Help! Scared New Grad RN. Did I make the right career choice?

[jpRN51]

Hello,

I am a new grad from an ADN program and am working on my BSN. I passed the NCLEX and am beginning to look for jobs.

Sometimes I wonder if I made the right career choice. I was a CNA in a SNF during nursing school and loved the residents, but management made it hard to love the job.

During nursing school I was always nervous to go to clinicals in fear of making mistakes, not working with supportive nurses/preceptors, not knowing what to expect, etc. I did however love working with the patients and loved the feeling of successfully inserting my first Foley, first IV, and other skills. I am fascinated by the human body and like helping people.

I probably have that scared new grad RN feeling and hope that it will get better once I find a job and gain experience.

However I keep hearing horror stories from older and retired nurses. Things like, "nursing was so stressful that I developed HTN and had a stroke, was forced to retire, and am now on disability". I hear of nurses developing burnout, compassion fatigue, kidney problems from holding their bladder, heart attacks, slipped discs, chronic pain, arthritis, PTSD, depression, and more...ahh! I've noticed that these older RN's are always trying to dissuade nursing students away from the field altogether.

I understand nursing is a stressful career and am worried I may not like it because of that. The thought of being limited to working 12-hour night shifts as a new grad RN scares me. I am not sure I could handle that, physically or emotionally. I don't want to end up being one of those nurses who hates nursing after all the time, money, and effort I put into school. I do want to go back for a Master's Degree after I have saved up money, but am not sure if it would be nursing-related or not.

My questions are:

Should I turn back now and find another career that's less stressful and less hard on the body? (This isn't really realistic, but people have me very frightened).

Is there such thing as a low-stress nursing job? If so, what are some examples? (Especially for a new grad...again, probably unrealistic, but worth asking).

How long did it take for you to become confident in your nursing abilities?

What jobs do you recommend for a new grad that wouldn't cause burnout right away?

Any other tips for a nervous new grad?

Thanks!

[ItsThatJenGirl, CNA]

Not a nurse. Yet.

Everyone's experiences are going to be different. And I imagine the people that hated it, or got hurt are going to be more vocal than the ones who love it. It's like customer survey responses - you're more likely to hear from the ones that weren't satisfied.

My advice is to try. You won't know if you've made the right choice until you give it an honest shot. If you don't like it, you can always change things.

Good luck.

[Guest957596]

Apply for a New Grad/Residency/Fellowship program. They usually mix didactic and labs followed by an on-floor clinical period. Some of the didactic seems like nursing school all over again, but it's helpful. Maybe give you some confidence.

[littlemissbookworm]

Just take a deep breath and take it step by step. Every hospital and unit has politics, but politics are everywhere. They also say the first year of nursing is the hardest. Find out what coping mechanisms work for you. I have a couple of friends that I call when it all gets too much sometimes. I also run, write stories, and these are things that help me relax and recharge. I also have developed a system for when I need to switch shifts (days to nights and vice versa), something that took some getting used to. And remember why you chose nursing.

And thoughts on how to prevent burnout: Take time for yourself. I sometimes need to disappear from the world on my days off to recuperate. They also say eat healthy meals, stay hydrated, and exercise. Exercising feels like the last thing that will help, but it really does for me. Even just going for a walk outside for 20 minutes makes the world of a difference for me. Sleeping enough helps too. Also, if you're feeling overwhelmed on shift - take a moment to prioritize. What is the most important thing to do right at this moment? Break it down.

You got this :).

[galaxy781]

The job is as stressful as you make it. I let everything roll of my back and just keep a positive attitude. Finding work life balance is key. Accept your mistakes, don't dwell, learn and move on. Focus on anything positive even the small things. Make friends w your co workers. Try to understand why patients act out or accept that some people/patients aren't nice people and let it go. Ok. Getting off my soap box now. :)

[RobtheORNurse]

Common anxiety. Nursing is not for the faint of heart for sure. My experience is the same as many others here. I became an LPN in the army, got off of active duty and worked for a surgeon. Then worked in a hospital, 12 hour nights full time on med surg, critical care and psych, and went to nursing school during the day. All the while being recently married and having two kids. Wife worked days so someone was always there for the kids. I completed my ADN and got a job in the OR. I was in the OR for 20 years and completed my BSN while there. Now working for a medical company as an educator and consultant and starting my MSN.

How long did it take to get comfortable with my skills? In the Army as a medic and then LPN, I had no choice but to get comfortable quickly. This was handy in the ADN program, as my clinical skills were very good. I have been told that I had a "Knack" for medicine. I was always a science geek so hobbies of chemistry and physics helped. here is my advice.

Most take around a year to be comfortable, but remember, you are rarely alone and have back up to get help or just a second opinion, don't sweat it, it will come. Here are some things I think every nurse should keep in mind

Preventing immediate burnout: Take time for YOU. get away from healthcare from time to time. Use your vacation time for vacation. Spend time with colleagues out of work for leisure time. No one else will understand the stresses of nursing so they are the best people to hang out with.

Pearls of wisdom:

Take care of YOU

Genuinely care for people

Be honest with patients and families

When you are off work, be OFF WORK

Do not be afraid to ask questions of your co-workers and especially doctors, yes they can seem like mean creatures from another planet, but they are no different than us, they just have a different job. Show them you are interested in learning.

Try to learn something new everyday. A day that you learn something is always a good day, even if you learned it in a bad situation.

Do not take negative events or comments personally EVER, many times things are said in stressful situations, Forget it and move on, you are part of a team and that team's focus is patient care.

Never forget why you are there, "To return the patient to the most optimal level of function and wellness possible"

[jpRN51]

Thank you everyone. You all helped me realize some important things. ItsThatJenGirl, you're right, I need to at least give it a try and give it my best shot. I think this feeling is mostly just nerves related to the unknown. Thanks everyone for the thoughtful advice :) I got this!

[NurseGirl525, ASN, RN]

In every, single profession, you will find people that are negative and hate their job. It's up to you, not them, on how well you will do your job.

I love my preceptor. She is kind, patient, and understanding. I go to work with a positive attitude. I've had days where I got frustrated with myself. We are learning something 100% brand new. I got frustrated with myself, would go home, bounce my day off my fiancé, then go in the next determined to fix what I messed up the day before.

Its your attitude that matters. Not other nurses. I also have some great nurses that have been around 25 years on my unit. They are a plethora of knowledge. But, I don't have time for negativity and those who are burnt out. I am me. I am positive.