Good Bye to Nursing for me...

Nurses General Nursing

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Well, the start of a new year and I'm kissing nursing

good bye after only 5 short months. I graduated in may and started at a hospital in august. My very first preceptor was a nightmare, on my 3rd day on the floor she said I was too slow and put me down in front of other

nurses or whoever was in distance of hearing her. At one

point she even said, "well, I have her she know's nothing I have to show her everything." So being enthusiastic I decided NOT to let it get to me and proceeded to take her C*ap for another couple of weeks. At which time I was moved to a different floor with a preceptor who was great and I learned alot from. PRoblem was at this hospital IF

I wanted to stay I'd have to take a evening position. SO I left a found a hosptial closer to home on days. Well, once again I have the preceptor from hell not only that but the managers In my opinion are nitpickers. ON my first day on the floor they wrote up a nurse who was in charge of making sure all the phones were back at the end of the day, for not having a phone returned. (someone took one home accidentally).. I found this ridiculous, it's a busy med/surg floor with an 8:1 patient ratio and they are worried about PHONES???? I could go on and on about the other horrors but it would be to long.

Long story short I've decide to quit. Luckily I don't NEED the job to support myself or I wouldn't be able to leave. my hubby makes a decent salary. I do feel bad placing all the financial burden on him but I'm planning on just picking up a admin position somewhere. I don't care if I'm making half the money I jsut want to be happy. I'm so SICK of being stressed going into work, stressed coming home, worrying about this, being stressed on the floor. To me its just not worth it. My hubby is worried that I'll change my mind and want to come back to nursing but won't be able to after leaving 2 prior positions. bUt seriously I can't imagine feeling this way.

I also just found out I'm expecting my first child and I really can't imagine the stress level as well as not eating/drinking/peeing an entire shift is good. So I'm gone. I give up, I give in, I just feel like I can't do it. I'm thinking I'm just not meant to be in nursing, or i woudn't have just kept inheriting bad circumstances and preceptors from hell.

Well, I'd love to hear if anyone else has left nursing? come back and any other thoughts you all might have.

Hope this is a good new year for all.

Specializes in Cardiac.

Healer---sigh.....I have followed your posts this whole time. I know EXACTLY how you've felt, and so I'm not suprised by this post. Nursing is sooooo hard, and to be put down in front of others is just terrible. My preceptor did that to, she said , "what is is that she doesn't understand??" in front of everyone-including my mananger.....

I was lucky that things did get better. But I SOOOOoooo understand your stress, and anxiety about going to work everyday. I cried sometimes at the thought of going when it was at its worst for me.

I think a vacation is in order for you-seriously! I would recommend a few mai tais, but I see you're expecting!!!! Congrats:balloons: .

Some time off will help you realize that it's not you-it's the other mean people that have caused this stress in your life. You can get back to living without feeling so bad about yourself and your career choice.

Then, find a good place to work, and give it a shot again.

Keep us posted!

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Don't forget that if you're in early pregnancy, your hormones are haywire and exacerbate any pre-existing anxiety 10-fold. Thank goodness you have a hubby with a good job! Just take a breather like people have said. Eat well, get plenty of rest, and enjoy the anticipation of your little one! You'll be fine.

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I worked in as a float nurse in a multi specialty clinic for ten years. they do so much and you learn so much. Dr's offices provide you with on the job training and you will learn EKG's, Out Patient surgical procedures, Phlebotomy, Ear lavage, Allergy testing, Skin Testing, and so much more, the possiblilities are endless. There are so many specialties that I can't even begin to tell you everything. I loved the hands on assisting I did in Plastic Surgery the best. Plus you will have weekends and holidays off!

so stay positive and remember there are many roles in nursing.

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Specializes in med/surg.

Like the others have said - don't give up on nursing. I'm sure you will find something that suits your own personal needs.

The list does seem to be endless. However, with your pregnancy in mind I think you made a brave, but correct, decision not to stay in the stressful environment that you were in.

Good luck to you & your family & I pray that something better will come up for you in the future.

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Specializes in Freelance Writer, 'the nurse who knows content'.

Congratulations on the baby! I believe you're making a wise choice to make family your focus at this point.

But let me get this straight: you're quitting after only 5 MONTHS? Surely you don't believe that your two (bad) experiences in such a short time represent the entire breadth of the nursing life.

Maybe I am way off base here, but I am guessing you are young, with relatively little job experience. Let me share something with you: politics exists everywhere. I've been in the workforce since I was 15 years old -- that's 30 years. During those three decades, I have worked in retail, hospitality and administration (office work) in for-profit and non-profit settings. One thing I can say with absolute certainty: all of these places had lousy managers who were nitpicking backstabbers. They also all had great managers who really knew how to effectively motivate people, create real esprit de corps and were a joy to work with.

The situation you describe in your two awful nursing experiences (and make no mistake, your experiences thus far have been truly awful!) are not representative of the entire nursing field. Two jobs and five months of experiences are not enough to make a truly informed decision to dismiss the entire profession as "not for me."

As others have said, please keep up your nursing license. The field needs great, caring nurses like yourself. Just because you haven't yet found your nursing niche doesn't mean there's not a place for you. But also, don't expect to find The Perfect Position. It probably doesn't exist. No matter where you finally land, you'll have to learn to deal with unpleasant, incompetent people who happen to be your "superiors." That fact will be true whether you stay in nursing or not. Trust me on this.

Good luck with the baby and your career!

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Specializes in Critical Care.

You may at one point in you life have to ask yourself if the problem really was you, you may not understand the reasoning yet since you are so new. I am not saying that insulting anyone in front of others is acceptable but if you are failing in orientation from 2 different hospitals I wonder if the problem is in you skill, attitude, or ability to really learn the profession. If you truly do not like nursing and do not want to put the effort into the profession then perhaps you made the right decision to leave. Nursing is not for everyone. Good luck to you.

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stevielynn,

do you have to be experienced to work at a free standing surgery center?

No, not necessarily although being good at starting IV's is a must. Actually, you WILL get good at it since the pre-op nurse can start 25 - 30 IV's in a day, depending on how many surgeries and how many nurses there are.

A friend of mine worked in a surgery center and did it part-time so she could be with her children.

They did hire new nurses.

steph

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Congrats on your pregnancy. I'm four months along myself, and am looking forward to the day I can kiss nursing goodbye. It's a cut throat business.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I am sorry we are losing you so soon. Enjoy your new baby and keep the license current. You never know, you may change your mind and find a position much more appealing and less stressful for you.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Wow, I am really sorry to hear that. I just started my job yesterday, but I am working at the same hospital I have been at for 4+ years as a CNA. The nurses I work with learned to trust me and so far so good. I have a preceptor that I have worked with for 4 years as an AIDE.

Good luck to you and congrats on your baby. I agree with the others. Keep your license current and maybe someplace down the road you will find that you want to give it a try. remember how hard you worked to get here and remember what attracted you to nursing in the first place.

Good luck!

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I also had a rough start in nursing, and believe me, I was not young. I went to nursing school at age 50, and started in an ICU. The hiring manager basically lied to me when she said she hired me for days and PMs, and then put me on 4 nights a week. The nurses were unfriendly, and in some cases, downright mean. One accused me of making a medication error (calculating a drip rate--a lot of times, this place did not put meds on a pump!) when I did not. She also wrote me up for giving a med late (couldn't find it, etc...)

SO, after 4 months, I went to a different ICU. Although I was working days, the other nurses were clique-y, many were unhappy about having to precept new people, and there was a culture of "tattling". I stuck it out about a year, and transferred to a Med-surg floor.

Well, I really like Med-surg! The people are great, I like the patients, the hours are good, and so far (knock on wood) the manager seems fair.

So, sometimes it takes a while to find your niche. One good thing is that you can use your pregnancy as an excuse for dropping out of the work force for a while.

Good luck!

Oldiebutgoodie

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I am sorry you were treated so badly. Enjoy the baby, keep the license, look for some part time low stress job in nursing or connected with nursing. Good luck.

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