How many new nurses are seriously thinking about quiting?

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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 MSICU starting PICU.

I KNOW nursing instructors DO NOT prepare you for your first year as a nurse. Unfortunately its a big slap in the face, but hopefully with some patience and determination we can take the sting away just a lil bit!

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Specializes in med-surg, ER.

I am just about to get out of orientation and start working on my own, so I haven't thought about quitting just yet. I had a dream about going to the US to work as a nurse, but this board has really opened my eyes. After taking one look at NANDA and reading comments here like "our nurse to patient ratio is 10:1, and hospital policy dictates we do a full head to toe assessment of all patients every thirty minutes" or some other ridiculous thing, I knew American health care is not the "business" i want to participate in, sorry to say. :o

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Specializes in ER, Med-Surg, EMS.

I've been a graduate since this May - licesnsed since August - all 7 of us graduates HATE nursing - and I've even worked as a Cardiac Tech in ICCU for 4 yrs and KNEW what I was getting into! Arrgggh!

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.
I've been a graduate since this May - licesnsed since August - all 7 of us graduates HATE nursing - and I've even worked as a Cardiac Tech in ICCU for 4 yrs and KNEW what I was getting into! Arrgggh!

Can you give us some specifics about why you feel that way?

Scary business since I am in my 3rd semester of an ADN program!!

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Specializes in ER, Med-Surg, EMS.

Sure! Never enuff staffing, 6+ patient assignments, mandating, 1/2 the time we don't even have 1 Nurses Aide on our 7p-7a shift! never being caught up! Computer charting thats WAY TOO time-consuming!

Its' crazy! We are SO disgusted and despite making $21.50/hr (which sounds like a LOT OF MONEY (and I guess it IS) its a really HARD job for what you make. Abusive patients, poor staffing, being being called-off when you REALLY NEED the extra staff.

Just crap like that!

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Specializes in RN- Med/surg.

I just get so confused when I read posts like these. I know in clinicals we only have 1-2 pts, but how do so many students NOT notice or question what's going on around them? I talked to every nurse I was assigned to. Every field/floor I did clinicals on...I asked loads of questions to find out what THEIR reality is. I originally went to school for OB...after many conversations with OB nurses...I realized it wasn't for me. I never imagined nursing would be easy...it never crossed my mind that I'd only have 1-2 pts so orientation isn't a surprise to me.

I go off orientation next week. The past week and a half though I've taken a pt load by myself on a med/surg floor. It's HARD, fast paced, and overwhelming. Often times I am stressed and occasionally near tears by the end of the shift....but I LOVE it. This is what I expected. I went into this with my eyes wide open...and have no plans to quit.

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Specializes in ER, Med-Surg, EMS.

I've worked in our hospital's ICCU for 5 yrs before getting my RN license. Yeah, I knew we are short on nurses all the time and have holes unfilled. However, what I didn't see was on the Med~Surg floor the combersome Affinity nursing charting software and staff constantly being HC'd when we could REALLY use them and never HAVING even 1 Nurses Aide on our busy Med Floor evenings and/or nights. It'd be nice to be able to take my 15 min break, etc. once in awhile.

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Specializes in Occupational Medicine, Orthopedics.

Okay. Take a deep breath. My new job, which is on sub-acute at a nursing home/sub-acute center is running at nurse to patient ratio 1:22.

CRAZY. That is the best word for how I feel. This seems to be a great place to learn as I go, but.....Wow! No time to think.

Am not sure about the long run, have to give it a little time.

Blue

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Specializes in Ortho, Case Management, blabla.

The thought of quitting crossed my mind quite a bit when I first went on my own. The last several weeks have been great. I think there is just that adjustment period. I'm sure I'll probably feel like quitting every now and then between now and eternity. However, nothing can compare to the stress of nursing school! At least I can walk out of work and relax a bit instead of studying for an exam or stressing about homework.

I had a bad patient load last week. I walked out of there, when I came back 12 hours later the nurse that had taken over confided she had one of those "in the bathroom crying" jags. I realized it wasn't just me! Thankfully I have supportive coworkers, and I've learned to be "on the ball" a bit more through the more experienced of the crew. I've learned to reach out to the helping hands that are offered if I need them, and learned to offer my hand if I see/sense a fellow nurse who needs it.

The only way I'll ever quit nursing is when the nursing board pries my license from my cold dead fingers (or if I win the lotto). Otherwise I'll just keep on truckin'. I used to work in carpentry prior to becoming an RN, and when things get bad, I just thank my lucky stars that I get to work indoors. For all the other times, it is useful just to vent...this website is good for that.

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i totaly agree with you. extern program is the best way of transition from being student nurse with help to a nurse who does it all. unfortunately i missed that part in my carrier and regret a lot. i have been nurse only for 4 monthes, but i compare myself with those who were extern on the floor before me. they are more comfortable with work load, they do the job faster, they know polices and procedures more than i do. bless those hearts who started extern program.

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Specializes in Cardiac Stepdown and CVSICU.
okay. take a deep breath. my new job, which is on sub-acute at a nursing home/sub-acute center is running at nurse to patient ratio 1:22.

crazy. that is the best word for how i feel. this seems to be a great place to learn as i go, but.....wow! no time to think.

am not sure about the long run, have to give it a little time.

blue

ok...i have been on my first nursing job for a little over 2 months, and i hate it. it is a "skilled nursing facility". my nurse to patient ratio is 1:20, we have no wound nurse, so along with passing meds to 20 patients in a 2 hour window, we have to dress, change and pack all wounds, along with the documentation. we have bolus tube feeding that have to also be done within the 2 hour period and since i work 7 to 3, it's the worse shift, because i also end up having to toilet people since i only have 2 cna's for my unit, and they barely have enough time to get all of the residents up and dressed by 9:30 am. i have tried talking to our don :trout: and nha :trout: but they said that if we don't get all those things done, you'll be "written up on disciplinary action" because the state has already fined them this year and they will have to show disciplinary actions as part of their plan of correction, but don't worry it doesn't mean anything. at this point, i am looking for another job, as i worked too hard for my license to lose it. after beginning there, i found that most new nurses don't stay more than 90 days. now i see why. so yes...i am definitely looking at quitting. :angryfire:angryfire:angryfire:angryfire

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Specializes in ER, Med-Surg, EMS.

Well, I have been on the Med Floor since graduating in May 2007. I also worked in our ICU for 4 yrs prior to becoming a RN, and was a EMT before that.

I have found it extremely hard to care for 6 Pts at a time working nights with NO Nurses Aide to help us, getting admissions, trying to do a very involved computer charting program, do care plans, etc. I don't' even take breaks or lunches it so bad. We always are short-staffed.

This AM I got written up for not completing my computer charting before I left, and because I didn't make an entry on 1 of my Pts in 3 hrs when I was sitting a non-compliant seizure Pt that was deaf and mute, no family to sign, and the interpreter already gone for the evening. I could not do a full Admission on her b/c I couldn't ASK someone who was Alert x0, sleeping, and deaf & mute ANYTHING!

It's sure a hard job. Eventually I plan my wife & I working our network marketing biz FT and retiring from nursing all together.

PS I was offered an ICU position and start that on Dec 8th 2007 and ma hoping that taking care of 1-2 Pts - albeit sicker patients will STILL be easier than 6 or 7!

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