Leaving a first job during orientation

[rosecm88, BSN]

I recently graduated in May and I accepted a job on a MedSurg Telemetry floor in October. I originally applied for a peds floor and I was told they no longer had positions open (even though there is one listed on the site now). I thought this would be a good experience to start off but since the moment I started orientation on nights I only heard bad things from all the nurses. Many are leaving or have already left. We're short staffed and the ratio is 1:8 for 2 nurses. During orientation I felt okay but I had a lot of help from my preceptor and now that I'm nearing the end of orientation I'm freaking out. My assistant nurse manager sat me down and told me I have a lot to work on as far as my flow and I have to get used to having no help because it's really just going to be me and another nurse at night. They're also already training me to be charge nurse since it can happen anytime I'm off orientation. I am going to speak to my educator about possibly extending my orientation since I don't feel ready at all to have 8 patients and after that talk with the assistant nurse manager I feel even worse. I have already started looking into jobs to apply for once I hit my 6 months but I'm scared I won't be able to make it until then and I just want to protect my license. This job just already has me feeling so anxious and I cry before every shift because I'm so stressed. I'm worried for my mental health and my ability to do this job. 

Thoughts? Any and all advice is welcome!

[InHisImage, BSN]

On 12/26/2022 at 9:44 PM, rosecm88 said:

I recently graduated in May and I accepted a job on a MedSurg Telemetry floor in October. I originally applied for a peds floor and I was told they no longer had positions open (even though there is one listed on the site now). I thought this would be a good experience to start off but since the moment I started orientation on nights I only heard bad things from all the nurses. Many are leaving or have already left. We're short staffed and the ratio is 1:8 for 2 nurses. During orientation I felt okay but I had a lot of help from my preceptor and now that I'm nearing the end of orientation I'm freaking out. My assistant nurse manager sat me down and told me I have a lot to work on as far as my flow and I have to get used to having no help because it's really just going to be me and another nurse at night. They're also already training me to be charge nurse since it can happen anytime I'm off orientation. I am going to speak to my educator about possibly extending my orientation since I don't feel ready at all to have 8 patients and after that talk with the assistant nurse manager I feel even worse. I have already started looking into jobs to apply for once I hit my 6 months but I'm scared I won't be able to make it until then and I just want to protect my license. This job just already has me feeling so anxious and I cry before every shift because I'm so stressed. I'm worried for my mental health and my ability to do this job. 

Thoughts? Any and all advice is welcome!

In general, 8 is a lot for anyone let alone a new grad just off orientation, especially with only one other nurse with you. If it were me, I’d keep looking for a different job and wouldn’t hesitate to leave during orientation if I got another offer.  I would caution, however, to be more careful in your selection of jobs in the future.  

[prayingmantis, ADN, BSN]

8 patients is way too many patients, even for seasoned nurses. I've been a nurse for 17 years and would refuse that patient load and look elsewhere. 

[Tomascz, ASN, RN]

You can not take care of 8 Med Surg pts at a time safely. They're in the hospital because they are acutely ill and they are not inherently stable. If one crashes, you might get lucky and do what's necessary to get backup and get the pt out of trouble but the more pts you have the less likely it will end well for either of you.

As far as "working on your flow"; that's rich unless she's talking about holding your pee. With 8 pts that's what you'll be doing.