Too early to throw in the towel?

[huggietoes]

I am a GN and began working on an ICU unit 3 weeks ago and am ready to tear my hair out and then quit! Orientation is a joke, it consists of them throwing 2-3 patients at me and not giving me any direction at all. When I ask a question my preceptor just says "you're doing fine, you can figure it out" Mind you I have absolutely no medical experience except what I have received while in nursing school. I feel lost, frustrated and dread going to work each day. The nurses are at times somewhat rude, they intentionally leave me out of floor activities (idiotic minute things like CEUs that are coming up, ordering dinner, etc.), they speak appaullingly bad about one another behind each other's backs, they will assign me to do something and when I explain that I have never done/seen/learned anything like it before they tell me nows the time, do not give any instruction and then proceed to be hostile if I do not do it correctly. I could see if I was not trying, or if it was incredibly busy and they just did not have time to show/teach/demonstrate, but that is not the case. And I overheard one of the nurses bragging how they had run off 3 other nurses who "did not fit in" they told me that when orientation (as if I am receiving one) is over if I can not keep up they will just "ride me out" I would love to transfer to a med/surg floor, but I am afraid that it will make me look as though I give up too easily, or that I can not work and play well with others. It is to the point that I am ready to quit altogether and apply at another facility. I feel so mislead, the nurse manager promised I would receive a thorough orientation. What should I do?

[Flo1216]

The sad thing about the nurses who brag about " running other nurses" off the floor is that they are the same ones who ***** about being short staffed. They are a bunch of territorial, insecure nasty little(or big) *****es who have no business being nurses. They tried to do that to me when I started as a CNA(I am a senior in nursing school) and I didn't put up with it for a second. You shouldn't either. It's bulls#$!*

[DelGR]

YOU need to stand up to them and not let them give you more than you can safely handle. You are not doing the patients any favors by meekly accepting a horrible assignment. And if they dare say you are being uncooperative or refusing an assignment, you need to take them IMMEDIATELY to the DON or whomever is in charge. Do it for the safety of your patients. I found whenever I was expected to do more than was humanly possible and gave good reasons that it was at the best interest of the patients I not accept an assignment that would jeopardize care, the Charge Nurse stepped in and adjusted assignments. Yes, even during the orientation period. If you don't learn now, you'll be a doormat for anyone else coming along.