new grad unsure about nursing

[KITER]

Hi, i'm a new grad about a month into my orientation I am working in a cardiac icu and now i still have 12 weeks left of orientation but I have slowly been realizing i am disliking nursing since i started clinicals. I am a male nurse and i don't think my personality fits with nursing I am serious but at times very sarcastic and it clashes with most of those on the unit. Along with this the stress was not bad at first and it has continually grown as I have been allowed to take more and more responsibility without my preceptor. I just don't think i can handle the role when I am going to be let loose on my own. i understand everybody in the unit is there to help you, but there will be times when I wont have that help. the constant fear of not documenting something properly and worry of "breaking my patient". It takes just a moment to get behind in taking labs, giving/titrating meds, dealing with family members, RT complaining about simple things. Does it get any better? is this just frustration of a new grad in a unfamiliar setting that will soon go away as i become familiar with nursing. any words of wisdom would help. I've been wanting to travel abroad and debating on just doing the army for a while, i wonder if choosing the army would be a better decision to escape nursing if maybe I'm not the right fit.I do have a bit of student loans to take care of as well which the army would assist.

[RNChrissy4]

I can feel your pain!! Im also a new nurse, ive been on the job for about 8 months so it wasnt long ago that i was still orienting.... and terrified of EVERYTHING you just described!! I was afraid of not documenting correctly, doing a procedure wrong, forgetting to chart somethng important, giving a bad report and it could go on and on and on and on!!! I can also tell you that it does get better, all be it slowly, but it DOES get better!! You willl slowly learn the best way to manage your time and how to deligate tasks to utilize everyones skills in the best ways. Remember that along with your experience come a very pretty and impressive resumee, with that resumee you can land some of the jobs that dont require pt care and can be a bit less stressful. Keep your head up and keep thinking on your feet, Im sure you are doing better than you think you are. Good luck!!

[dreameyes1]

I agree with both of you. I graduated last year and havebeen in my position for about 8 months. There are still things that chere an throw a wrench in my day , but that happens even to the nurses with years of experience. I have seen nurses that have 20 +years experience loose their cool over things that i just laughed at. There will good days and there will be BETTER days. And you will learn something from all of them , even the so called bad oetnes. Please don't give up yet. If after at least 6 months you really don't like what you are doing , see if you could transfer to another unit. My teachers always said.....In Nursing you can do just about anything. Have you thouhgt of Flight nursing or a unit that has more

Male nurses ???? Keep your head up and don't throw the towel in yet.