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 Operating Room.

I'm not quitting nursing, but I did quit my job yesterday. I gave about a months notice and am willing to work per diem...What made me quit? The culture of my department which says it is OK to ridicule new nurses. I am not a whipping boy for bitter, cranky sadistic ol' bitties. The beautiful thing about the shortage of nurses is the fact that people call me offering me jobs(I have a resume on Monster) and I DON'T have to take anyone's crap because they are having a bad day. In my case, I think I was worse off, because I had worked in my same department as a surgical tech. This means that I have to deal with people who are mad at me because I went back to school, or people that remember me as a tech and can't think of me in a new role. Didn't help that I was running the shift when I hadn't even been a nurse a year. These "mean" nurses just don't get it-maybe in their day, you had to put up with hazing and ridicule when you were new, but times change, and I don't. This means that these evil women(almost all of the staff is female-scary)now will have to stay later and take more call, because of their nastiness. Oh well, too bad, so sad!:devil:

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Okay, so I have to repost on this board....because when I first posted, it was my first week (med-surg)....and it was all night shifts. I now feel alot different...I want to be a nurse, and I'm glad I went to nursing school. I have now been on the floor (still with a preceptor) for 3 weeks...not that long, I know...and I'm on days. Some days are good, some days are not. I'm sure once I go out on my own, without a preceptor....I may hit a rough patch again. But it's all about learning, and they say med-surg is one of the toughest floors. I just know that my first week, I was thinking, "maybe this isn't for me". But now I know it is. I'll just probably not stay in med-surg for too long.

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I wanted to quit the first couple of months too, but I really started to get a comfort level with my job sometime after a year, my job on Med-Surge is definitely rigorous, last night having 8 patients with only an Aide, but after a while it becomes second nature to you. If you're thinking about giving up bedside nursing, please reconsider, we need nurses so bad!! We are working with Legislature to get things changed, a better nurse to patient ratio for one! There is a lot of satisfaction that comes from bedside nursing!! We need good nurses.

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Wow. I am currently studying for the TEAS and applying for our nursing program this April. I want to eventually become a NP working in pediatric oncology or psych. But this thread really has my stomach in knots. I'm scared to death now. I'd hate to go through all of this and be unhappy with my profession. :sniff:

My mom has been an LPN for over 25 years and keeps telling me to find a different profession but I really feel like this is what I'm here to do.

Are there any nurses who enjoy their jobs?!!?

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Specializes in MSICU starting PICU.

I must say that if there is NO REASON for any nurse to be unhappy in their job! There are way too many options out there for anyone to stay in a completely miserable position! I have been a nures for a year, I put in my first year at the hospital that I am currently at and sat back and really thought about how my miserable job was affecting me as a person and as a nurse. I didn't like the type of nursing I was forced to provide due to new staffing guidelines so i applied for a new job with a new population. I had been working in an adult MSICU, i applied for a job and the next day I was called for an interview. I will be working in the PICU in July and am super excited. It is going to be a huge change and a lot of work, but I am willing to maky myself happy in thenursing profession so i am gonna go for it! Best of luck to all of you who have found yourself in an unhappy work environment!

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I have been an RN for almost 4 years, and I would definitely quit or cut down if I could. I still have a student loan, and payments besides, so can't afford to take a drastic pay cut right now.

My main problems with nursing are 1/ how nurses treat eachother, 2/ how managers treat nurses, 3/ the hierarchical system and lack of respect, 4/ the shortage of nurses causing mandatory overtime and burnout.

I have recently given notice for my .6FTE position to return to prn work because I am facing mandatory OT every other weekend and probably more than that for the summer. Winter will be like summer used to be, and I am sure I will have no problem finding hours to work. Both of my jobs are operating with no extra staff to cover sick time, vacation and leaves of absence. The prn staff we have only work minimal hours or only one shift, so don't really help, some have one or two other jobs as well, so their availability is limited.

I truly wish I had gone into school for something else. I can't see staying at this for another 20 years or more.

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Specializes in LTC, Pediatrics.

Its nice to know I'm not alone... I graduated from LPN school in Jan, and there are many times I feel completely incompetent, and overwhelmed...

Thanks for helping me stick it out!

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I agree with almost all of the posts so far. I have been out of school for a year. and working as an RN almost 8 months. I work on an ortho/neuro unit. and I can't stand it. We are so understaffed it is unbelievable and i feel like I am not ready still for being on my own. I am only putting in my time on med/surg floor so that I can say I did it because I cannot wait until I am quit and do something I really like.

It is completely different from what I thought it was going to be like. I was so not ready for what I saw when I first started. At least I feel like I am not the only one going through this because I thought that I was weird.

Good luck to everyone!

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I've been working a year and a half and have thought about quitting myself. I don't know what else I would do besides nursing. At first I really enjoyed working and then reality set in. Long hours, sick patients, short staffing, the night shift, working weekends, managers, and the list goes on. Aside from all of these, I like the profession better than I thought I would when I was in nursing school. I'm not planning on giving up, but I am planning on chosing an area of nursing that best fits me and my personality. My advice to other newer RNs would be to give nursing a chance because there ARE so many different areas to specialize in and can find your niche.

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I have been a nurse for 2 months and I AM FREAKING! I am praying every single day that God will give me the power and the fortitude to stick it out, to learn what I can and to not give up. But it is truly a challenge! And I don't know whats worse... the stress that the patients and my preceptor puts on me.. or the stress that I put on myself!!!! I really don't know if bedside nursing is for me... but I have 10 months to go before I can eevn think of switching. I am a nervouse wreck and I don't know who to turn to. help!

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Specializes in MSICU starting PICU.

I have been a nurse for a year and the only way I got through my first year was by 1 learning to find one thing that I did well each day 2 finding an area to improve upon each week and evaluating how that was going on a regular basis with my preceptor and even other nursing friends 3 getting organized so even if i had a ton on my plate i had some sort of plan or method to the madness 4 being esp nice to the secretaries and assistants as they can really help you out in a pinch 5 ASKING QUESTIONS constantly that is the only way you will figure anything out and learn as much as you can. Find a buddy that you can vent to, but that can also support you! I know it is hard, my first year as a nurse i had moved 12 hours from home and started in the ICU so it was super overwelming but stay positive and realize once you have a year of experience the doors open. I found the MSICU did not make me happy so I am going to try the PICU and see if this is an area of nursing that i enjoy. Please hang in there! If i can be of any further assistance let me know :-)

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nursenpnk... thank you. I will take your advice to heart. I knew it would be hard.. I just didn't know it would be this hard.

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