Is it just me?

[Diva Nurse Dani]

Ok, so I am a new nurse (I know, you've heard that before) of 7 months on and oncology/med-surg floor. I love my patients, and well some of my co-workers. But I am starting to wonder if maybe I just don't want to do this anymore. Let me explain.

I have the same complaints many others have...long hours, hard to work with PCA/CNA, heavy load of patients from beginning to end, etc. I work woth adults and I'm tired of doing my work and the work of the PCA/CNA. I don't mind helping when I can, but come on already. :angryfire Oops, let me focus. I am not sure I want to continue working with 200-300 lb. patients that medically are heavy, then heavy physically. I get chewed out by families, doctors, heck the housekeepers are probably mad at me on some days!! Anyhoo, I am really having something inside say that there has to be more to this nursing thing, but how do I find that?

Some of my friends (other newbies) told me to just get through my 1st year, then decide if I want to go elsewhere. Ok, I hear that. But I thought oncology was that place. Now, I'm not so sure.

Is something wrong with me? Has anyone else felt this way? Maybe I'm just reacting to current situations. I don't look forward to going to work anymore. I go to work because I have to, and because I hope that today will be different. I like that I have other newbies with me (we comfort one another) But they all feel the same way.

HELP!!!!

[kat911]

Like others have said, fininsh up your first year then try some other areas. Find out what you do best and what you like most about Nursing. Then find your niche. I have worked many different areas over the years and have no regrets. I am getting ready to change jobs again. After 28 yrs still look forward to new opportunities. You don't have to have just one area you like, you may want to try different things over the years. There are so many opportunities for nurses and more will develop over the next 10-20 years. Think of the possiblilites!!

[nursedawn67, LPN]

Oh gosh I hear that so much from new nurses, so you are not alone. Give it time, and then if you don't like it try another area of nursing, like someone else said there are SO many nursing opportunities, you'll find one that suits you well. Good Luck! :)

[seeandwhy]

I started to work in an Acute Med-Surg, the nurse-patient ratio are high, patient acuities are high, so many doctors to deal with not to mention there are 7 multi-disciplinary teams that cover the patients, plus student doctors, too many people come to visit the patient and most of the time our patients were super demanding treating the nurses like maids, etc, etc. Having 6 heavy patients are absolutely not easy. Most of those time, I went home hungry and frustrated because I didn't had time for a break and my back was aching. I also remember those days that my tears were rolling down my cheeks as I drive home because I felt so guilty and frustrated knowing that I didn't give the best nursing care because I do not anymore have time and that I could had done better. Since childhood,there was nothing else that I wanted to be than to become a nurse. Nursing for me is a calling and a vocation.... After years in Med-Surg, I moved out. I love to work extra hours in different floors like Psych, Med-Surg Onco, Rehab so that I keep my med-surg skills but there is no better place to work than the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. It is so different that it seems like the floor has its own language. We give stem cell transplant/ bone marrow transplant/ cord blood transplant.Patients ratio are very good, 1:2 the most is 1:3 but that is rare. Most patients are very pleasant and full of hope and I got the chance to be part of somebody else's life as he/she struggles and overcomes his/her illness. These patients stay on the floor for 3 weeks at least sometimes months. And after discharge, they still need to go to the clinic for follow-up and when they get sick and needed admission, they will come back to the floor (since they can't go to the ER due to neutropenia unless there is no other choice). Infection control is a serious business here for example: handwashing is strictly implemented. Here, I have time to give my best and I have time for my self, too. The Bone Marrow Transplant Unit is unique and incomparable. I believe that this is the floor where the "IDEAL nursing care" that is sometimes compromised is just a common ordinary and routine practice of a BMT nurse.

[Diva Nurse Dani]

Wow!!! Thanks everyone!

I really needed to hear these things, especially today. I left school, went to work begrudgingly, and half talked to my manager about my feelings on some of the serious situations that have happened to me while on the floor. I wanted to scream at her "I don't want to do this anymore!! I am so unhappy, and I can't even give you a good reason why except THESE PEOPLE ARE CRAZY!!!" :trout: But I didn't:nono:

I made up my mind to give it a year before I make any kind of decision. But I have considered changing shifts to the night shift. I don't know. I'll think on that one.

Oh, by the way...Cameron 67...cute puppy!!!!

Any-hoo, thanks everbody!! I really appreciate your words of encouragement and support!!! It really means alot to me that others can share their experiences so that I can make it another day as a nurse!!

I'll keep you all posted!