6 mos. now, ready to give it up!

RedhairedNurse, BSN, RN · Jan 12, 2009

I think you should request a transfer. Life is too short to be miserable.

With my employer, we can transfer after 6 months. Just do it! Go

some where happy, like mother baby or something. I'm thinking about

that myself after I get a year of medsurg.

I understand that it gets frustrating to see diseases that can be preventable.

It's just so sad. My husband gets on to me sometimes

when I fuss about obesity and the way people let themselves go.

He'll tell me that they probably have problems that we may not

know about. But still, it's just so hard when people abuse their

bodies so bad and we as nurses have to work so hard to care

for them.

cook1043 · Jan 14, 2009

Every nursing position has its ups and downs. It will get easier, but if you do not love telemetry, you should transfer, I would wait a year though.

Debra ACRN · Jan 14, 2009

I think your patients deserve an empathetic nurse who honors their journey. If you can't do that, you need to find a place where you can. I personally couldn't stand labor and delivery..........it just wasn't a place where I could stretch my nurses wings and do good. I now take care of patients with HIV.........my calling. I'm sure you can find yours. Debra

NeBin · Jan 14, 2009

Hearing your point of view gives me some perspectives... I too have just been hired for a temeletry position... but can't see myself working on such a unit. I sign papers next week although hesitant to take the position. I only took it because its been so hard to find a job as a new grad I became desperate. No offense but I see my future in your shoes... I'm stuck in a pickle. Although I'm afraid if I don't take the position I'll be stuck Job hunting for another 6 months!! I really don't want to start my career being miserable as well....

mcknis · Jan 14, 2009

i currently work on a tele unit and love it. problem is we are typically staffed 1:6 or 1:7. the days i have 5 pts are horrible (usually) because of acuity levels. I hate to take a 7th admit cuz of safety, but when you have to, then i will. i do admit I don't see myself working on this unit forever, but will probably leave in about 6 more months (rounds out 1 yr).

ellie96 · Jan 16, 2009

I'm also a new grad, May '08. I've been working on med/surg where I had been working as a CNA for 4 years. Everyone is supportive and helpful, but it's such a busy floor, everything from ortho to gastric bypass. Most days I feel like I'm running around in circles with one foot nailed to the floor. I have indicated to the manager that I really like the ortho patients, I'm interested in the progress that patient's make after knee/hip replacement, but I rarely get placed in that area! I feel like some days I can't remember all of the "potential complications" associated with some of the disease processes! Especially if I have 5 patients all with different admitting diagnoses!! I've convinced myself that I need to tough it out until June, it will be one year, then move on. I want to specialize in something and be really good at it. Doesn't everyone? :wink2:

One of the most frustrating parts of my day, as with most nurses, is tracking down doctors. I waste a tremendous amount of time figuring out if the patient is covered by the hospitalist, the resident, or specialty and then find a list and then find out if they are even on that day, who is covering for them, etc etc etc...oh, and yes, I've been yelled at by a hospitalist because another one was listed as being "on" that day and she couldn't understand why I was talking to another hospitalist about "her patient".... :madface:

Enough ranting...just feels good to get it out in print!

I'm 43 years old and I just want to be in a job that I enjoy going to everyday. Is that too much to ask?

M.

Galore · Jan 16, 2009

Go
some where happy, like mother baby or something. I'm thinking about
that myself after I get a year of medsurg.

Sort of off topic, but this caught my eye. If mother baby is your calling then go for it, but if you're just looking for a "happy" unit I don't think such a thing exists, all specialties have their pros and cons. I don't work in mother baby but do work in the NICU, and there is just as much to be judgemental about in that area as there is in adult practice. Sometimes it's even worse, because the babies have no choice about some of the poor choices their mothers made, such as drug addiction or not getting any prenatal care, or mothers that will return to jail after delivery.

To the original poster, I can empathize with your frustrations. We did a lot of clinicals in med-surg and that's where I did my practicum. I too had a difficult time figuring out which doctor to call and some days it was hard just keeping my patients and their diagnoses straight when you are caring for so many. I know it's easy to say life is too short to stay in a job you hate, but it's also only realistic to consider that many hospitals are doing hiring freezes and you need to pay your bills. Certainly it wouldn't hurt to at least consider transferring to another unit if that's possible though. I hope you can find something you enjoy.

marilynmom, LPN, NP · Jan 17, 2009

Look for something else! I was able to easily find another job, but I guess that depends on the economy where your at and stuff. There are no hiring freezes or anything like that around here.

I started by just looking at jobs online at the hospitals in my area and applied that way. I looked back to where I did my clinicals and which ones I liked, seemed less stressful, etc.

I hit my 6 month mark where I was and left for something less stressful (and ended up paying me more). I'm doing a night job in a adolescent psych building (it's part of a hospital but it's own building across town). It's interesting and easy and I'm getting paid more to do it. Even when I go to days, it will not be hard like the hospital was, not even close.

I like the 8 hour shifts (thought I loved 12's but 8 hour days don't suck your whole day down the toilet and I'm not as tired).

I am SO GLAD I left the stress of the hospital! I don't have plans to go back either....

KalipsoRed · Jan 18, 2009

I work on a telemetry unit and am a new nurse. I felt as stressed out as you are my first six months; then I decided to go to night shift because there were no other openings on other floors for me to transfer to. I have to stay where I am for 2 years or pay back my signon bonus. I have been on nights for 2 weeks and have found it SO much better. It is a lot slower paced with less doctors and manager staff around. I don't like the schedule becasue I do see less of my friends and exercising and eating have been thrown off for me, but if you have no other option like I did, it is a little better.

mazzy6311 · Jan 20, 2009

First off, you don't sound like a flake at all! I know how harrowing telemetry can be. I am a new grad. Started on a tele floor which i think was a horrid mistake. All I wanted to do was care for my pt's and be a good nurse, but my floor was so insane that I couldn't even keep my head straight or finish one thing that I was doing. I ended up resigning after two months because of it. If I were you, I would ask for a transfer. I agree with Britney, life really is too short to be miserable all the time. You will definitely find another floor that you are more comfortable on, and you wont have to deal with annoying people accusing you of stupid things like hiding. I wish you good luck

mazzy6311 · Jan 20, 2009

I took a job on tele doing days. I wish I had done nights for all of the reasons you stated. It's much easier for a new nurse to learn how to be a nurse at night than on days.