How many new nurses are seriously thinking about quiting?

Nurses New Nurse

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And why do you want to quit?

I really would like a study done on how many nurses quit nursing within the first 5 years. It seems like 80% of the student population at community colleges are pre-nursing students. I do not get why there is still so many RN jobs available on the market. When there have been thousands of graduates every year.... Something is amiss in the career of nursing and the truth needs to be told....

Specializes in ER, Med-Surg, EMS.
I'm sorry to hear that you are having a difficult time, but this statement really concerns me. Especially that you "might drink more than you used to". Why would you stay at a job that makes you feel this way? No job is worth your health and no job is worth driving you to drink.

Why would quitting be so horrible? Either there has to be a better job out there for you in nursing or you need to cut your losses and get out of the profession for awhile until you find something that you enjoy.

I hope that you find what you are looking for.

Umm, its called NURSING LOANS!

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I work in a dermatology office as a medcial assistant. I work 7-5 M-Thurs. and 7-2 on Fridays. I don't get breaks and barely get a lunch, sometimes no lunch at all. Sometimes I'll have to stay late at work and somedays we are short staffed and have to run 2 rooms. It is stressful and somedays you want to pull your hair out. But I really enjoy my job and can't see myself doing anything else. I used to work a desk job for 4 years and I would be so bored if I had to go back to doing that now. I know this does not compare to working in a hospital, I don't have anyone's life in my hands. The doctors are all about making money and that gets in the way of pt care. There are good and bad things about this job, but I really do love it. I actually want to become an RN. I must admit reading these posts has scared me some as to working in a hospital. I know that I want to try different fields of nursing. I guess the main thing is that I go in knowing full well what I've gotten myself into. If I have this attitude then I feel that I can stick it out and handle it. The patient load at hospitals is pretty scary though. I don't understand the backstabbing and lack of wanting to train new nurses. I have to train new MAs at work and I always tell them to ask a lot of questions, we want things done right. I never make anyone feel stupid for asking questions. I'm proud of the fact that people really appreciate me as a trainer because I take the time to really help them.

Any recommendations you would make to someone who is considering going into nursing as a profession, besides not doing it?

Monty78

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I'm a new grad...just finished my classroom orientation. I've worked three 13-14 hour nightshifts this week on my med/surg floor; and it's been torture. I truly loved all that I learned in nursing school, and even my clinicals. I like the patient care because I enjoy helping people. HOWEVER, I hate my job so far! I was even looking up flight attendant jobs today! But I will try to persevere. I just question: is it really worth it to feel like this everyday? I'm not sure that it is. Is there a brighter door behind the necessity of getting that first year of med/surg experience? DO I REALLY WANT TO DO THIS?!!!? Is there some way to bypass the torture of med/surg nursing? I'm thinking...maybe I could just be a school nurse....and spend part of my summers doing some kind of volunteer work abroad. OR maybe, the grass is just always greener on the other side, and I should just stop crying and suck it up.

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Specializes in Med/Tele.
I'm a new grad...just finished my classroom orientation. I've worked three 13-14 hour nightshifts this week on my med/surg floor; and it's been torture. I truly loved all that I learned in nursing school, and even my clinicals. I like the patient care because I enjoy helping people. HOWEVER, I hate my job so far! I was even looking up flight attendant jobs today! But I will try to persevere. I just question: is it really worth it to feel like this everyday? I'm not sure that it is. Is there a brighter door behind the necessity of getting that first year of med/surg experience? DO I REALLY WANT TO DO THIS?!!!? Is there some way to bypass the torture of med/surg nursing? I'm thinking...maybe I could just be a school nurse....and spend part of my summers doing some kind of volunteer work abroad. OR maybe, the grass is just always greener on the other side, and I should just stop crying and suck it up.

I'm sorry you are going through this. I remember feeling similarly when I first started.........and it doesnt get "better" in my opinion, you just learn how to deal with the stress better and get more confident. I will be a nurse a year on June 12 and I still hate my job as much as I did since day 1. I have a few coworkers who are cool but thats enough for me to stay at this job. I have found another one by the way, and if I could go back.........I would have tried another area of nursing that I may have liked a bit better......because I knew I didnt like medsurg, I work on med/tele, but I wanted to start and I felt pressured to do medsurg. I have been miserable have worsened depression and anxiety issues, missed time with family and friends, been tired, grouchy,depressed, eating crap, gaining weight, I feel 50 and I am only 21! If you truly are unhappy, find another job! Life is too short to be miserable.........if I died tomorrow, I would be sad I wasted a year at this job..........but you learn. Nursing has many challenges today especially in hospitals so if I could do it over again, I wouldnt. Its not worth the stress.

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I'm a new grad...just finished my classroom orientation. I've worked three 13-14 hour nightshifts this week on my med/surg floor; and it's been torture. I truly loved all that I learned in nursing school, and even my clinicals. I like the patient care because I enjoy helping people. HOWEVER, I hate my job so far! I was even looking up flight attendant jobs today! But I will try to persevere. I just question: is it really worth it to feel like this everyday? I'm not sure that it is. Is there a brighter door behind the necessity of getting that first year of med/surg experience? DO I REALLY WANT TO DO THIS?!!!? Is there some way to bypass the torture of med/surg nursing? I'm thinking...maybe I could just be a school nurse....and spend part of my summers doing some kind of volunteer work abroad. OR maybe, the grass is just always greener on the other side, and I should just stop crying and suck it up.

What do you hate about your job? The hours? The unit?

I have been a nurse for 5 months and I hated my job in the beginning (right after orientation). I dreaded going to work and was counting the minutes until my 6 months were up so I could find another job. I work in a NICU. I went through a period of looking for new jobs, I actually still look for new jobs, just to see what is out there. There were 2 school nurse jobs posted a couple of weeks ago and I started applying for them. About halfway through I thought about what I was doing and could I leave my babies, my unit, my coworkers, everything I love about my job and I couldn't. I don't know when it happened, but something changed inside of me to where I love my job. I also work nights, which is another big adjustment. If you like your job for the most part, but have been miserable since on nights, give it a couple months on night shift to adjust. If you don't like the unit you are on, then look for something else. There are a lot of new grads from my class that didn't start in med-surg. I hope that you have a happy ending!

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Thanks for your replys Lorelai and Weebaby. I guess the night shifts maybe just aren't for me; I just moved to Hawaii, and was really looking forward to enjoying my time outside during the day; but on nights, I only want to sleep all day or rest all day. Because I'm a new grad out here, it was difficult to get a hospital job, and I had to take what I could get. I wanted to get into Telemetry; and the NICU sounds like it would be WONDERFUL! I guess for now, I will just work through this so that I can just get to where I'd rather be.

Weebaby, how did you get into the NICU? Is there a suggested route of nursing to get there? I'm happy for you that you have found a place you enjoy!

Lorelai, we worked so hard to get here....soon your year will be up, and hopefully you will be able to find a better place, where you are happier! What are your plans? to stay on your tele floor? or try to find another less stressful area/job.

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Thanks for your replys Lorelai and Weebaby. I guess the night shifts maybe just aren't for me; I just moved to Hawaii, and was really looking forward to enjoying my time outside during the day; but on nights, I only want to sleep all day or rest all day. Because I'm a new grad out here, it was difficult to get a hospital job, and I had to take what I could get. I wanted to get into Telemetry; and the NICU sounds like it would be WONDERFUL! I guess for now, I will just work through this so that I can just get to where I'd rather be.

Weebaby, how did you get into the NICU? Is there a suggested route of nursing to get there? I'm happy for you that you have found a place you enjoy!

Lorelai, we worked so hard to get here....soon your year will be up, and hopefully you will be able to find a better place, where you are happier! What are your plans? to stay on your tele floor? or try to find another less stressful area/job.

I had to change my attitude about nights. I was only able to do that once I adjusted physically. There are a lot of threads that tell you how to adjust to nights, if you want to know how I did it, let me know and I will tell you. It took me about 6 weeks, but now I am fine. I actually like nights better because it feels like I have more time off. Once you are adjusted to nights, you will have the luxury of being out and about in Hawaii during the day, when many are working.

I got my job in the NICU because I did my senior practicum there. My job isn't perfect, but I am thankful for it. I love my patients (in general) so much. Many facilities are willing to hire new grads, they feel that they are a blank slate with no bad habits. I was offered a job in another NICU, just by applying and interviewing, it doens't seem too hard to get a NICU job. If your goal is to work in a NICU, then apply for any NICU job you can find and it will eventually pan out for you.

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.

*many facilities are willing to hire new grads, they feel that they are a blank slate with no bad habits.

**if your goal is to work in a nicu, then apply for any nicu job you can find and it will eventually pan out for you.

*i have heard the same; most recently at a facility where i am starting a summer internship.

**i agree....persistence will take you far in life!!

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Specializes in Med/Tele.
Thanks for your replys Lorelai and Weebaby. I guess the night shifts maybe just aren't for me; I just moved to Hawaii, and was really looking forward to enjoying my time outside during the day; but on nights, I only want to sleep all day or rest all day. Because I'm a new grad out here, it was difficult to get a hospital job, and I had to take what I could get. I wanted to get into Telemetry; and the NICU sounds like it would be WONDERFUL! I guess for now, I will just work through this so that I can just get to where I'd rather be.

Weebaby, how did you get into the NICU? Is there a suggested route of nursing to get there? I'm happy for you that you have found a place you enjoy!

Lorelai, we worked so hard to get here....soon your year will be up, and hopefully you will be able to find a better place, where you are happier! What are your plans? to stay on your tele floor? or try to find another less stressful area/job.

I'm starting my new job as a precertification nurse in June...will PRN on my med/tele floor.....wouldnt recommend tele to a new nurse, people warned me but I didnt listen........it will wear u out.

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I have to say I very much concur with this. Had I known how difficult the real world of nursing is I know I might have rethought my choice for this career. I'm totally a new grad as well and dealing with one of the most difficult things I've had to do in my entire life; it's almost unbelievable to me and I have never cried this much before. In fact, I get so much anxiety on my off days that sometimes I wonder if I should just quit already. Yet, that in itself is a hard decision. I just wish I could fast forward to the 6 month/1 year mark and know that I will be more comfortable and solid. I can totally relate to the trials of being a new grad. I'm glad we can share them here.

If only I would have known how hard nursing is while in school!

I am about 5-6 weeks into my orientation on a busy L&D floor, and I can't begin to tell you how stressed I am. I'm not quitting by any means, but the stress that I felt when going through school and studying for NCLEX doesn't hold a candle to the stress that I feel now when I go to work. And I have an AMAZING preceptor (who stressed to me on the first day that I would not feel comfortable on the floor for at least a year) and all the support that a new grad could ever want from everyone. I can't imagine how I'd feel if I didn't have such a strong support system.

Nursing school is WAY different than actual bedside nursing, and it's hard when new grads actually get out there on the floor and see for themselves just how much school DIDN'T prepare them for it. I graduated with honors, but I'm so nervous on that floor trying to learn everything that I forget the most basic details, like making sure my poor patient gets some food after delivering! ;) It's a hard transition. I believe that the right support for new grads makes all the difference.

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Specializes in Telemetry/Med Surg.
I'm starting my new job as a precertification nurse in June...will PRN on my med/tele floor.....wouldnt recommend tele to a new nurse, people warned me but I didnt listen........it will wear u out.

I'm approaching one year on a med/tele floor and wouldn't switch for the world. I'm continuing to learn so much. The pace is very fast but I like it like that. This is probably the busiest unit in the hospital--lots of 'train wrecks'. They say if you can work there, you can work anywhere.

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I'm approaching one year on a med/tele floor and wouldn't switch for the world. I'm continuing to learn so much. The pace is very fast but I like it like that. This is probably the busiest unit in the hospital--lots of 'train wrecks'. They say if you can work there, you can work anywhere.

And what if you can't make it there? There's this common advice out there to start in med-surg to nail down your skills, but what's a new nurse to think if they're let go or have to quit (for health and sanity reasons) after several months? If they can't make it in med-surg, can they be a good nurse at all? It's hard to pick up and start again. How can you feel confident that next time will be better? Here you've got one facility that's already invested several months into you and decided it's not worth it to them to keep you (by extending orientation or finding another unit for you) and you're supposed to go out and convince another facility that it just wasn't a "good fit" and you'll do great there? It's a hard place to be in.

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