Lost new grad pediatric nurse

[ehauser]

Hi guys. I became a nurse January 2017 and have been working in my current job since then. I am a float nurse at a pediatric hospital in my area.

I have very bad anxiety as is, but floating makes it 100x worse. I have no idea what I'm walking into when I go to work, and I am sometimes floated 3-4 times in one night (and I'm not paid any more for being a float)

I am so beside myself and depressed and I don't know what to do. I have knots in my stomach before work everyday. I am so terrified of making a mistake. I feel like I only know a little bit about each floor, but I don't know a lot about anything.

The part I'm thankful for is that I've gotten to experience every floor at my hospital so I have a better idea of what I like and don't like. I've been considering NICU... I float there now, but as a float I only get the easy, stable babies. Part of me thinks if I became a NICU nurse and had the 6+ months of orientation that they have, I'd be much more confident. But I'm just so unsure of everything

if if anyone can offer me any advice, or any peds nurses have anything to say, I would greatly appreciate it. Right now, I'm so depressed and I don't know if it's nursing in general, or just not being comfortable in a certain setting.

Also - is nursing a realistic career for someone with bad anxiety? Is there a way to overcome this?

[Guest374845]

Where I work, new grads aren't allowed to float until several months after their orientation is complete.

I think your anxiety is warranted... I'm honestly just surprised your facility would hire you right into that position.

The silver lining is you've seen a bunch of units, so you have a general idea of your likes and dislikes as well as unit cultures. If one of them is better than the rest (like NICU), apply in heartbeat. Your confidence is lacking because you have been given zero foundation to float from.

[CoffeeYogaNurse]

Is there any way you could get a position on a certain unit and not float any more? I suspect part of your anxiety may be that it's hard to feel like you have backup, that you're part of a team, when you float every night. If I were you I'd talk to HR or whomever you report to and ask for a full time position on a particular floor. If that's not possible apply to other hospitals. Good luck!!

[jennylee321]

Can you hang in for 2 more months ? If you can it will look better on a resume. Yes I think that if you weren't floating all the time it would help with your anxiety. I'd advise applying to any floors that you currently enjoy floating to, you mentioned you like nicu and they have a good orientation period.

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

Floating is miserable. There's a reason it has such a reputation for being miserable amongst nurses, and it's all the things you've said.

My advice to you is to look at what you're doing now as your sample pack. Sample all of the units. Make friends and connections. Get feelers for people leaving, retiring, going back to school (ie, opening positions). When those things happen on the units you like, talk to the manager to express your interest. In the mean time, maintain a positive attitude and be helpful. Learn all that you can. Ask thoughtful questions. Be interested. Be the nurse these units will want to hire.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

You have received very good advice. I floated, with years of experience, and found it difficult.

There is no way, I would change my assignment 3-4 times in a shift. Refuse. That is unsafe patient care. Take your refusal up the chain of command.