HELP PLEASE! New grad nurse about to quit new Nurse job before orientation is over.

[NewGradKH]

HELP PLEASE! New grad nurse about to quit new Nurse job before orientation is over.

]Thank you for taking the time to read this as I could really use some sound advice. I am a recent Nursing school graduate. I graduated in May 2014. with my BSN I have been a medical assistant for 5 years working for a variety of clinics and doctors' off ices.

I landed a new grad job on a Med surg in a hospital. One that I did not even apply for. This particular hospital is one that I was trying to get in for the past year as a patient care tech while in nursing school to no avail. I researched through the website and found that they are a level 2 trauma center in my area ( My ultimate goal is to be a trauma nurse) and seemed to have a good new grad program. I applied to a tech job a few months before graduating nursing school. (I really wanted the experience of being a tech in the hospital first.

I received a call and landed an interview one month prior to graduation. Interview went well but HR said being that I was graduating so soon it would make no sense to be a tech. I was offered in interview on the spot to a different unit for an RN position. That also went well and I was offered a new grad nurse job that day on the spot. I was excited and grateful especially because I have heard horror stories of new grads waiting several months to land a job, but in the back of my head a little hesitant because it was Med-surg. I am a smart girl. I've been in health care a while now. Although I am a new nurse by goal was to apply to all ER's that accepted New grads into a internship or residency program. feel that because I was basically handed this job )which I was very grateful for I didn't have the opportunity to apply myself to the areas I know I could succeed in.

When I started I was excited and ready after the week of "hospital orientation" new grads were supposed to meet their preceptors. The 5 other new grads who started with me met there's immediately. Mine was on vacation for about 4 days. So I had to shadow other nurses which was fine. A grew of them were very nice and helpful. I met my preceptor and instantly I could tell she did not want to precept, she was not interested in really teaching. She always seemed flustered and in a bad mood every morning. I would see the other new grads interacting more with their mentors and mine would do her own thing and give me patients to take for the day and tell me to get her If I had questions. This is not how I learn.

Some mornings she would complain about the patient assignment and that she had to "orient someone" right in front of me. This made me feel very awkward. she went on vacation for another week in the middle. This went on for a while. The day I mustered up some courage to talk to the charge nurse I found out that the charge nurse actually noticed what was going on. She apologies that I had to deal with that nurse and she switched me to night shift with a different preceptor.

New preceptor is nice I feel I have seen a lot and learned a lot. However am not enjoying my job. I feel like all I am doing is medicating patients. Med surg nursing I do not feel is for me. There are other things safety wise that I am not happy about on my unit. The policies are not always followed. NO one actually "witnesses" for a waste they just type in their code. It is busy 6:1 ratio my orientation is almost over about 2 weeks to go. I am busy but not actually spending time with my pts or doing anything critical to help them either. I feel like Im only running around to give meds on time that's it. With the lack of training and being almost on my own I feel that there is a big safety risk.

I want to be the best nurse I can be and make a bigger difference for my patients. I honestly can't imagine working here for an entire year. I want to quit but am I required to list this job on a resume or talk about it during an interview? I know I signed a contract saying I will have to "repay" the hospital for the training. which I will. I've only been working as a nurse for 2 months. I want to protect my pts and my license. The policies and procedures are all over the place. This place is not for me. I would never quit without having a another job secured but I would like some real advise here.

After I accepted the job I found out how short orientation was and I was not thrilled but I had a job and was in no place to turn it down. Question is how do I go about quitting should I talk to charge nurse first? Am I legally required to list this on an application? I know that this will probably burn a bridge with this hospital. But honestly I want to find a facility that has a better orientation experience and in an area where I feel most comfortable. Ironically that is the ER. Med-surg is not for me I am dredging going back to work.

[#NurseB]

I am a new grad and inexperienced myself but I would say it is that it sounds like you didn't have a proper orientation. Perhaps you could ask for an extended one due to the circumstances??

I think may be too soon for you to leave, although I believe it is a real concern if you feel your patients safety is at risk.

Keep in mind that jobs are hard to come by for new nurses with little to no experience.

I do wish you luck in whatever you decide to do. I can tell you truly want to make a difference in your patients lives :)

[rumwynnieRN]

As this is a med/surg position, I would wait a little bit -- like maybe 6 months before leaving, if you really can't stand it. At 6 months, start looking for another job at a place you like. Don't leave until you have a position secured at another facility. I stayed at my first job for 4 months before landing my first med/surg position (I was in geri-psych, and I hated it). Since you signed the contract, what are the agreements between you and the hospital? How much will you have to pay?

[nursel56]

It sounds like your orientation will be for a total of approximately 10 weeks and you had a charge nurse willing to switch your shift and your preceptor to help you succeed. Your new preceptor has allowed you to "see and learn a lot". Regarding the safety issues you alluded to -- have you discussed your concerns with your manager/preceptors? In any case, I see the downside to your quitting as much more significant than the benefit of sticking it out longer. All the best to you!

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

First off, as you know, don't EVER punch in your code for a waste you did not witness. Sometimes, nurses will ask the new grads to do so--a "sorry, as I am new my head will roll if I witness a waste I did not see. Sorry." Often on orientation a nurse can't waste/witness a waste right away. In any event, just be mindful of that.

Otherwise, use your time on M/S to really familiarize yourself with patient presentations, skills, and how results of various tests fill the entire picture of what is going on with a patient and a plan of care. Once you are almost at your year mark, start looking on your company website for internal job openings. See what the requirements of your facility is for an ER nurse. Make an appointment with the ER manager to discuss your plans.

After your year, you could apply at some local community hospitals in their ER's for per diem. Because you were an MA for so long, you have a general idea of patient flow. Your M/S experience as an RN will help you to know what kind of meds to give, how to give them, and assessment skills.

Finally, focus a great deal of energy on assessing your patients. Learn what lung sounds, heart rhythms, bowel sounds sound like in any given situation. Learn what you can about Foleys, NG tubes, IV's and blood draws. Learn the computer system, how to order testing, how to interpret MD orders.

When all of that is in place, then is the time to think about specializing. And I would be clear with an ER manager that you are willing to get a certification in ER or trauma nursing. Look on the certification websites to see what is required--and most have a period of time one has to work in the capacity, so your ER goal would be to work towards that end goal.

M/S is not easy, and is not for every nurse. However, observe all of the good things too---there is so much to learn from many--and if you are in a place where you are a sponge, absorb everything--it will benefit you in the long run.

Best wishes!

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

All new nurses are task oriented and feel as if all they do is pass meds, and to some extent it is true. You are learning the time management aspect, which is vital no matter what specialty you go into. You would be just as task oriented in the ER and probably just as disillusioned. Critical thinking and putting the pieces together only comes with time. There are no shortcuts. You can't know what you do not yet know and solid nursing knowledge can ONLY be gained from working as a nurse. To quit now would be, to be quite blunt, foolhardy unless you already have another job lined up. The answer to disillusionment isn't to simply quit. Keep working and devote free time to seeking out another job. You will find it won't come easily. Quit this one and it will become even harder. It sounds to me like you are an average new grad and that you have a supportive learning environment. Quitting because you don't like the learning process (ie:I feel like all I do is push meds) is goofy as heck. That learning process is the baseline for all new nurses in every specialty. The greener grass you think you are ogling is an illusion.

[SunshineBaby]

I agree with what others have said. Every unit has stress. I started in NICU as a new grad. I had a 12 week orientation but it was not nearly enough. My preceptor was great but many days we were so busy, we ended up just splitting the assignment

( no techs in NICU and you draw all your own labs).

You will also find that no matter where you go, there will be nurses who don't practice safely or use shortcuts. It's your job to say, "No, I don't feel comfortable with that."

Nursing school did not prepare me for the stress of being a new nurse. I cried all the time and at 6 months, I quit my first job in NICU. To this day, I regret that decision. I didn't realize that it takes at least a year on your own to be comfortable as a nurse. Now, that's not saying that Med Surg is where you need to end up but work on developing your time management and assessment skills. If you still feel the same way in a year, I would then start looking for a new position.

Best of luck!

[VANurse2010]

You feel like you're just passing meds because you're new and don't know what you're doing yet. You're not going to have an experience where you spend hours at the bedside with each patient really getting to know them and doing all the fancy things you were taught theoretically in nursing school. That's not how the reality of any floor, ED, or ICU really is. It sounds like you have a unit that's willing to work with you. you need to stick it out.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

How do you know you would be more "comfortable" in an ED if you have never worked there? I fear you may be idealizing again. The grim reality is that ED is much faster paced with higher performance expectations than Med Surg. If you feel that you are spending too much time medicating patients, it is probably because that is all you are focusing on. Once your time management skills improve, you will have 'extra' time for patient interaction. The grass is greener where it's watered and tended. Putting forth additional effort always pays off.

If you signed a contract, you are legally obligated to fulfill it, including repayment of any training costs that were outlined.

[caliotter3]

You would be foolish to quit this job at this point. Make the most of it. When it really is time to move on you will have something to offer a new employer once you have gained experience as a nurse.

[kanzi monkey]

What you are describing sounds frustrating but not toxic. You've had some issues with your initial preceptor, but your feelings were validated and you were given another preceptor (that is a huge point for your floor and a good indicator that things may not be so terrible).

If you are concerned that you aren't ready to be on your own, I'd calmly bring this to the attention of your manager and preceptor if you feel comfortable. I'd mention it as soon as possible so that you can, as a group, tease out the types of experiences you feel you are lacking, and your preceptor's input can be really helpful here.

RE: safety issues--do you feel the floor is unsafe? If so, why? If you feel unsafe because you are nervous and don't feel ready, that can be addressed in your meeting. Regarding the med waste issue--I totally get how that is a challenge, and I've seen this happen on busy M/S floors. You've got to stick up for yourself here. Just get the witness. If you have a hard time finding someone, or nurses tell you to waste (or tell you they wasted) without visual confirmation, your manager should be aware that the staff is coming up against barriers to doing this properly.

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

It sounds like you have an incredibly supportive, fair work environment. Med/surg nurses where I am take 7-8 patients (sometimes with no techs), and the charge nurses are not necessarily supportive of new grads. A place with only a 1:6 ratio for med/surg where people actually listen to you as a new grad is a gem. You would be seriously rolling the dice if you left - your next place would probably be much worse.