Tonight is the night!!! I will be pinned at graduation!! All that hard work (and nclex to go...). I am going through feelings of elation, but I'm also feeling that letdown feeling--like the day after Christmas when you were a kid, and you have 364 more days to go until next Christmas.
I think it's because during nursing school, you have instructors and classmates behind you, and all of the sudden you feel like you're on your own as an RN.
Has anyone else experienced this? Does anyone have any suggestions for feeling part of a group again as a new graduate going into their first nursing job? I would greatly appreciate any comments! Thanks!
Thanks for writing. I really like your point of letting go. Because we are letting go of ourselves as a student--saying "BYE,BYE!"--and moving into being a professional nurse with major responsibility.
I must say I do feel better now because I have my starting schedule for my new job on a med/surg unit. Now I'm feeling more bubbly and excited. (And still scared!) :innerconf
Congrats to you too! :balloons:
Since you've graduated, how is your job situation going?
Thanks for writing. I really like your point of letting go. Because we are letting go of ourselves as a student--saying "BYE,BYE!"--and moving into being a professional nurse with major responsibility.
I must say I do feel better now because I have my starting schedule for my new job on a med/surg unit. Now I'm feeling more bubbly and excited. (And still scared!) :innerconf
Congrats to you too! :balloons:
Since you've graduated, how is your job situation going?
Take care,
Kitty-MayRN
I've applied to a few in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. My first choice hospital is in Ontario and I have an interview on Monday at 2pm :balloons: I've been through the phone interview and the reference check, now I just have see meet face to face.Pretty scary stuff, but I'm confident that I'll get the job if it is meant to be. If not then I know something better is out there for me. Good luck with your new job!
Thanks for writing. I really like your point of letting go. Because we are letting go of ourselves as a student--saying "BYE,BYE!"--and moving into being a professional nurse with major responsibility.
I must say I do feel better now because I have my starting schedule for my new job on a med/surg unit. Now I'm feeling more bubbly and excited. (And still scared!) :innerconf
Congrats to you too! :balloons:
Since you've graduated, how is your job situation going?
Take care,
Kitty-MayRN
Hi Kitty-May! I was just curious if your state lets you work as a graduate nurse (GN) or if you need your RN first, because I noticed you were saying you have your work schedule already. Actually, maybe you took the boards already? I still have to take the NCLEX-next month already, and am still waiting to hear back from my job interview on a med/surg/tele floor that I really, really want!! Anyhow, good luck! :)
I've applied to a few in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. My first choice hospital is in Ontario and I have an interview on Monday at 2pm :balloons: I've been through the phone interview and the reference check, now I just have see meet face to face.Pretty scary stuff, but I'm confident that I'll get the job if it is meant to be. If not then I know something better is out there for me. Good luck with your new job!
nurse angel,
Good luck with your interview on Monday. I find interviews to be the scariest thing--second only to the NCLEX! Let us know how it goes.
Hi Kitty-May! I was just curious if your state lets you work as a graduate nurse (GN) or if you need your RN first, because I noticed you were saying you have your work schedule already. Actually, maybe you took the boards already? I still have to take the NCLEX-next month already, and am still waiting to hear back from my job interview on a med/surg/tele floor that I really, really want!! Anyhow, good luck! :)
-Christine
Thanks christvs! :)
Yes, in our state you can work as a granduate nurse (or GN) for 90 days after your graduation. That is what my med/surg position is right now. Some hospitals, like this one, want to hire a GN first and put them through their 12 week orientation while you are in the process of passing the state boards.
Only thing is, once you've passed the 90 days, you cannot continue to work as a GN, so you need to pass the nclex by that time or it will cause major problems. I'm still waiting for my ATT so I can sign up for the nclex...I really need to pass the first time!! What date are you taking yours?
Good luck with the med/surg/tele position--I hope you get it! :yelclap:
I just came across this post and feel the same way. I graduated two weeks ago and I start work next Monday. I am very excited about that but now I'm just thinking about NCLEX and how even though I made this great accomplishment of graduating nursing school, what good does it do if I fail boards? I shouldn't think like that, but I miss all the late night studying with my nursing school friends that ended up turning into gossip sessions (he he). On graduation day, I found myself just wanting to be alone. I felt really bad because everyone wanted to call and congratulate me and I didn't want to answer the phone I was thinking to myself "Just let me be." It's just like a huge chapter in my life just came to a close and how do I open a new one? All I have is the memories of my time in nursing school, and I must realize it will never be like that again. Well, good luck to us all on boards and congrats to all of us. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one that feels this way.
Tonight is the night!!! I will be pinned at graduation!! All that hard work (and nclex to go...). I am going through feelings of elation, but I'm also feeling that letdown feeling--like the day after Christmas when you were a kid, and you have 364 more days to go until next Christmas.
I think it's because during nursing school, you have instructors and classmates behind you, and all of the sudden you feel like you're on your own as an RN.
Has anyone else experienced this? Does anyone have any suggestions for feeling part of a group again as a new graduate going into their first nursing job? I would greatly appreciate any comments! Thanks!
Kitty-MayRN
Kitty-May -
I too understand how you feel. I graduated May 7 and have been somewhat adrift since. However, I have found that studying for the NCLEX, cleaning/organizing my household, and taking care of my two-year old fill my days pretty well. I also make it a point to go for at least a 30 minute walk every afternoon. Exercise can work wonders for warding off depression and I can feel the effect on my mood when I miss my walk. I quit drinking coffee and cut way back on sugary foods - I found that this plus getting some exercise has had a positive effect on my energy level and mood. I crashed seriously after graduation - it's like I was getting through preceptorship, finals, and the HESI on sheer adrenaline and willpower and my body was just sapped - for two weeks all I did was sleep, eat, and sleep. (Can anybody relate to this? I thought I had a disease or something!) It was after this I started exercising and eating better and now I feel 100% better.
I have a job interview on wednesday and I am scared ****less. My colon spasms every time I think about it. Yikes.
Anyway, Good luck to you with your new job and NCLEX!!
Good luck with your interview on Monday. I find interviews to be the scariest thing--second only to the NCLEX! Let us know how it goes.
Kitty-MayRN
:)
Well I had the interview on Monday. Thanks for your support. The 15 minutes before it started were the worst... the sweaty hands the OMG thoughts..., however once I sat down with the two charge nurses I was ok. I was myself and answered what they asked and didn't feel any nerves. I felt like i Ace'd it , and I got the same impression from them. I then got a tour of the unit I would be working on. (OMG!!!! I was in pure heaven). The HR dept is the one that hires people based on need and the interviewers recommendation, and there is a need so they thought I would hear by the end of the week. So far nothing and it is driving me insane! However, I really feel good about the interview and they said they had no problem recommending me and look forward to working with me come August. This is a good sign (right????) Anyway, so now I have to play the waiting game again. I'm not sure it it is a good thing or not that I also am studying for my RN exam for June 8th. At least it occupies the time. And we thought graduation was the tough part...lol :rotfl:
Does anyone have any suggestions for feeling part of a group again as a new graduate going into their first nursing job? I would greatly appreciate any comments! Thanks!
I'm still waiting for my ATT so I can sign up for the nclex...I really need to pass the first time!! What date are you taking yours?
Kitty-MayRN, BSN, RN
65 Posts
Hi nurse angel, :)
Thanks for writing. I really like your point of letting go. Because we are letting go of ourselves as a student--saying "BYE,BYE!"--and moving into being a professional nurse with major responsibility.
I must say I do feel better now because I have my starting schedule for my new job on a med/surg unit. Now I'm feeling more bubbly and excited. (And still scared!) :innerconf
Congrats to you too! :balloons:
Since you've graduated, how is your job situation going?
Take care,
Kitty-MayRN