I decided to join this website and start a thread because I am desperately in need of opinions from my fellow RNs.
I have been an RN for about two years. My first year of nursing I worked on a mother/baby unit (I thought babies were my passion). However, due to multiple reasons (night-shift, getting called-in on a regular basis, the monotony of postpartum care, etc.) I became bored/disappointed with the unit and began to dread going into work every night. I became nervous as I felt like I was already burnt-out on nursing and it was only my first year. I decided it was best to look for another job. I landed a job on a med-surg unit at a hospital closer to home (my current job). Although med-surg isn't necessarily my passion, I thought it would be best to expand my skills/knowledge as a nurse. It is day-shift, close to home, less on-call hours...sounds like the perfect job, right? This is where I'm struggling. I already hate this job too. I thought my hatred towards my first job was due to different circumstances, but now that I hate this job, could it be that being an RN is not my calling? Has anyone else felt this way? What did you do about it? I mean, I know most people aren't super excited about going to work everyday, but I can't imagine feeling this dread to go to work everyday for the rest of my life.
I feel like I'm stuck in the middle of hating my job but being too embarrassed to quit and start a new career outside of nursing since nursing school consumed 4 years of my life and my family and friends were so supportive and excited for me every step of the way.
And in fact, that's what I did when I found out how unorganized and crazy my M/S unit was. I promised myself I'd stay for 2 years. The first year was hell and I hated almost every minute of it. Then, I figured out what I was doing--and the last two years have been inspiring, challenging (in a good way) and I have learned so much!
A few things that helped me:
Build relationships with a couple of your coworkers. (Doesn't have to be all of them--just find a few and get to know them).
Find a way to contribute to the environment in a positive way. (Be positive. Suggest changes. Randomly bring a bag of candy to share with staff on a stressful day)
Learn new things. (Study up on diagnoses you're not familiar with, ask the wound care nurse for some tips, talk to the physicians about *why* they're ordering a certain diagnostic test, volunteer to attempt IV's on the "hard sticks")
Take opportunities to float to other units. (Discover new places--and maybe you'll like them better!)
Don't let the gossip/negative talk rule your life.
So,maybe nursing isn't for you. But, MedSurg is valuable--and even if you hate it now, you might not in a little while if you can push through. Stay a while, get the most out of it, and if you still hate if after your contract is up, then make a decision.
Boy do I hear you! If I had to work one week on mother-baby/post-partum I would tear out every hair I have. Sore nipples! Breast pumps! Pad counts! Episiotomies! Ugh.
OB was my best subject in school, too--aced every test. Wouldn't do it for all the money on earth.
Anyway, this seems to be a common problem. Maybe because the prevailing wisdom is that med-surg is the only good place to start. Honestly, if asked, that's what I tell new nurses. But, me--I started in pediatrics. Loved it, went on to PICU and pedi sub-acute (which ended up being my real calling). Everyone is different. If it isn't working for you, ask yourself honestly: am I just unsure of myself, and in need of seasoning, or do I really, truly not belong here? If you're just nervous because you're new, it'll probably pass. If you honestly hate the whole thing, not because you're nervous but because it just feels totally wrong, you should probably go somewhere else.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
What you are feeling Is not unusual - but take a deep breath and relax. The beauty of nursing is that there are many different avenues to take. Spend some time really researching several different jobs the RN do and decide what you really want to do. Shadow other nurses - I for one am looking into going into some kind of public health when I finish my BSN. I have done L&D, psych, bedside geri and hospice and have to say that the job I had to most fun and fulfillment at was psych. I have also considered corrections nursing. I won't work somewhere where I can't have an element of fun. Life is too short to be miserable.
I haven't worked LDRP at all, so I can't speak to that, but I can say that med-surg isn't for everyone, and I suspect that the culture of LDRP isn't all that different from M/S in that you have mult pts, you deal with their families, you round, you check on their stitches/dressings, and your emphasis is getting them out the door, etc. In M/S you do get better variation in age, both genders, medical comorbidities, etc., that will help you no matter where you go. No one can spot someone "going bad" as fast as a M/S nurse!
That said, I love PACU. I love pts in the immediate post-op period, I like the monitors, I like the surgical "flavor," I love having 1-2 patients at a time, and I have come to love the turnover and variety we have. Comorbidities come in with our pts and are seldom fixed in the OR, so all that knowledge of hypertension, diabetes, sleep apnea, etc., from school comes in handy.
Don't despair of nursing in general because you're not crazy about med-surg. Learn what you can, and keep your eyes open for another opportunity. You seem to like to be busy, so maybe the ED would be good for you. I also liked the corrections suggestion, though it would not be for me!
You really think after the OP hated mother/baby and Med-Surg that she will all of a sudden be a fit for crtitical care/ED?
lolwut:nono:
Go outpatient.
Hey, you never know. I hated med/surg and postpartum clinicals with a passion, but I love ICU. If it's people who can use the call light she hates dealing with, a high acuity ICU with 99% vent patients might just be the ticket.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I would stay.
And in fact, that's what I did when I found out how unorganized and crazy my M/S unit was. I promised myself I'd stay for 2 years. The first year was hell and I hated almost every minute of it. Then, I figured out what I was doing--and the last two years have been inspiring, challenging (in a good way) and I have learned so much!
A few things that helped me:
Build relationships with a couple of your coworkers. (Doesn't have to be all of them--just find a few and get to know them).
Find a way to contribute to the environment in a positive way. (Be positive. Suggest changes. Randomly bring a bag of candy to share with staff on a stressful day)
Learn new things. (Study up on diagnoses you're not familiar with, ask the wound care nurse for some tips, talk to the physicians about *why* they're ordering a certain diagnostic test, volunteer to attempt IV's on the "hard sticks")
Take opportunities to float to other units. (Discover new places--and maybe you'll like them better!)
Don't let the gossip/negative talk rule your life.
So,maybe nursing isn't for you. But, MedSurg is valuable--and even if you hate it now, you might not in a little while if you can push through. Stay a while, get the most out of it, and if you still hate if after your contract is up, then make a decision.
Good luck!
This is wonderful advice!
So far, it seems you haven't stayed in a position for over a year -- it takes about two years to become competent as a nurse.
I see a red flag in a new nurse (less than a year) being bored at any job. Since you haven't enough experience to actually be competent, and you surely don't know everything, it appears that you're not trying very hard. There is so much to learn in nursing, being bored means you're not doing it right.
Specializes in Early Intervention, Nsg. Education.
Are you interested in patient education and early childhood development? My "dream job" turned out to be Early Intervention/Birth to Three. At the time, I had an AS in Nursing and a BA in Education, with 5 years experience in Long term acute care (adult vents), 3 years of full time and 1 year of per diem Med/Surg with the odd Pedi case landing on the floor, and a smattering of Pedi home visits (follow-up from acute care d/c, mostly SDS) and some PDN (overnights...great time to catch up on my lesson plans for my teaching job.)
I sort of stumbled into the position, actually. My son was getting EI services after his Autism Dx, and I was working on the vent floor at night and teaching Middle School Music Ed part time. One day, I made the off-handed comment "I would love to work 1:1 with kids and families. Wow, the opportunity to spend an hour focused on the child and family, being able to listen to Mom without mentally organizing the next 16 tasks I have to do..." My son's Service Coordinator said, "Are you serious about that? Send in your resume and see at happens." I did, and the rest was history. [emoji41]
In EI, I had lots of independence, but also had days that I worked as part of an inter-disciplinary assessment team. I was free to plan my week around my family's needs. I live in a rural area, so there was a TON of driving. 300 miles/week for a total of 20 visits wasn't unusual. I worked out of my car, and I ended up washing lots of toys at home because driving back to the office would've added another 50 miles over the course of the week. I was paid salary, so I didn't lose money if a family wasn't home when I got to their house. (It messed with my productivity, though...sigh.) cell service was spotty in the boonies, but I knew every pay phone and public restroom in the valley! [emoji6]. I listened to books on tape in the car (the whole Clan of the Cave Bear series...steamy stuff! [emoji6])
"Boring" was definitely not in my repertoire! I saw most of the preemies, MF/TD kids, lots of rare syndromes (Cri du Chat, Progeria, Anophthalmia, Cornelia de Lange, Velocardiofacial syndrome, Prader-Willi, SMA, Pierre-Robin, etc.) Lots and lots of "busy," blonde-haired, left handed little boys with speech delays. Every day was different. The paperwork was...typical for any type of service coordination job, but I could get a lot of it done while I was still in the house with the child and parent/caregiver. Driving up into the boonies in the winter was awful. Lots of these gravel-covered country roads totally disappear once there's a few inches of snow on them. I have to say that winter driving (and lack of willpower when it came to swinging thru Dunkin Donuts and other drive-thru's) were the ultimate downsides of the job.
If this sounds interesting, here's what I'd suggest...continue working in Med/Surg in order to develop some really solid assessment and communication skills. Look into floating to pedi and/or the Continuing Care/step down nursery. Consider doing some PDN. After another year or so, check out the DPH and the DOE in your state and find out what the requirements are. Just FYI, most states require a BSN or RN plus BA/BS in another field, as well as experience with little ones. In my state, I think the minimum was two years. Expect to make less than you would in acute care, especially if you're salary in EI. I was able to keep my per diem Med/Surg job to earn extra money.
Nursing is an incredibly diverse profession. However, very few can start off doing the really interesting, exciting, and/or satisfying stuff without putting in enough time to learn the basics. I agree with previous posters: you might BE a nurse, but developing the skills that enable you to think, plan, and respond like a nurse can only be developed through experience gained in the trenches.
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I thought my hatred towards my first job was due to different circumstances, but now that I hate this job, could it be that being an RN is not my calling? Has anyone else felt this way? What did you do about it?
Not everyone is called to an occupation. I definitely was not called to the nursing profession. I entered it for the career mobility, educational advancement opportunities, and steady income. Nursing was never a childhood dream or higher calling for me.
I've never loved any job I've ever had, nursing or non-nursing. However, I've learned to tolerate nursing jobs in a state of neutrality by realizing I'm better off financially than the fast food shift supervisor who must live with his wife and kids in a motel room because he cannot afford anything else. In fact, I'm better off than more than half of all American adults.
To me, a job is nothing more than a job. I think too many people are under the assumption that a nursing job is transformational and will change their lives in some fulfilling, transcendental manner. When we look to our jobs for fulfillment, satisfaction, and a mechanism to "make us whole," we get into trouble. To me, my job is just a means to an end.
In addition, if I dislike a job to the point of feeling impending dread, I look elsewhere. Sometimes the grass really is greener on the other side. Good luck to you!
I definitely have had feelings like this too. For me at least they come and go depending on how things have been. What I try to do is getting into new things. I've always been in the ICU so it may be different but there's little opportunities for growth and getting away from bedside which helps because it can be exhausting and we all need a little break. There is light at the end of the tunnel though and I don't think it necessarily means that nursing is wrong for you. Give it time, try to find ways to diversify yourself and see how that goes!
Don't give up on the career just yet. There are sooooo many different kinds of nursing to explore. Now that you have the education and a steady paycheck, start checking into them. Don't stay where you are not happy. Look into other areas. Then, if you truly can't find what suits you, change your career. Best of luck!
I wouldn't give up just yet, the beauty of nursing is there are so many different things you can do. Try shadowing in other departments, facilities, etc. If you still cannot find something that keeps your interest then maybe nursing isn't for you. Good luck!
I have been a nurse since 1999, the M/S position was the first one I had...this position teaches you so much that will help you later - soak up all the knowledge you can while you are there, you might even begin to enjoy it after you learn more. I too, hated this position - for myself, the dread for going to work every day got worse, I changed shifts, I did everything I could do to make myself like it more. In the end, I just plain hated that position. As these other nurses have told you, there is so much more out there. I tried nursing homes - I felt like I was stuffing patients with medication and documenting the entire time I was there - this, to me, was NOT being a nurse. I ended up taking a job in Home Health Care. This too, is one of the positions that you do well in and really enjoy, or you just don't like it at all. This is where my heart is, I found all the education I had learned on the M/S floor was great...I can, and do, do things other nurses are not familiar with. Mostly, I do the same teaching, wound care, every day stuff that any nurse does - but in THEIR environment. I have seen them get well, I have transferred them to hospice, ( I even tried this for about a month!), I have made friends, I have cried and laughed with my patients and their families...I have the option of being able to stay in contact with them once they are no longer my patient. For myself, I can't imagine doing anything else, I don't punch a clock, I shop sometimes in the middle of the day, I have days that never seem to end with so many patients I don't think I will ever get done, but I do! This is what I was looking for when I became a nurse - and I know I make a difference for so many of these folks' lives - it don't get no better than that!! There are the bad parts as well, sometimes impossible patients, impossible hours, impossible expectation from bosses and patients alike, and this job somewhat becomes a 24/7 job. I have learned to make a balance in my family and my job - this is a must! I would not trade what I do with any other nurse job...hands down. Keep looking, find what makes YOU happy, then all will be right!
aqua_clementine
13 Posts
I would stay.
And in fact, that's what I did when I found out how unorganized and crazy my M/S unit was. I promised myself I'd stay for 2 years. The first year was hell and I hated almost every minute of it. Then, I figured out what I was doing--and the last two years have been inspiring, challenging (in a good way) and I have learned so much!
A few things that helped me:
Build relationships with a couple of your coworkers. (Doesn't have to be all of them--just find a few and get to know them).
Find a way to contribute to the environment in a positive way. (Be positive. Suggest changes. Randomly bring a bag of candy to share with staff on a stressful day)
Learn new things. (Study up on diagnoses you're not familiar with, ask the wound care nurse for some tips, talk to the physicians about *why* they're ordering a certain diagnostic test, volunteer to attempt IV's on the "hard sticks")
Take opportunities to float to other units. (Discover new places--and maybe you'll like them better!)
Don't let the gossip/negative talk rule your life.
So,maybe nursing isn't for you. But, MedSurg is valuable--and even if you hate it now, you might not in a little while if you can push through. Stay a while, get the most out of it, and if you still hate if after your contract is up, then make a decision.
Good luck!