How to explain that I resigned after 2 mos?

[wfperseus]

Hi -- everyone seems to be reliving the same nightmare -- getting hired as a new grad but getting a poor orientation and ending up feeling confused, alienated, and losing all confidence in their ability to ever measure up. I just resigned from a new-grad ICU position last week after being told that I wasn't getting up to snuff quickly enough. I couldn't take the criticism, began feeling incredibly anxious, dreading to go to work, feeling like a total failure and disappointment to the unit. I ended up resigning thinking that I wouldn't be able to "turn things around" in time. My supervisor said that she'd give me a great recommendation and was sorry that things turned out as they did, but that I probably needed to develop basic skills on a Med-Surg floor. My question is -- how do you hold your head up, go forward, and try again? How do reply to the question, "Why did you leave?"

Any suggestions?!

[juicyfruit06]

Hi,

I am also a new grad nurse and I did my practicum experience in an area that I loved. The job that I got though is quite different and I've been receiving orientation for 2 weeks on a busy surgical unit but I found it overwhelmingly busy. I am suppose to be starting nights shifts soon and that means I'll be totally responsible for 10 patients by myself. Management has not asked me once how I was doing or even offered to assist me in anyway. I am also thinking about quitting in a couple of weeks to find an area in nursing that best fits me so don't be discouraged.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

My question is -- how do you hold your head up, go forward, and try again? How do reply to the question, "Why did you leave?"

I resigned from my first nursing job after 6 weeks due to reasons that were similar to what you have described. I was not trained or oriented. I was the subject or criticism and gossip for doing things incorrectly, yet no one trained me. It felt like a no-win situation overall.

I am pleased and proud to say that no future employers have ever inquired about the 6 weeks at this facility. I have never had to provide any explanation for resigning from the hellhole after only 6 weeks, and it has never hindered my future. Good luck to you.

[RNKay31]

Don't feel to bad, I have quited about 3 jobs already as a new grad, and I just got a position that I have lik, same thing here the bad orientations, it is good that you quit, it is not worth losing your license, find somewhere else, all the best to you.

[Kinjo]

Just out of curiosity is there a right time to call it quites, I have been at my new grad position for 4mos and I feel like I am ready to move on and go somewhere else.

[ZootRN]

Just out of curiosity is there a right time to call it quites, I have been at my new grad position for 4mos and I feel like I am ready to move on and go somewhere else.

Hmmm...I quit my first nursing job after 4 months, and I've been for 4 months at my second job, and thinking of quitting again. Different reasons though.

[Kinjo]

Yes after thinking about it daily I have started putting in applications to other places. What sucks is that I will have to pay back my sign on bonus, but at this point in time I am ready to do whatever it takes to find a place I can feel happy. I am so tired of going to work everymorning with a knot in my stomach and leaving at the end of evershift feeling like a failure coz the person I give report to is behaving like I should talk and act like a nurse who has been on the job for years. That is what I cannot understand how can I be expected to be as good as a nurse who has been in nursing for 10yrs I have only been here 4 mos. God help us all new Grads.

[RNKay31]

I have changed about 3 jobs since graduation, it was just not my place of interest, all the best.