New grad advice?

Ruby Vee, BSN · Sep 12, 2017

Hey everyone! So basically I have been working almost 4 months after graduating from nursing school on a med surg unit. It's not that I dislike this job, I just think I would be a lot happier and less stressed in a different position. Even though my floor is med surg, a lot of our patients are high acuity and we always get 4-5 patients each shift, and I've already had to call/witness a couple of codes. And on top of that working night shift has me exhausted and slightly depressed, especially since my boyfriend has a regular 9-5 job. I'm just trying to decide on if I should just stick my job out until a year until I can internally transfer including to look for another job elsewhere because I know I am new and need experience anyway. OR I saw a new grad position open in the hospital's clinic procedure area, so I thought about going to talk to my manager about possibly applying for that. It's more of what I want to do, the hours would be more normal, and I think less stressful compared to my job now. And I figured since I am still a new grad with some experience I wouldn't see why they wouldn't want to hire me. I'm just scared my manager will not let me or she won't like me anymore since she'll basically know I won't want to stay on our unit. I just don't want to burn any bridges but I also don't want to pass up a good opportunity either if she will let me because this is the job I wanted to apply for when I could transfer anyway. So I've been kind of torn up about what to do because I don't want to seem like a job hopper either.
So should I just stick out my current job for a year when I can transfer, or should I talk to my manager about letting me apply and transfer early? Thanks so much!

They might not want to hire you because you're jumping shift so soon. You should stick with your current job for at least a year -- two is better. Learn all you can, soak up the experience. After a year, you may find that you actually LIKE your job, your coworkers are great colleagues and that staying for another year until you become competent doesn't seem like such a bad choice.

Green Tea, RN · Sep 19, 2017

If you don't dislike the job, what about switching to day shift? I don't know if a day position is available on your floor though. It will not solve all of your problems, but I'm sure it must be better to your body.

My first nursing job was on med surg and night shift. It was awful and I hated it, so I internally transferred after a year. My life is so much better now.

allnurses Guide · Sep 20, 2017

I strongly advise you to stay for at LEAST a year. I know it is hard. We have all been there. Here's the thing. As a new grad nurse, it is going to be hard no matter where you go. The grass is not greener over there. Repeat that to yourself. In fact, it is less green because you will be essentially starting from scratch. You do not realize yet how far you have already come. That will become more apparent to you when the next batch of new grads start on the floor. What you learn in one specialty does not smoothly translate to another. Ask any nurse who has done it...its like starting all over again in many ways.

What you are feeling and going through is very normal. An assignment of 4-5 patients on a floor like yours is the norm and you aren't going to find better than that. Codes happen. You will find out they come in clusters oftentimes. You may go months without one and then have quite a few all in a row, then another dry spell. It is the rhythm of things, which you have not been there long enough to really start feeling confident in.

As you get past the one year mark, you will find your stress level is still there on some shifts, but not every shift. You will begin to recognize critical thinking taking place as well as anticipatory actions that make your duties easier to juggle. All of this comes with experience. If you leave now, you are taking off right as you are starting to get your feet.

You can do this.