Job jumping the first year..cant find a fit! Help!

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ok, i am so stressed out!!!:cry: i have been a rn for a little over a year, (i graduated with an associates), and i have worked in 6 jobs now. lets see, or, burn icu, trauma/surg floor, brieeeeffflly dialysis, foot care (eww), and my latest...i lasted a whole week in home health. i have pretty much been upset this entire year trying to find whatever it is that fits me. havent found it yet. i get to feeling so overwhelmed either by the job itself or the hours worked. i have questioned continuing as a nurse. however, i know i want to be a nurse...then why do i hate every job that i take. this last one..the home health was because of the lack of pay and the not so helpful staff. anyone have any thoughts out there? tips? i just dont know where to go now that i have quit my last job! sigh....:crying2::banghead:

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Specializes in Cardiac.

It's normal to feel overwhelmed in your first year of nursing. The key is to overcome it. Each new job is going to add a new level of stress to your life.

I hated my first year as well. But I stuck with it. And now, it isn't so bad. But, bedside nursing will always be bedside nursing.

Give yourself more time than a week to see if you really hate the job before you leave. Otherwise, people may not want to start hiring you.

Now that you are looking again, have you thought of clinic work?

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I know that job jumping is adding to my inability to be hired. I panic and quit is my problem. I have tried to get hired at drs office but havent been able to get a job doing that. I probably am going to have a very hard time getting a job again. sigh...

I have tried to get hired at a surgery center, as surgery and procedures really interest me but without the experience they wont hire...

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when you did rotations, did any specialty strike a cord with you?

look into administration

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I like procedures and stuff like that. Floor nursing is too much for me. I have tried to get on at surgical places but no luck.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

What about PACU?

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I think I would really like that but cant get hired. I had an interview last week with a surgery place but who knows. I get interviews and then dont get hired probably because of my job jumping. So, I end up taking the first position I can find because I get desperate...then I hate it and quit. I would love to work pacu or surgery center or some type of procedure clinic.

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Specializes in Labor & Delivery.

I have posted a similar story in the ob/gyn thread about job hoping and usually respond to others post when they have a similar story. One thing that has helped me tremendously is finding this website. I thought I was possibly the ONLY one who could'nt find a "fit" after nursing school. However there are so many other new nurses like us out there!! I've been a nurse for two years and have just started my 4th job. I did explain my circumstances for leaving the other three positions. I have extenuating family circumstances that played into my ability to work. I spent 10 months in an L&D unit on nights, then 5 months in a different hospital, in the family birth center, to go to dayshift....but the nurse to pt ration was horrendous there....so then spent 5 months at my county health dept. as a women's health nurse. That was a great position but because of family issues I had difficulty doing Mon.-Fri everyweek. BTW you might look into your local health dept. I really did like the job alot. I do realize now that no job is perfect and you don't gain credibility as a knowledgable nurse until you have time under your belt, so this will be my last move for a while. I will now be PRN at a small rural hospital doing L&D, PP and nursery. I'll just have to love what I love about it and learn to live with the rest! It's not easy entering the nursing proffesion even as an "older" new nurse. At 35 I thought it would be a easier transition...but sometimes we are also our own worst critics. I hope all goes well for you! :typing

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I am so glad that I am not alone. I have GOT to make myself stay in a position. This last one, however, had nothing to offer to be honest. I took it to get out of digging crud from thick diabetic toenails. The burn unit was the longest I stayed (other than being a nurse tech) and that was only 4 months. However, the staff was soooo unsupportive. My preceptor spent all of her time texting and talking rather than helping. I actually had a charge nurse state in the middle of the hallway one night that"I was not ready for nursing" to all of the other nurses....just because I asked a couple of questions. She totally blew everything out of proportion. I tried to talk to my manager and got 4 weeks to straighten up so to speak or get out. I had to sign a "discipline form" ...all for asking for more help. So, I quit. I tried a trauma/surg floor for 3 weeks and taking 8 -9 pts scared the crud out of me. Quit that and went to a dialysis place. The 4 10 hr shifts per week were closer to 12 AND my daughter was having some serious health issues and I had to miss a couple of times. They were not willing to work with me...my daughter comes first. Then I took this foot care job and 2 months of bending over toes was giving me migraines every day and the company did not pay mileage. We drove everywhere! I took the home health position and lasted one week. The one day of training was great! NOT! They talked about me because I asked questions. 2x I caught the manager talking about me...saying what is wrong with her? Anyways....I pray that I will find something and can stay with it for ONE year!

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