I just graduated in December- It's been about a month that I have been off orientation, and I feel miserable. Even the thought of going to work makes me depressed. I am currently on a med-surg unit. Before I became a nurse I worked in an emergency room at a different hospital as an ER tech. However, I wanted to start off in med-surg before going to the ER....and now I'm miserable!
What makes it so miserable?
I feel soooo stupid at times when nurses ask me questions during report...and I don't have an answer. I have to tell them, I apologize, I didn't do that. Some get all mad, and tell me to do it before I leave....and it's already late as it is.
The charge nurses keep pressuring me to leave "on time" (supposed to get off at 7pm and leave by at the latest 730) but I never do! I haven't gotten the time mgmt down, usually I'm running around all day that sometimes I just can't get my charting in until late.
When I was hired, the charge nurses explained to me that I would have someone I could use as resource, but usually that nurse is too busy to help me, or we are so understaffed, that I don't even have a resource person.
Those are the main reasons why....but mostly because I just feel so, inadequate. I'm tired of saying sorry...I'm tired of looking like the lost little puppy crying for help...
I usually have six patients...and some days the entire group is just....difficult.
I'm great doing skills from my experience in the ER, but I really haven't developed my critical thinking skills yet!
It's not that I don't want to, I do. It just seems so busy at times that I just can't sit down and think everything out.
One day I just broke down to the charge nurse b/c I was drowning with things that needed to get done.....
I'm really thinking about going back "home" to the ER as an RN...I know everyone there, and I KNOW people won't treat me like they do on this floor.
Just a couple of questions?
Do you guys think this would be a good idea? And what can I do...until I do leave to maybe, hopefully, get rid of this feeling of "misery"? And are there any resources that I can read/use/practice to develop my critical thinking skills?
WOW, it sounds like the old battle axes are having a great game of "lets make the new grad cry" Usually the docs are the experts at this game but nurses can play too! The only way to win is not to play by thier rules. When someone askes me a question in report I can't answer I usually tell them it wasn't something I needed to know and if they are concerned about it I'm sure they can look it up AFTER report. Make them feel like the idiot for asking for such an unimportant piece of information and interupting report. Under no circumstances let them see you cry- it's just like blood in the water for sharks. Confidence can be faked until time provides for the real thing.
Hi Miserable New Grad. It might be the floor you are on. Med-Surg works for some people, but not everyone. I did my clinical rotation on a Med-Surg floor last year and totally did not like it. I have found this year, I love the OR. Some say 'you can't do this floor or that floor unless you've been here first.' I can see some merit in that, BUT more and more new nurses are getting away from that old standard. If you like the ER, I say just go to the ER. Do what you like and the skills will come to you. One of my friends just graduated a few months ago and went right into the ER. She had NO previous ER experience. She is very happy and loves it. Good luck!!
I just graduated in December- It's been about a month that I have been off orientation, and I feel miserable. Even the thought of going to work makes me depressed. I am currently on a med-surg unit. Before I became a nurse I worked in an emergency room at a different hospital as an ER tech. However, I wanted to start off in med-surg before going to the ER....and now I'm miserable!
What makes it so miserable?
I feel soooo stupid at times when nurses ask me questions during report...and I don't have an answer. I have to tell them, I apologize, I didn't do that. Some get all mad, and tell me to do it before I leave....and it's already late as it is.
The charge nurses keep pressuring me to leave "on time" (supposed to get off at 7pm and leave by at the latest 730) but I never do! I haven't gotten the time mgmt down, usually I'm running around all day that sometimes I just can't get my charting in until late.
When I was hired, the charge nurses explained to me that I would have someone I could use as resource, but usually that nurse is too busy to help me, or we are so understaffed, that I don't even have a resource person.
Those are the main reasons why....but mostly because I just feel so, inadequate. I'm tired of saying sorry...I'm tired of looking like the lost little puppy crying for help...
I usually have six patients...and some days the entire group is just....difficult.
I'm great doing skills from my experience in the ER, but I really haven't developed my critical thinking skills yet!
It's not that I don't want to, I do. It just seems so busy at times that I just can't sit down and think everything out.
One day I just broke down to the charge nurse b/c I was drowning with things that needed to get done.....
I'm really thinking about going back "home" to the ER as an RN...I know everyone there, and I KNOW people won't treat me like they do on this floor.
Just a couple of questions?
Do you guys think this would be a good idea? And what can I do...until I do leave to maybe, hopefully, get rid of this feeling of "misery"? And are there any resources that I can read/use/practice to develop my critical thinking skills?
Thanks so much!!!:)
This is IDENTICAL to what I'm going through right now. It's like you took a page out of my life and wrote it in your post! I never knew I could cry so much as I've had the past couple of months. I too am a December '07 grad and I feel sooo stupid! I feel that there has to be a reason why I made it through nursing school. My preceptor is good, but she's so busy too that she can't really take the time to show me a lot of the "backstage" stuff. I completely understand because she's not supposed to be babysitting me anyway. I mostly just observe and shadow her and help her out when she needs to give meds to a pt, translate to a Spanish-speaking only pt, or certain little things. I'm just now getting used to the calling-the-docs thing. I can't really chart, so I'm picking up pointers on what my preceptors do. I'm scared, though, because like you, I have yet to develop my critical thinking skills. It is sooo frustrating! I know I'm not as stupid as I feel, but I can't help getting in my car, trying my hardest to hold in my tears, get to my house, run to my room and cry like a little baby. I never knew it would be this hard! I thought that a cardiac/surgical unit would be a little bit easier than an "actual" med-surg floor. *sigh* I was very wrong.
It is sooo frustrating! I know I'm not as stupid as I feel, but I can't help getting in my car, trying my hardest to hold in my tears, get to my house, run to my room and cry like a little baby. 
I never knew it would be this hard! I thought that a cardiac/surgical unit would be a little bit easier than an "actual" med-surg floor. *sigh* I was very wrong.
suanna
1,549 Posts
WOW, it sounds like the old battle axes are having a great game of "lets make the new grad cry" Usually the docs are the experts at this game but nurses can play too! The only way to win is not to play by thier rules. When someone askes me a question in report I can't answer I usually tell them it wasn't something I needed to know and if they are concerned about it I'm sure they can look it up AFTER report. Make them feel like the idiot for asking for such an unimportant piece of information and interupting report. Under no circumstances let them see you cry- it's just like blood in the water for sharks. Confidence can be faked until time provides for the real thing.