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Discussion

New Nurse Down-Long

O.k. this is the first time I have started a thread but I feel like sharing because I am stressed. I as a Dec 2006 new grad took a job in a level 2 trauma center ER. I see now that it wasn't such a good idea. I often times have several patients all at one time that need my attention right now! There is rarley a tech around to help me and I will have other nurses pop there heads in the door of a room i am in with a patient to tell me another patient needs my attention now. I just want to say "This one doesn't?". I try very hard to prioritize but often times i will have 3 patients at one time that my instincts tell me i need to be with at the same time.

We are having major managment changes in our ER and staffing is at an all time low. I have been feeling really stressed out and overwhelmed. I told the charge nurse the other night that i felt overwhelmed with the 5 patients I already had especially since one had a AAA and the director of emergency medicine was standing over me calling out things that had to be done right this instant . So what does the charge nurse do? She sends me two more squad patients at the exact same time. This left me with 7 patients. When i checked the board every other nurse there had 3. The only explanation I can think of for this is they assume since i am still on orientation that my orientor will help me. Well guess what she doesn't because the goal is for me to be taking the patients alone so she is only there as a resource.

So after this one night in particular i was told that since I was overwhelmed they were not taking me off of orientation as scheduled. I will be starting my 6th month there next week and still i am on orientation. I just feel that this unit is not for me so I submitted an internal application for another unit and let my nurse manager know that i was grateful for the time I had spent there but that i was planning on seeking transfer. My nurse manager then tells me that i am not allowed to transfer until i have been off orientation for 6 months so i could try for the transfer again in Dec.

I don't know if i can make it until Dec. I stay a nervous wreck not to mention i am on night shift which i am struggling to adjust to. I just want to start over in a more appropriate unit on day shift. I feel sick all the time. I have stomach aches and sore throats and aching muscles and i am pretty sure it is all stress related. I want to stay with this one hospital because I am already use to it and there aren't alot of other options around but I don't know if I can hang on in the ER until Dec. I went to HR to talk to someone on Friday morning and they said they would call back hopefully something can be worked out. Sorry this is so long I just needed to vent.

Featured Replies

Wow that is a dilemma. I think your nurse manager probably feels that you just haven't found your nitch yet and she is trying to help you become adjusted. I am not sure if she realizes the extent of your stress. any new job as a new grad is difficult, but if you know for a fact that this is not where you want to be then hopefully she will release you and let you go somewhere else. maybe if you stress to her how you feel and talk to your hr dept something might happen. i hope it works out!!

  • Expert

It sounds to me as if you have done all the right things. Hopefully, the people in HR can help you. It's never good to say it in a threatening way, but make sure the people in HR understand that if you aren't going to be allowed to transfer, then you will probably resign and seek employment elsewhere.

Your manager may try to "hold on to you" as long as possible and think that it doesn't matter to you whether you transfer or resign as she will lose you either way. However, HR may have a broader view and see the value in retaining you for the organization.

Good luck.

I've recently gone through about the same thing. I had been on a unit for 9-10 months.. and absolutely hated every second. Like you, I had stomach aches, sleeping problems, and TONS of stress. Days before I would have to go to work again, I'd be worrying about it already.. practically sick to my stomach. I asked if I'd be allowed to transfer before my allowed date ( which is 1 year at our hospital ) I think I asked again at some point..and was told no again. So, I applied at another hospital and got the job I wanted.. turned in my two weeks at the other one.. and they all of a sudden wanted to keep me. Whether it be on that specific floor or on another unit in the same hospital. And I explained that I had asked a couple times and no one was willing to work with me. They basically kissed my butt to do anything to keep me in their system.

.. But anyways, I'm at the other hospital across the street and I've been SO much happier the 2 months. I don't hate going to work.. and my orientation has been wonderful. I'm in the CCU.. so it'll be another 2 months before I"m off. But so far, so good.

Good luck with whatever you do! And seriously.. no job is worth the stress that I had.. so hopefully you can get out asap.

  • Author

UPDATE-- I have decided to go ahead and stay in the ER until December and hopefully I will learn to become less overwhelmed.

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