've worked LTC for 6 months. It takes about 3 months to really get a groove going and know your residents. Just hang in there :) You cannot be proficient in 2 weeks. Like everything else, give it time.

Don't quit or you will just repeat this process at the next place, if and when there is a next place. It takes a good year for most to get used to their first LTC job. Give yourself that time. Nobody gets it after three or four days. You have to be realistic about this. Good luck.

Specializes in pediatrics, public health.

Hang in there, and be grateful that your co-workers are "super nice", and willing to jump in and help a new nurse who's drowning. This is not the case at all facilities! I was also very lucky to work with "super nice" nurses who were willing to help out a newbie when I had my first nursing job, but it was still an incredibly difficult adjustment and there were definitely times, especially in those first few weeks, when I felt like I wanted to quit, but I hung in there, and it did get better.

I did end up deciding that hospital nursing wasn't for me and eventually did switch to another type of nursing, but I'm really glad I hung in there and didn't quit in those first few weeks -- I'm pretty sure my nursing career would've been toast if I had done so. I certainly wouldn't have the job I have today. Give it at least a few months and, if you're still not liking it, start looking around for another job but don't quit this one until you can line something else up.

Good luck!

the same thing happen to me when i started working in the medical surgical floor, the first days i did not even have a chance to eat. i used to think to myself how can someone do so many things at once, we are only one person. nursing is a tough job but all it takes is to get used to a setting know their policies and develop good organizational skills and learn to multitask. after a few months on my new medical surgical job i felt comfortable and got the hang of it. hang in there it will get better, but always remember to double check things if you do not feel comfortable and ask for help.

When I first started nursing I too worked in a nursing home. I passed meds to 40 residents twice in a shift and charted on them all while supervising all the CNAs. There was one nurse on the floor for 40 residents and only the "swing bed" (now the skilled beds) had 2 nurses on the day shift. When I was House Supervisor, I took care of the 20 skilled residents, supervised a Medical Tech giving meds to the other 20 residents and did her injections, plus supervised the 2 nurses on the other floors (they had 40 residents each). PLUS, this was the 3-11 shift and I supervised dietary and the laundry person. Nursing is a hard career and not for the weak. I talk to many nurses who used to worked under conditions similar to this and we all wonder why new nurses are always complaining that they do not have the time. Yes it is hard to get to know all the residents but if you get yourself organized it is possible. :nurse:

Kringe - I find it very discouraging that your experience is common place. I knew nursing would not be an easy profession, but I thought it would at least be something I enjoyed 60% of the time and did not kill my spirit or physical well being in the process.

Try to hang in there- it WILL get better!! It may not be the best thing ever, but I promise, it WILL get better and easier. I'm a new nurse too and drove home many times in tears and was completely stressed. It is natural to be stressed and overwhelmed right now- changing professions is NOT easy! But, you made it through school and that within itself is quite a feat. So, now onto the real world. Try to get as organized as you can- this will also take some time and finding out what works for you and what doesn't. Ask others of any organizing tips they use. maybe using a highlighter or different colored inks for certain things. and write everything down and keep that as your 'brains'. Remember your hierarchy of ABCs. Worry bout your patient's safety first, then meds, then treatments last. And if you a drowning, don't be afraid to ask for help- it sounds like you work with some nice nurses that are more than willing to help if needed. This may not be the field for you, but no matter where you go right now, it will be hard at first. Keep your head up and keep plowing through- it will get better and know people support you and want you to succeed ;)

O how I remember feeling just like you do now!! I left my first job for months just about in tears! I use to think "if this is what nursing is all about, I don't want ANY part of it". Hang in there, because it does get better and be grateful that you have NICE people to work with cause that is not always the case as a new nurse. Wishing you the best!!

Um, I feel like this was me who just posted this. I posted my whole story about this here: https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/inefficient-training-first-574791.html

The short update is here: https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/update-inefficient-training-576005.html

Anyways, I ended up quitting after I gave it a shot for a week and a half. I felt EXACTLY like you felt. I was in a nursing home, too. And I didn't want to end up killing someone accidentally because I was so incredibly overwhelmed and confused. And I didn't want to lose my license so quickly. I had this job less than a month after I graduated. It's dangerous to be working with 20 patients... ESPECIALLY when you don't feel ready. This seems like a common problem in nursing homes... and it's not right how people treat new grads or ANY new person working. Nursing homes need more staff to ease the burden. All they can think about is money. And people wonder why there is negligence and abuse in nursing homes.

So I say follow your gut feeling like I did. If you don't like it, if you don't feel ready, quit. You gave it your best shot. That's all you can do. You know what... 2 days after I quit, I got a call for an interview at a hospital. Amazing. When one door closes, another opens.

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