Need advice!!!! I hate my job

Shuggypie, ASN, BSN, RN · Apr 10, 2011

To the OP: I feel the same way! I am a new grad just started on a pulmonary stepdown unit in Jan. I had 6 pts last night, 1 was a xfer from ICU right at shift change who's family started calling right as the pt was being wheeled in the room. I knew it was going to be a long night when I was a 1/2 hr late getting out of shift report. I feel like I am the slowest nurse on the floor and my time mgmt skills suck. There are so many computer screens to chart on every hour.

In nursing school our last semester we had 4pts, but we only worked 7hrs, our instructor made sure we got a lunch break-in the "real" world you're lucky if you get a lunch break. In school the instructor was there for med pass (no chance for error)-in the "real" world you're on your own. In nursing school, the primary nurse was eventually responsible for the pt-in the "real" its YOU! I too started reading this website as a student, I stayed in the student sections, and only lurked, but never commented on "real life" things I had no idea about. Your time will come, and when it does I hope you never have bad days, until then practice your empathy skills!

deemalt, BSN, RN · Apr 10, 2011

Hello OP,

Just wanted to let you know that I felt the exact same way for the first couple of months I worked. I hated my job, went home crying almost every day and spent all of my time off dreading the day I had to go back in to work. It does get better!

Just think that every day you work is another day of experience. I almost quit without having another job lined up - it was that bad. Then, I decided to change my attitude and go in and try to get the most out of my job that I possibly could and just take it day by day. Before I knew it, 9 months have flown by. I am still looking for another place of employment because I know where I am is not for me but I do feel proud for having stuck it out. My days are still challenging and sometimes I don't think I can take it for another minute but it usually calms down and I can't believe how much I have learned and still do every day.

There are some great posts under the "first year after licensure ". I found these very helpful and you will see that what you are going through is very normal. You will make it out to the other side and you will feel an inner strength when you look back and see how far you have come.

It's Ok to look for another job but in the mean time find a way to make this place work for you. You can do it!

Moogie · Apr 10, 2011

I felt like that when I started, too. Like the OP, I wanted to get to know my patients, the way I did when I was in school and had only one or two patients in clinicals. I found the first year to be rough and frustrating. Reality shock hit me hard. The thing is, we didn't really talk much about reality shock back then and we didn't have the Internet or places like AllNurses, so I thought it was just me. It wasn't until years later, when I came here, that I realized that others have had similar experiences to mine and i wasn't the only one who felt like that.

To make a long story short, I got out of nursing after about 8 years, raised my family, and pursued another career interest. Funny thing is, I found out that wasn't perfect, either. The pay was lower, there were workplace politics, and I eventually burned out of what I was doing. I realized that I missed nursing and went back.

I think some of our members have given the OP good advice. I'm thinking you're being broadsided by reality shock but it could be that you're in the wrong specialty. When I worked in the hospital, I was in one specialty area that would have been fine except for the management, one area that was very enjoyable, and one that was a nightmare. Later, I fell in love with gerontology. I never would have expected that. However, gero provides me with the chance to build relationships and get to know people over an extended period of time. I think there's an area out there that you will love, but maybe you haven't found it yet.

I'm rooting for you!

nursejoed · Apr 10, 2011

"I don't care about candy coating what I feel, so you will all need to learn to deal with it.:redbeathe"

You'll be a real joy to work with, IF you pass your boards and get a job...

Katie5 · Apr 10, 2011

This( hospital, patient-load, assessments etc). THIS is the real-world.Adapt to it.

PS- I can't believe that you mentioned nursing school and wanting to go back to i, so you can sit and chat with your pts. This doesn't sound like mature thinking, IMO:) It will also do you good to seek a new job. You just vocalised you hate your job, for you to have said it, means you've had it to the brim.

Lucky0220 · Apr 10, 2011

this is not directed at you, but my goodness i wish everyone would stop complaining. i'm really looking forward to being a nurse, and i come to this website to get motivation, and then i see countless posts about hating jobs and how this happened at work and the pay is not enough and i have too many patients blah blah blah...here is the best advice i can give. if you don't like your job...quit. what are people going to tell you in a forum that will make your job better. get real and grow up this is the real world.

oh are you in for a surprise.

first of all, let me say that when i find a post that hits a nerve, i usually go back and look at previous posts from that person. so, in looking at yours, i see that you are not even in school at this time. :yawn: why, in the 6 posts you have made, are you giving advice on the nursing forums and about nurse practitioner questions, when you haven't even begun nursing school?? you should be lurking and posting on the students' forums. maybe you will get motivation there, but remember, motivation should come from within!

BellaRoseRN · Apr 10, 2011

This is not directed at you, but my goodness I wish everyone would stop complaining. I'm really looking forward to being a nurse, and I come to this website to get motivation, and then I see countless posts about hating jobs and how this happened at work and the pay is not enough and I have too many patients BLAH BLAH BLAH...Here is the best advice I can give. If you don't like your job...QUIT. What are people going to tell you in a forum that will make your job better. get real and grow up this is the real world.

Wow! Bet you had no idea that you would get this much attention for your comment! I don't know what field you have previously worked in or if you are a young puppy with gobs of energy, (which you WILL need exponentially!), but the world of student nursing and registered nursing are two worlds apart. Sadly, your nursing school is probably not preparing you for what is to come once you FIND a job where there aren't hundreds of applicants for 1 position. Here is some motivation for you...uh...nope sorry, I don't have any! Just kidding! Don't get scared or annoyed at nurses coming here to a safe place to vent. Nurses, don't get annoyed at the students who just don't KNOW yet! As for quitting a job that pays the rent and bills, well, dear student, once you're off the government cheese for schooling, they want you to pay them back! So most of the nurses here can't quit because sadly, working a retail job or flipping burgers doesn't quite cut it. I am happy to hear you are excited about your new career, and I surely hope that you find a great job, and LOVE it! Ask your clinical instructor if you can take the typical patient load for a day, and if they nurse precepting you is willing to trust you with all of that work, you may just see what a lot of us nurses are beotching about! And, yes, I pretty much hated my first job! I'm going back to work this week on a different unit, and I am keeping an open mind and open heart that I will LOVE it! So send me some good vibes please!

Light and Love to All!

Up2nogood RN, RN · Apr 10, 2011

This( hospital, patient-load, assessments etc). THIS is the real-world.Adapt to it.
PS- I can't believe that you mentioned nursing school and wanting to go back to i, so you can sit and chat with your pts. This doesn't sound like mature thinking, IMO:) It will also do you good to seek a new job. You just vocalised you hate your job, for you to have said it, means you've had it to the brim.

I can't believe that a new nurse just can't come to these forums and be honest and vent. There is nothing wrong with sitting down with your patients and chatting/getting to know them. I'm astonished at all the advice the OP has got from either

A. nurses who don't even work acute care and have no room to judge

Or

B. people that aren't even nurses and have no clue whatsoever

IMO that's immature:)

abbyann · Apr 10, 2011

And you want to be a nurse because.....????

hardygirl, LPN, RN · Apr 10, 2011

Also, just so that everyone is well informed, I don't care about candy coating what I feel, so you will all need to learn to deal with it.:redbeathe

Well I won't sugar coat this message to you.From reading your other posts I also noticed that you give a lot of advice on things that are way out of your element. Do yourself, and everyone else a favor and give advice on subjects that you have some type of experience in. Oh, and good luck to you if and when you do graduate from nursing school because you seem to already know the ropes and probably won't need any support from nurses who complain so much.

:)CoreyB · Apr 10, 2011

oh are you in for a surprise.
first of all, let me say that when i find a post that hits a nerve, i usually go back and look at previous posts from that person. so, in looking at yours, i see that you are not even in school at this time. why, in the 6 posts you have made, are you giving advice on the nursing forums and about nurse practitioner questions, when you haven't even begun nursing school?? you should be lurking and posting on the students' forums. maybe you will get motivation there, but remember, motivation should come from within!

i will be returning to school next month. but, i have been in college previously. i decided to leave when my parents died in a car accident. i was pre-med when i was in college the first time, and decided to change my focus to nursing after spending so much time in the hospitals (during my time as a pre-med student, and when my parents were in icu) i saw what the nurses did in the hospitals, and i was drawn to it. so, you're right, i am not in school right now, but i have seen nursing from many different angles in my personal, professional and academic life.

i answered the nurse practitioner question because the person who posted his question sounded just like i did when i decided i wanted to be a nurse. he was looking for information on the uab program. i know a nurse practitioner who studied at uab and i told her my plans and she gave me the same advice i gave him. i also included some info from their website.

nothing i said was out of line, and just because i am not in school at the moment does not mean i have not been down the road before. furthermore, none of the areas of this site are restricted. if i see a question that i am qualified to answer, then i will.

i don't think i'm in for any "surprise" because unlike the rest of the people who complain about the job, i have taken the time to make sure this is where i want to be. this will ensure that i don't have to complain about it to a bunch of strangers, who can't help me any way.

all the best.

nursejoed · Apr 10, 2011

"Furthermore, none of the areas of this site are restricted. If I see a question that I am qualified to answer, then I will"

Exhibit "A" as to why they SHOULD be restricted...