I am over IT

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Aug 22, 2017

Nursing school is brutal. You have great emotional strength to succeed.

Your nursing career will be much more stressful than nursing school.

Have you been diagnosed with depression? If so, you need to discuss your symptoms with your provider.

If not... get a professional opinion regarding your symptoms. Move forward with a plan to deal .

Best wishes, I have a feeling you can do this.

Everline · Aug 22, 2017

I was stressed in nursing school. I was much more stressed when I started working as a nurse. Just being honest. YMMV. Some people might think it's all a piece of cake. If you tend toward depression and/or anxiety now is a good time to find ways to deal with it and make it better. Don't hesitate to seek help if you need it.

Castiela · Aug 22, 2017

They each have their own stresses. You do not have homework once you are a nurse which is great and less stress, but you are now responsible for patients of your own which is often very stressful when you first start. Do you have the option of taking a bit of time off between graduating and starting work? I had a few friends who did it to take care of themselves and felt rejuvenated by the time they started back.

I recommend finding strategies to take care of yourself. A lot of people meditate or exercise But it can really be anything.

Cat365 · Aug 22, 2017

School is stressful. Reward yourself with a break after it. I spent two weeks working the minimum amount allowed and doing nothing else productive. If you can afford a vacation take it.

I was lucky enough to be in an area that needs nurses. Once I passed the NCLEX I looked around for a job that supported new nurses and fit my personality. I still almost quit during orientation. It does get better though. One thing I did resolve was no overtime for the first several months after orientation. Then only one shift per pay period. I know that helped with my stress level.

cayenne06, MSN, CNM · Aug 22, 2017

School is way more stressful than working as a nurse, IMO. Being a student in a clinical setting is *rough.* I found it very stressful and draining.

But nursing is stressful as well.

pixierose, BSN, RN · Aug 22, 2017

The pp's stated it well.

I think I was more stressed out in nursing school.

It's a different kind of stress now. The "oh gosh I hope I don't kill you" kind of stress, lol. I go home and read up on things, yes. But my weekends aren't spent with me at the dining room table studying my orifice off or checking off care plans completed.

Now every other weekend is spent being short staffed with anywhere from 6-8 patients. So definitely a new kind of stress.

Hang in there. I suggest, if you can, to try to take some time off between graduation and employment. The time I had between graduation, taking/passing NCLEX, and starting my job was 2 months and that was actually a nice refresher for me; that might be all you need.

Agatha12 · Aug 22, 2017

When I was at university I was stressed with exams, placements and everything really as I am very competetive person. When I started my first nursing job then I realised that it is even more stressful but at least there is no more exams which was relief for my competetive nature. However after changing from the floor to PACU I reduces my stress by 99%. I dont know what to advise but you will find your speciality in nursing that will make you comfortable but give it the time. Consider to take course of medication for your depression. It helps.

Zyprexa · Aug 23, 2017

(Warning: My Subjective Experience)

In my experience, being a nurse is WAYYYY worse than being a nursing student. As a student, you have very little responsibility. Your only job is to learn to be a nurse. When you're a nurse, you're responsible for everything that goes on with the patient, every department's problem is your problem and affects the care you give to patients. If dietary screws up, nursing gets blamed (by the patients). If housekeeping misses a spot on the floor, nursing is blamed. If the MD doesn't order the patient's Methadone right away, nursing gets blamed (and has to deal with the patient's meltdown/temper tantrum). I feel exhausted and drained all the time, and my social life isn't great. I've decided to move on from nursing to another career. However, most of my graduating class LOVES being a nurse, and they hated nursing school! It's not the same for everyone, so don't lose hope.

Have you been officially diagnosed with depression? While things like prayer, church, being active outdoors, and eating/sleeping well are all important aspects of mental health...it is also important to be evaluated by a medical professional to discuss your symptoms and see if anything else may be going on. If you already see a mental health professional, I would make an appointment to let them know how you've been feeling. Best of luck!

allnurses Guide · Aug 23, 2017

Nursing school was extremely stressful. Finishing nursing school is stressful, too. It manifests in different ways, I think, but once your mind isnt' bogged down with the day to day anxiety of schedules, deadlines, finals etc what follows can be almost overwhelming, because now it's real. After a while things will right themselves.

If you've already been diagnosed with depression, you're not bouncing back, you should continue to be involved with your church, you can also add a visit to the provider who prescribed your medications.

Somewhat off-topic, I remember an article about what it's like to live through a staff job with a political campaign, the losing side would experience let-down and depression, but the winning side did, too.

Way too soon to bail! All the best to you!

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Aug 23, 2017

They both have their own stresses, in my opinion.

In school, you have an instructor grilling you; working, you don't have that instructor to guide you, if your answers are incorrect. In school you're expected to know everything by heart; working, if you forget something about a med or condition you can easily look it up. In school you have less responsibility, but have homework and studying; working, you are done when your shift is over.

Some practices that I have adopted to make life easier:

1) You have time to pee. Unless a pt is coding or hemorrhaging, pts (or MDs or other professionals) can wait 2 minutes.

2) if a pt is upset about the food, I give them their phone and the number to the kitchen. Nutrition services is NOT the nurse's job -- it's the dietary dept's job. If the pt's arms and voice work, they are capable of calling, and there is ZERO reason the nurse needs to do it.

3) I will stay late to document necessary information -- I will NOT stay late to double document. If a pt was stable through the shift and all pertinent info is charted on my nursing assessment, I won't repeat that same info in a note. (I do if I have time during the shift, just won't stay late to do it.)

4) When interviewing, I ask under what circumstances they consider mandatory OT acceptable. Good answer: "natural disasters or mass casualty situation." Bad answer: "if we get a sick call and can't find anyone." That is a bad answer because it's THEIR JOB to staff the unit.

5) Similarly, I ask what they have done to increase pt satisfaction. Good answer: "We focus on excellent and evidence based nursing care. You are professionals, and we trust you to also practice compassionate care." Another decent answer: "We have increased staffing." Bad answer: Scripting, stocking cookie dough to be baked by the nurses, having every staff member ask the pt if s/he is in pain (by every staff member I mean housekeeping, etc.), requiring the nurses to provide hand massages....... ......... or any other such "pt says jump, nurse asks how high" kind of nonsense. (Those examples btw, are things I have read on this site.)