I don't know if it was worth becoming a nurse

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I know this has been a topic probably a hundred times by now but here's my story:

I went to school for three and a half years. The entire time I went I was wondering if it would be worth being a nurse. Students seemed click-ish at best and drunkards at worst. I couldn't handle working and getting my BSN (which I've been told multiple times was not worth it by colleges at my current job) at the same time so I didn't ever become a CNA.

I passed my boards and got a job but that's all it feels like right now is a job.

I'm miserable. I've only worked three months and that's the sum of my nursing "career" right now. I've been written up twice now-and you can only have six write ups and then it's bye-bye newbie, once for a mistake several people made (and didn't get written up for like me). We have a brand new director who is intimidating and continues to change things that I learned at orientation constantly. I feel like my training was invalid. I don't feel valued, and I'm not getting paid what I should be for what I do and I've been told several times that I will never get a raise there. I work nights, and sometimes I'm so exhausted I can't even take the 45 minute drive home. I've had such awful nights for about a month now.

Is it just where I'm working? Or will this be anywhere I go?

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

I am not sure why you posted this in Nurses in Recovery - But yes it does get better. Three months is not enough time to judge if this is the right career for you. If you are working night which I did for years you have to adopt a similar sleep schedule on your off days as you do on the days you work - this will allow your body clock to adjust and help you get good rest when you are sleeping. I work mid-shift and am generally home by midnight but am never asleep before 2 am even on days I don't work. That means I sleep until 10 am daily. Still plenty of time for family, friends and errands on my days off. IF you have been written up - don't focus on the fact that others did the same thing and were not written up. First off you may not know if they were disciplined. Focus instead on how you do things and what led to the mistake. Fix your process to minimize mistakes and always take ownership/ responsibility for mistakes you make. that's how you show an employer you have professional integrity. Once you have a system that prevents mistakes follow it the same way every time. I have been doing my med-pass the exact same way for 15 years and have made 4 medication errors in my career. They are all seared in my memory and all from me trying to cut a corner in my process.

This thread will probably be moved to a more appropriate section of the board but wanted to answer.

PS don't listen to or participate in gossip. My daddy used to say that "You wouldn't worry so much about what people thought of you if you realized how rarely they did."

Hppy

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Specializes in Step Down, Cath Lab, Health Coach, Education.

Hi Snow, I feel your pain. It happened to me too. And I worked day shifts for 8 months in a Step Down unit. Nursing is not what it used to be. Nurse to patient ratio, management, patient satisfaction. No respect or value for nurses. I feel the exact same way you do. Very disappointed. I have an opportunity to work doing home health assessment for an insurance company. I will miss patient care and skills. But I was sooooo sick all the time, my husband said I was miserable and I was another person while on the floor. I don't have an answer for you. But just know you are not alone.

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.

Something similar happened to me too - with me it was a crazy unit I worked at our local teaching hospital. I worked 5 months before I left - just couldn't take it another day.

I cried in the parking lot almost every am before work and then again on the way home.

Good luck!

Anne, RNC

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Specializes in Step Down, Cath Lab, Health Coach, Education.

Hi sissiesmama what did you do after that first experience? Did you find something else you liked?

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.
Hi sissiesmama what did you do after that first experience? Did you find something else you liked?

Hi! Thankfully, yes. I was terrified to apply to another med surg unit but I took a job at a different hospital a little closer to home. That facility was awesome, and I worked that med surg unit for over 9 years and quit because I was getting married and moving.

The worst day I can remember was seeing a pt that had AIDS rel dementia (I think that was the dx) pull out his foley, CVL and Dobhoff tube and throw it out the window into the parking lot 4 floors down. (He tried to fit his IVAC out too but it wouldn't fit)

He came staggering out into the hall bleeding from his CVL site waving the IV pole at us. One of the residents and security lassoed him with a flat sheet.

I had nightmares about that for a week!

Anne, RNC

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Specializes in ER, ICU.

Hang in there. Commit to a year in your job, and doing a good job at that. Towards the end of the year, investigate other jobs. You should be able to find a place where you are happier. Don't forget there are a hundred nursing jobs, clinic, travel, public health, and so on. Look at all the categories on this site. Good luck.

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

Hopefully a moderator will move to general nursing forum, and you will possibly get more wonderful replies, as above have given you.

best wishes

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Moved to First Year After Licensure forum.

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