should i give up my nursing career?

[Ms.RN]

hello

i can really use an advice. i am a new graduate lpn and i'm so stressed out at work. no nurses wanted to orientate me so they keep pushing me to another nurse to another nurse and i ended up being orientating with one nurse who was willing to orientate me, but now she is getting impatient with my stupidicity. one day i heard her saying to another nurse that she has only few more days to orientate me. on top of being so overwhelmed with the work and not knowing what the hell i'm doing, i feel like such a burden. i just hate going to work knowing i'm nothing but a burden. on top of that i have no idea what the hell i'm doing. i feel so stupid for not knowing what i'm doing. i cant do anything independently, i keep clinging to my preceptor to tell me what to do, i can't make any decisions for myself on what to do with my patients. all i can do is just take orders from my preceptor and just do what she told me to do. sometimes my preceptor would tallk to other nurses about what i did wrong when i'm in front of her listening to her converstation so i can feel even more stupid. i cant blame anybody or my preceptor for my stress. i can understand why they are frustrated. whenver i dont know anything i cant say "uhh because i just graduated". i know they expect me to have a basic skills that i have to able to practice independently without asking for help all the time. during the whole shift, i keep asking myself "why am i doing this?". and i tell myself that i've chosen a wrong career and i should give up nursing. i just cant take this any more. i think i'm not meant to become a nurse and i know i can never provide a safe care to my patients. i just know i cant handle this job and i know i cant never handle the responsiblity of my patients. there is nobody at my work who i can openly talk to someone about this because i know i'm not wanted there and i dont want to talk to my supervisor about this because i feel like i'm whinning and i feel like i want people to pity me and i dont want any pity from anybody. should i quit the nursing career? i dont know how to decide whether i should try a little more or i should say enough is enough and i should let it go. please help!!!

[mattsmom81]

I can read the frustration in your posts. Without knowing you or the job situation firsthand it is hard to speculate for sure what the problem is. Things you should ask yourself here: Did you feel this way in school? How did your clinicals go? Did you enjoy your work then?

It's possible you have landed in an extremely toxic workplace with unhappy peope who are enjoying your discomfort as a new grad. My advice is sit down with someone you trust, get some honest feedback from them, then think out the situation so you know how to proceed.

Life is too short to remain in a situation that makes you feel so badly, so I hope you find a resolution soon and start feeling better about things. Whether you want to be a nurse or not is a very personal decision only you can make.

[weesyanne]

I'm sorry you are having a hard time adjusting at your new job. The preceptors sound creepy and mean-spirited to me. I think everyone here in the forum is right in that this may be a toxic workplace for you. There is no shame in finding another job where you are helped along more by preceptors than you have been in this one. Most places have a 90 day probationary period for either you or your employer to decide if the job is working out satisfactorily. I would look for another job and then leave. There are way too many opportunities out there for you to suffer in silence and many employers that will appreciate your contributions to the workplace.

[RN_bless]

I can feel that you are very sad and losing hope.. Maybe your preceptor has a bad experienced too regarding her past experienced about her preceptor..

Don't give up! Never ever ever ever give up! Be strong! God puts you there for a reason. :heartbeatGod will never allow you to finish your studies as a nurse if you are not meant for this. Someday you will be a good nurse and you will help many nurses to be strong :)

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

First : QUIT calling yourself stupid :):):):):):):)

(or using 'stupidicity -- that didn't help- LOL...- but everybody makes typos- so don't sweat it )

You are NOT stupid...You got through school...not everybody does.

You're a new grad- if you weren't overwhelmed, it'd be pretty scary :)

Everybody learns at a different pace, and some people do better with written info, some need visual, and some need demonstration; others need all three...

Hang in there :)

[RansomS]

NO, NO, NO, PLEASE do not quit. First and foremost while reading your post it instantly brought memories from my current job. Right now I work as a Nationally Certified Medical Assistant (NCMA) (6yrs) however, I am also an ADN student. On the job we are constantly given MA Students (MAS) whom I feel are mistreated. We have so many people there that are comfortable in their positions (LPN/NCMA/RMA) and get humor out of humiliating new comers. Personally I am constantly saying to everyone, "Remember you were new once". I try to take them all under my wing (unfortunately I can only have so many) and I open the door for questions and/or any insecurities, I reintroduce them to how everything works, I know while in school they were exposed to the majority of all nursing components however ever facillity may differ in how they go about doing the same thing. Basically I reiterate to them "this is how it is done here". I always try to make the new person comfortable, wereas others (I have witnessed) brush them off or send them to do things that may keep them busy and out of their way such as cleaning rooms. Often when the new employee's or students begin whether they are LPNs or MAS they gravitate towards me. For a while it caused hostillity between the nurses and myself because supposedly "I hog all the newbies) Anyhow I want you to know that the feeling you have is understandable however, don't let the nurses get the best of you/run you off. Once I began ADN school I was told they treat new nurses like crap, either way I am still determined. Although I have experience as a medical assistant and I have worked in many medical settings, I will still be considered a NEW nurse and I must get acclamated to the way things are run. I know once I begin my clinicals or first job there will be those types of people there, But I plan on rolling with the punches and sticking it out. Once YOU become acclamated in what you do (trust me you will) just make sure you don't let the cycle repeat itself. I wish you the best and I will root for you and hope to hear from you soon! :)