Lost newish grad

[Name9335]

Hopefully my story does not have too many identifying details, but I am wondering if anyone else has gone through something similar to me? Sorry for the length in advance.

I am a new graduate RN. I graduated at the beginning of May with my BSN. All I ever dreamed of was hospital/med surg nursing..... possibly ICU eventually. The same day I passed NCLEX, I was offered a position on a neuro med-surg floor at a fairly well known hospital that I had interviewed at. I was THRILLED. I started that job about a month and a half later (I had to move and transfer my license, which took some time....), anyways, about two months into the position, i was starting to have management talk to me about some concerns that they had that I was not really progressing as fast as they would like/need for me to go. These went on for about another month, with me trying to fix what they were asking as hard as I could, but alas, eventually we came to the conclusion that this was not the best floor for me to start my career with. The acuity was way too high. I was discouraged/frustrated/angry, ect..... but I decided to apply to the hospital across town.

That hospital was smaller and had more of a general med surg position available. I interviewed, loved the managers and shortly afterwards, got my new job. I was super excited as this position was going to allow me to learn a few more skills than the last place (IV starts, central lines, ect....) Things were going great! at first...... but shortly after my first review (about a month in), preceptors and management were again beginning to bring up some of the same concerns that the last place did. I was angry, heartbroken, ect, but I again put my head down and threw my self 200% into the job to try to fix their concerns. Again, it was not enough, and I again had to resign from my second position in order to avoid termination.

At this point, I am numb, angry, scared, frustrated, and probably a whole host of other emotions. It seems as though at this point, I will not be able to handle hospital nursing which hurts sooooo bad. That is all I ever wanted to do, and honestly the pain that nursing has brought to me these last few short months has made me consider walking from the profession completely. But I LOVE nursing. I honestly don't know where to turn. Currently I am also working PRN at a nursing home, but am looking for other possible areas. I don't know where else to go. Nothing else really interests me, although I have looked into possibly infusion nursing, but I don't know enough about it.

[lolis]

OP,

Essentially you were placed in a situation that your inadequate clinical training failed to prepare you for. Not every nursing school is the same, and not every clinical training experience is of equal quality. didn't you post that you had poor clinical training?

So ultimately both hospitals failed you by placing you in a position that they should have known you did not have adequate training for.

If you read dozens of posts about essentially this issue of nursing school lack of preparation, you come to the conclusion that only the very brightest, most motivated, quickest on their feet, and (usually) extroverted new grads find a way to progress at a rate their hospital considers acceptable.

That is why new grad residencies have become the recommended bridge from nursing school to acute nursing practice. Unfortunately the vast majority of hospitals/hospital systems do not offer residency programs. Instead, they hire underprepared new grads anyway, knowing that one in two or one in three will actually work out in those cases where the hospital's orientation is wholly inadequate. Jump into the deep water before you're ready, and if you don't need to be rescued, great, if you do, well, they consider that acceptable collateral damage.

[CorCordium]

My orientation was only 8 weeks, but I had a great preceptor. Do you think your preceptors were part of the problem? One of the things my preceptor did was give me a time/goal when my morning assessment, med pass, and charting needed to be done. This was the goal, but obviously things can happen and things may not get done in the time we wanted. She also told me patient safety comes first and never rush during med passes even if I am behind in our time goal. I don't always reach out time goal, but it is nice to have something to reach. I know that if reach or close to that time my time management is where it needs to be for the day.

One of the other advice that she gave me is to anticipate things like discharges, if report/MD notes point to a person being discharged anticipate that and work around that person being discharged and having an admission.

Also don't be afraid to ask questions. I know you said you don't really have many questions to ask, but just think of something your feel uncomfortable about and something will come up. You're new so you have plenty to learn. I am only 1 month post orientation and I still feel very overwhelmed at times, but I stick to the advice my preceptor has given me.