New Nurse Needs Advice

[Beedge]

hi everyone, i'm a newer nurse and i could really use some help. i don't have anyone else that i know personally enough to discuss this with who knows what i'm going through so i really appreciate all of your feedback.

i graduated with my bsn last year and have been working as a rn in a hospital in michigan as a float nurse for 6 months. i have come to dread the thought of going to work. enough that it has started to mess with my sleep patterns as well as makes have stomach problems when i get there thinking about the day ahead. i love nursing and helping people but i to a certain point hate bedside nursing. since i have been a nurse i have been told i am a horrible person by both patients and doctors because of things that were not within my own personal reach to accomplish. i feel overwhelmed on most days due to the lack of support other people are willing to give. before becoming a nurse i worked in an office environment as an administrative assistant where i worked under pressure and was never made to feel like i was a lesser human being. i am wondering what else there is out there that would allow me to use my nursing degree and have more of an office setting besides doing bedside nursing. i have applied for many jobs but keep hearing the same thing such as i don't have enough experience to work at anything besides bedside nursing with only 6 months of experience. the only other thing i can think of is a medical office assistant where the pay is at the same level and sometimes even less then i was making before i finished my degree. if you have anything ideas about what i can do or where i can apply or even jobs within the state of michigan or even jobs that would be suitable for someone in my situation i am open to relocation.

thank you all in advance!

[Heidi the nurse, BSN, RN]

I will toot school nursing horn here once again! Although when I had my last baby I was certain I wanted to become a lactation specialist LOL.

Anyway, if you have an interest in school nursing, check out the Michigan SN web site, and look here on allnurses under school nursing specialty area. I live in Washington, and can tell you we have all level nurses - many that work in my district are MN's, but I have my BSN. Other districts have ADNs, usually supervised by the BSNs or MNs. Experience is very helpful, because you are usually on your own and its important to have a wealth of past information to draw from. I personally do very little first aid - we have health aids for that.

According to the Michigan website they have a mentoring program so that's a good sign. I would have been lost without my mentor, who actually taught the intro to school nursing class I took and happens to work in the same district as I. I would also look into things like student to nurse ratios.

[iwillbanurse08]

I recently started a new job, and the only advice I am being given during my training is "dont trust the other nurses", "every one is for self" and that "there is no support from the fellow nurses" (LPN and RN's). I understand (but dont agree with) some of the belittling from the Doc's but I just dont understand the other nurses. During the past 2 weeks I have seen some of the deceit with my own eyes. Some nurses complain how nursing has gone to s#$@, but with all reality nurses have some play in that. We deal with alot as it is, to have to get it from other nurses is just a disgrace to Florence N. We should be uplifting to one another not be the opposite. I am so sorry Beedge that you have to experience this. No one should have to dred going to work because of lack of support, but unfortunetly it is all to common.. Good luck with your search I hope you find a job that best suits you and puts a smile on your face on your way to & from work.