New nurse...hate my job...don't know what to do

[elmoRN]

I just graduated from nursing school in May of 2010. It took me 8 months to finally get a job...I took the first job I was offered because I was desperate. I am working night shift on an ortho unit, and I absolutely hate it. I had a 6 week orientation, and I have only had one week on my own so far. I know I haven't been there long and I should give it more time, but I cannot think of one positive thing to say about it. I HATE it. I can't stand ortho patients...I feel like all I do is get people up to the bedside commode and hand out pain pills all night long. Plus, I feel like my unit is completely unorganized...the schedule doesn't even come out until a few days before it starts. The nurses are required to take way too many patients, and on nights there is no support staff...no techs or anything. I can't manage to take care of 5 patients that all have to pee at the same time and all need pain meds as soon as they can have them. I have no help because all the other nurses are just as busy. The unit is short staffed...usually down 2 nurses every night. Plus, the night shift is killing me...I think it is making me depressed. I never see my husband anymore, I can't sleep...I sit in bed and sob sometimes because I'm so tired but can't sleep. I feel so out of touch with my friends and family. I feel like all of my time off is just spent sitting in my living room alone at night until 6 in the morning...I can't even enjoy being off work. I am so miserable. I don't want to work in orthopedics anymore, but I know I won't be able to find another job because I have no experience. But I am afraid that if I stay here for even a year, I am going to end up hating nursing as a whole. I don't want that to happen. I don't know what to do...I'm physically and emotionally drained, and it's only been 2 months...

[RN4409]

I also graduated nursing school in may and recently got a job in January on a med-surg unit and Im feeling like nursing isn't for me. I cry everynight about how unhappy I am and how its nothing like I expected. I don't understand how other people can be so mean. My pcts never listen to me, I'm not sure if its because I am a lot younger then them, but it definitely makes my job a lot harder. I end up doing their job as well as my own or when they do do their job they like to tell me how to do mine. I'm so nice to everyone and it seems that people just take advantage when they see you are too nice. Im also so sensitive so i guess i have to learn to stick up for myself. I feel like people are so disrespectful to nurses and we always get the blame. I once got yelled at by a patients family because the ambulette who was picking them up didn't arrive a half hour early as they hoped it would..?! I know, so ridiculous... I also work nights and never see my boyfriend and am scared it will take a toll on our relationship. I also get the worst districts and the worst schedule. Hey I know that comes with being new but when you have 7 nurses on a unit that only requires 6 nurses which makes us have 5, 6 patients the most, and you're still giving the "new" girl a full district while everyone else gets to have 4 patients, I don't find that professional or fair. I also get moved around districts after everyone else whose been there forever decides where they want to work BC that's just how it goes. ...completely unfair..

[GypseyGirl]

Elmo, I could totally relate to you! I am also a new grad (from May 2011), and just recently accepted a job in a Med Spa type place. It sounded glamarous and exciting, but I really don't like it! The place does laser hair removal in private places, and I'm so scared to do it on my own. Seems so painful for the patients and it's not what I wanted to do when I went to nursing school! I am so tempted to quit because I'm worried about liability issues and burning patients, but my parents are encouraging me to stay because the economy is so bad. I have 2 other interviews scheduled that I'm hoping to land at least one of them. Everyone keeps telling me I should be grateful to have a job because the economy is bad, but what if you have a job you are miserable doing? I was happier when I was unemployed. I didn't have a lot of money to do a bunch of things, but I had a good quality of life and went hiking a lot and used groupons for yoga and all that! I know as a new grad you can't necessarily expect your first job to be your "dream" job, but does being a new grad mean sacrificing our happiness and being miserable in a job just to have a job? I don't think it is worth it. We waited so long to get into nursing school, and worked so hard in school and for NCLEX- I think we should feel some fulfillment and enjoyment in what we do!

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Many many people are affected by this economy, not just nurses or new grads. Consider yourselves fortunate for now if you're employed, ideal or not. Recessions are nothing new either. I've worked for 25 years already, and lived through this climate before. You have to accept it for now.

[Strz4lf314]

I also recently graduated and started working at an hospital because I was told that was what was expected. But I'm always stressed out and over whelmed . It's making me hate nursing. I feel bad for saying that but the floor is always short staffed and there is so much negativity. I'm starting to believe this is not for me. It's turning me into a person I don't want to be. I have been there for 4 months and I dread every shift . Help

[LokanaRN]

@ elmoRN,

I can totally relate to your post. Physically, mentally, and emotionally drained. I find myself crying before and after almost every shift. I've been on my own since end of July, and have wanted to resign since my first day on the floor. I'm just trying to roll with the punches and make it to the one-year mark, but that day can't come soon enough.

One poster mentioned making plans in advance to catch up with family and friends, lessening feelings of isolation. This is one of the main things that have kept my sanity (what little I have left!). My unit allows us to request our nights a month in advance. I tend to schedule my shifts so that I have at least one week in the middle of the month where I'm off for 4-5 days. It's my period of respite when I catch up with friends and go out with my husband...and look for another job!

You wrote this post back in March. I hope things have gotten better for you over the last few months! :hug:

[LokanaRN]

@ GypseyGirl,

You took the words out of my mouth! I've been telling my husband since summer that I was happier when I was unemployed. I may have the means (money) to do more things now, but quality of life is so much poorer. It's difficult to enjoy the other parts of your life (or life in general) when your job takes so much out of you, physically and emotionally. Family and friends tell me to stick it out and to not quit until I find another RN job, but it's come to the point several times where I just want to quit and take up an old retail job :smackingf

I hope things brighten up for you! Good luck on your interviews!

[Quickbeam, BSN, RN]

I worked ortho night shift (8 hour nights) , peds and adults. The one thing I did that made my life easier was I started my shift every night anticipating everyone needed to be toileted and have pain dealt with. I tried to front load my shift getting everyone settled and I guarantee you I gave them everything they could possibly have for pain/spasms. I found that properly medicated from the start, my nights were much more sane.

I realize I've written this from my POV and not the patients. I think a lot of ortho patients dread the night as they can't move and are miserable. I also found that many were afraid to ask for pain meds or just never got a chance to ask with PMs. My approach seemed to make their stay better and it helped me organize my night.

That being said, it was one of the hardest RN gigs I've had. If you can't gut it out for a year, see what your facility deems the minimum time before transfer. I once lasted 6 weeks on an oncology unit before I said "move me or I quit". They moved me.

[CKal]

Think of how you felt everyday while you were looking for work. Do you feel better now? If not quit the job and look for another. I wish I could find a job, its been since May 2010.

DO NOT QUIT YOUR JOB. No disrespect to the person who posted the comment but as a new grad, you really have no leverage to quit your job and then try and find another. There are hundreds of new graduates who would love ANY job at all, and for you to quit, for one thats just insane, two, how does that look to your next potential employer. Talk to your unit manager, would more training help perhaps? Is there any way your manager can help to accomodate you, is there an open day shift available or coming up any time soon that you could change over too? Do anything but quit unless youre prepared to be unemployed for a very long time. There are dozens and dozens of new grads who would do some unsavory things for your position lol. I just got hired, my first RN job, and yes its on an Ortho unit. Ive already heard horrible things about this unit from other RN's at the hospital being that I was initially hired as a tech there before passing boards. I hope you find a way to hang in there. I would have been making $1200 more on nights a month but I knew I wanted to actually LIKE my life. Something will open up, try and be patient, the alternative of being unemployed will be worse. Itll make you miss your job.

[AZMOMO2]

The worst part of all of this seems to be these two phrases, " the floor is always short staffed" & "the economy is so bad new grads can't find jobs!"

What is wrong with this picture?

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

The worst part of all of this seems to be these two phrases, " the floor is always short staffed" & "the economy is so bad new grads can't find jobs!"

What is wrong with this picture?

It's all about the money ... the hospitals don't have it to spend it. Who gets the raw end of the deal? Nurses, old and new ... we don't like working short, new grads don't like not working. Not sure what the solution is.