new grad and I already hate working

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Nov 24, 2008

I do not recommend a change now because you are not yet comfortable with what you are doing. It takes a year, at least, to reach a comfort level. Then you can think about transfers. Right now it would extra stress. I think you need a mentor to talk to about why you feel like nursing may not be your field. If you cannot identify your issues now, then transferring to another dept will not solve anything. You will just take those issues with you and maybe develop new ones as well. You need confidence. Find someone to confide in (not another new grad) and work thru these issues first. I remember this feeling and it is rotten, but in time I worked thru it. So glad I did. Good luck!

JBizzleRN, ADN, RN · Nov 24, 2008

Nobody is ready to come out orientation. It's a scary place, but remember you have people there you can ask for help and ask questions. When in doubt call the doctor :) that's what he gets paid for!

Just stick it out.

:nuke:

Beary-nice · Nov 24, 2008

I am confused. You are very worried about not knowing what to do and you want to go to ICU. That is what I am getting from your post. I think somewhere in your heart you are burning a candle for an ICU position and that is fine. But, if you are so scared in med-surg, I would be very worried about you in the ICU. In my opinion you need to be on your game in the ICU, they are not going to wait for you there to fret over lab values or fritter about when to call the doc. You need to have some of that under your belt and feel some sort of comfort with it to make hasty yet sound judgement calls. I see some new grads walk right into ICU and do a phenomenal job, in my opinion they are the exception. I also see new grads who go into ICU that struggle initially because they are still learning the "whole" of nursing and are still working on getting some really good assessment skills under their belts. They do well, but not without some real hard work and what seems to be alot of stress at times.

It is unsettling to be off orientation, very scary. Are you looking at transferring to another unit just to get some more orientation because it is that scary of a thought? It is scary, but at some point you need to jump in and the rest will come together. Know the nurses you can go to for resources and who are willing to help you learn.

Think before you leap. I don't know of an orientation that I ever completed that made me feel "comfortable" with everything I was having to face. I have always seen orientation as a get you going type thing and the rest is what you make of it. Believe me, I had to learn alot the hard way. I have had a few docs yell, a few nurses get upset with me, made decisions I wish I wouldn't have, etc...etc. It has all made me who I am now. Orientation was just the puffy part of it all. I wish you the best of luck.

nursingROXX · Nov 24, 2008

I can relate entirely! I graduated last year, and I'll have been in med-surg for just a year and a few months. I dont think it matters what unit you choose, your first year of nursing will be your most challenging out of your whole career. I love med-surg, I have to say my first 6-8 months there were the worst, its because there is sooo so so much that you learn that isn't taught in nursing school. Every unit will be the same, u know the very basics from school and the rest is totally foreign and its going to be challenging. You make mistakes, and beat yourself up but that's how you learn (Of course do no harm first) To be successful my best advice YOU HAVE TO ASK a bunch of questions, don't be afraid to ask b/c better safe than sorry (I mean now some people may get annoyed if its the same ? like 3x, but just remember and again better safe than sorry)! Trust your instincts if you think somethings not right, most of the time your right and you'll say to yourself..darn i KNEW i shoulda questioned/asked/looked further into that. Everyday you work, you learn more and more until finally everything fits together, u see the big picture (Labs, orders,treatment,med) and it makes sense like...ok they are here for this, thats why they are getting this, and thats why this test is being ordered and her lab was low in this and thats why they're getting this. I was so nervous calling drs, not saying the right thing and not knowing what to do if they asked me something i didn't know, the best advice if u can ask a nurse around you their opinion and if there's anything else that the dr could possibly ask (U should ALWAYS have there most recent VS, chart, med list in front of u). It's your pt and ur responsible for them, but getting a general idea of what to expect can ease your anxiety. I would love after I finish my 2 years to go into ICU just for a change.But I've learned to love and continue appreciating my med surg experience because you learn to manage your time between 6 pt's, you see a variety of diagnoses and learn so much from them different treatments/meds/labs/xray, at the end of the day when u know you did the best you could, you learned something new and u did a good job helping somebody that makes it all worth it. So my advice I think in conclusion is well you have to make the choice but know that whatever you choose your first year, your going to struggle and cry and question why but after you get through all that and learn, everything will be ok. Whenever I had a stressful day, Bob Marley "everything's gunna be alright" haha sounds silly but it works id just say it in my head. Nursing is what you make of it, it's a very challenging demanding sometimes stressful job but that's why there's a shortage, you are competent obviously u passed your boards, and your making a difference taking care/helping somebody.

lsvalliant · Nov 25, 2008

hi 2benurse it! I know exactly how you feel. Im a new grad in Med Surg and I feel like swallowing a bullet, and I'm not even out of orientation yet! I did really well in nursing school... I was the president of my class and I graduated at the top with close to a 4.0. Actually, I was a pre-med major before I went to community college for an ADN in nursing. But doing well in nursing school and in school in general does not make for a great nurse I'm coming to find out. What does? When you find out let me know please. I feel like I really suck and I'm starting not to give a damn. And I'm scared to death of losing my license before I have a chance to advance in this field. Anyways the good news is that with my new insurance kicking in in a few days I can go get talk therapy and get medicated to get through it. Anyways, I wanted to let you know your not alone and hopefully I didn't pss too many m/s nurses off in the mean time.

lsvalliant · Nov 25, 2008

Oh and as far as the ICU interview goes. Dont tell the manager you want to go for your CRNA if thats what your planning on doing. Tell them thats your dream job and you'll be there forever. And be confident!!

nursingROXX · Nov 25, 2008

Just to add on... because I was just there, yes I think everybody on my floor my first 6-8 months (the rough time) were irritated by the fact that I was new (asked a lot of questions, mistakes made). It's different story now that I know more and am a little more comfortable and confident with my care. It's not fair, EVERY nurse has been through the rough time, EVERY nurse was once the new nurse so it's not fair to the new ones, but i think its part of the process. It made me want to be better, to prove those people that were negative, they're wrong. Pretty much when you start, you can be like previous post the best GPA in class but on the floor its a whole different game. Book-smart vs hands on clinical experience. The way I handled it in the beginning, I would sometimes get so upset w/myself and any mistakes I made, I'd say you know what F%)( that! I know I'm smart I went through nursing school, I passed the boards, I'm NEW and I'm going to learn from this experience and prove to these negative nurses, that I AM an excellent nurse, and shame on them for being negative towards me. You live and learn and just remember this later down the road when someone else is the new nurse. If you are afraid about losing your license, I think I read somewhere that med/surg and ICU are both very challenging units- in different ways. Med/Surg you are learning patient care for a variety of different things learning to manage your time effectively between 6 patients. ICU is very technical, you have vents, settings and protocols you implement and monitor as these pts are in critical condition. I would choose whatever unit has the best orientation if you can ask around?

yadoreme · Dec 14, 2008

Hey new grad, i know exactly how you feel and you are not alone. I think the beginning, it is a shock for everyone....i remeber my friends and i use to cry on the phone and talk about why we went into nursing:bluecry1:...Stick it out on med/surg 6mths-yr then if you still want to go to ICU, do it!

If you dont like Med/Surg, i doubt youll like ICU and more...its much more intense and critical so think about (with med/surg issues)

I graduated 07' been working med/surg...i have my bad days but make the best of everyday...laugh, cry, scream...its all apart of the job....its stressful and that they dont teach you in school

Good Luck

Tink0808 · Dec 20, 2008

I am also a new grad and just finished my first week of orientation on a med/surg floor. I leave work everyday feeling like an idiot, but I also leave having learned something new. I like to excell at what I do, and I have been really hard on myself because I feel like I don't know anything. I'm also having a hard time juggling 5-6 patients. I just can't remember who's in what room or who has what illness unless I look at my notes. I feel so overwhelmed and just want to cry. :crying2: I love what I'm doing, but I'm just so scared all the time. I don't know what to do. :confused:

lsvalliant · Dec 21, 2008

I think med/surg nursing can be really stressful and darn right scary at times and can make even the most experienced nurses cry every once and awhile. I admire those nurses out there with the strength to do it and stick with it for along time. That being said... I threw in the towel during my third month as a new grad in m/s, mostly because I couldn't function working nights on top of all the usual nursing stress. So I opted to go to days in psych.

If you can do it, stick it out! I hear it gets better after a yr. or so. But If your like me and its just not worth it to you, then look for something else your interested in and go for that. Hope that helps.

sassysteph7 · Dec 27, 2008

To all new grads - the first year is the absolute worst. I've had doctors and some older nurses be very rude to me. Oh well! I haven't hurt any patients and I've learned alot along the way. Ask questions and be safe. Stick it out. I promise it gets better.