Hating my job

Yes it's very normal. I'm on a critical care unit and I don't have time for my patients either. My year is coming up very soon and I still don't enjoy going into work because it's not the area I want to be in. I wanted to quit a month into it but I've been sticking it out due to the advice I get and the realization that nobody will hire me with less than a year of experience.

Right now we are in the molding process of being a good nurse. That means learning how to juggle multiple patients, understanding their diagnoses and meds, learning how to use our nursing judgement, and becoming better with assessment skills. This road we are on to becoming an effective, competent nurse isn't easy! From the seasoned nurses I speak with, they are still learning but that is the nature of our profession.

Does it get better? Sure. It's been a little better for me but I know I won't be happy until I'm working in my niche and the same for you. As long as you're not in physical danger, I would encourage you to stick it out for a year. I have a calendar where I cross of the days I work (like I'm in prison) and I can't believe I'm almost free. Find out if you're able to transfer to another unit when you hit your 6 months mark. There are no guarantees but at least inquire, but don't leave until an offer has been made to you. Hang in there.

Trust me when I say the sickness and tears will go away and you'll go in knowing "you got to do what you got to do."

Thank you so much. I have so much doubt in myself, wondering if I just don't like the unit I'm on or if nursing just isn't for me. But I truly think it's the unit. I hope I can tough it out for 6-12 months. I believe I'm able to transfer at the 6 month mark but I'm not entirely sure. I know I'll be trying to if I can. This crying before/after work and feeling sick isn't working for me.

You will have doubts in your first year, but that's the time to build up that confidence. Many say it'll take 2-5 years to really feel confident. When I first started, I thought I made a big mistake changing my career to nursing, but when my patients tell me they were happy I was their nurse that was my aha moment. It's not the field, it's the unit. Overall, my goal is to leave the bedside, but for now I'm here to gain invaluable experience that will help me be a better nurse.

My hospital allows transfers at the 6 months mark, but because I'm a new nurse I was encouraged to wait it out a year before applying to other units. Trust me, the tears will dry up after a while. Give yourself some time.

That sounds like my first RN job. I worked on a tele unit, and I would have 6 patients nightly, sometimes 7. Most of them had Cardizem or Heparin drips going (or both) along with maintenance fluids. We had to interpret our own rhythym strips. We had immediate post CABG patients and trachs. It also seemed that everyone was a QID BS and on hemodialysis (it's more fun when they're on peritoneal dialysis and we have to maintain it). Oh, and NO techs, so we did all of the care. I absolutely dreaded going into work most days. It was a madhouse. Unfortunately, that's just nursing. I've moved around a little since then and learned that the grass is definitely NOT greener on the other side. The first year is the hardest. You'll get through and be strong and confident as a result.

Hang in there until your one year of acute care experience is done and start applying again (and possibly switch units at your hosptial too). Just hang in there and persevere! Don't quit this job until you have another one lined up. Persevere! You can do this! Life stinks and throws curve balls at us. All we can do is endure and find a way to make the most of it.

OMG...I feel like you wrote your post from my perspective completely!!! I was fortunate enough to land a highly sought after job at an amazing hospital on a med-surg unit...a little more than a month ago. Within a month I lost 16 lbs...(mind you, I was only 133 to start), I couldn't eat, cried at home all the time, became a horrible mother, laid in bed on my days off...sometimes for 3 or 4 days dreading the thought of going back. I was still on orientation, was told I was doing great, my patients had no clue I was a new grad and loved me. But in the end, just a few days ago...I resigned. I felt like I was running from room to room throwing meds to people, not having time to listen to what was really wrong, and I was suffering. You will have to think about yourself a little...you can't take care of others if you are not taken care of. Good luck...

Thank you so much everyone. I'm glad to hear that it isn't just me! I just wish I knew how to better control my anxiety. My dad thinks I need to talk to my doctor and explain how anxious the job is making me, especially since I can't really transfer or afford to leave the job (just moved into a new apartment and had to purchase a new car... bills, bills!). We'll see.

Sorry to hear that you resigned md/vaRN, but it sounds like you were having as rough of a time as I am. I think about quitting a lot. I worked night shift last night and caught myself dry-heaving in the bathroom 4 hours into my shift. This job is literally making me sick. I like most of the people I work with, but it's definitely the type of unit-- throwing meds and leaving. I think my patients like me as well, but I totally get what you're saying. And you said it perfectly about taking care of ourselves first. That adds some perspective. I hope everything works out for you!

Lemon Balm is a simple, natural remedy that helped me quell the anxiety of my nursing skills check offs. I would start with that, and then see your doctor if that, eating modifications, and exercise don't work well enough. I am a new grad ADN RN too and I had a terrible experience with my new job. Missed out on the sought-after hospital job and ended up in Skilled/LTC and hated it so much that I quit within a month. I'm feeling bad about myself now and wondering who will ever give me a chance now that I've been out of school since May 2013...

Thank you so much everyone. I'm glad to hear that it isn't just me! I just wish I knew how to better control my anxiety. My dad thinks I need to talk to my doctor and explain how anxious the job is making me, especially since I can't really transfer or afford to leave the job (just moved into a new apartment and had to purchase a new car... bills, bills!). We'll see.

Sorry to hear that you resigned md/vaRN, but it sounds like you were having as rough of a time as I am. I think about quitting a lot. I worked night shift last night and caught myself dry-heaving in the bathroom 4 hours into my shift. This job is literally making me sick. I like most of the people I work with, but it's definitely the type of unit-- throwing meds and leaving. I think my patients like me as well, but I totally get what you're saying. And you said it perfectly about taking care of ourselves first. That adds some perspective. I hope everything works out for you!

When I worked on the tele unit, it literally made me mentally ill. I was diagnosed with depression during that time. There were days that I couldn't even get out of bed to go to work. It was awful. I never imagined nursing to be this way. Even my mom, who has been a nurse for over 25 years, says that nursing never, ever used to be this way.

Normal new job nerves amplified by a lot because of life and death. See a counselor for some tips on handling the anxiety. You will learn to manage or even overcome it.

I've just started out as a GI nurse. 2 months now and feel as though I hate it. I'm constantly looking for a new job on the area of my interest. Only 10 more months to go! Honestly, as the shifts go down the big light comes closer!

I know what you mean about not spending enough time with the patients. On a good day I have 8 patients to look after. On a bad day (which is normal as all the staff are leaving the ward) I have to look after 14. Too much stress but I guess it makes me stronger at the end of the day. For example I'm still not sleeping well... it's bad but I think are my patients going to be alright during the night etc? :/

Hope your problem resolves :) x

Thank you so much. I have so much doubt in myself, wondering if I just don't like the unit I'm on or if nursing just isn't for me. But I truly think it's the unit. I hope I can tough it out for 6-12 months. I believe I'm able to transfer at the 6 month mark but I'm not entirely sure. I know I'll be trying to if I can. This crying before/after work and feeling sick isn't working for me.

Changing jobs at six months is a mistake. You're already halfway to the one year mark, and even though you're miserable, changing jobs is unlikely to make you LESS miserable. In fact, you're just going to have to start over learning a new job, new co-workers, new doctors, new manager, new routine, new hiding places for CNAs and equipment . . . . In short, you're going to have to start over from scratch. And then it will be another year from when you start your new job until you're through the worst of the misery. Hang in where you are and you're halfway there.

The first year of nursing is miserable. We all cried before and after work and some of us cried DURING work which is an enormous mistake. I spent a lot of time in the employee bathroom having diarrhea, because I was so anxious about making a mistake, proving myself, learning skills that we'd barely touched upon in nursing school. Winston Churchill said "If you're going through hell, keep going." I think this applies here! Just keep going! One day you'll be less miserable and before too long you'll realize that you're only miserable some of the time while other times you feel competent. Keep going! It'll come.