New RN Can't Handle the Unit. Is this Normal?

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Hey All! I'm a new RN in a Hospital with previous experience as an LPN in a nursing home. I'm trying to figure out if this work condition is normal that I'm experiencing and if I just need to suck it up.

I started orientation on a 30 bed Renal unit back in August and was told ratios at most are 5:1, 2 CNA's always on the floor, and the charges are always there to help from the interim manager that hired me. I was given 10 weeks of orientation. Within my past three months of employment our interim manager was demoted to team-leader and our unit is now a med-surg/tele unit that receives renal patients first. 6 nurses have quit or gotten fired. Also the CNA's no longer work midnight shift the nurses are expected to do total care.

Well, I work the midnight shift and am having a hard time keeping up with the patient assignments, admissions, and providing total care. Every night at work I start with 5 or 6 patients and always get at least 1 admission. I normally end every shift with 7 patients. Our charge nurse has an equal number of patients as well as the other staff nurses so they are too busy to assist me when I really need it. I try to be as independent as possible so I don't bother them especially seeing they are busy and have toxic attitudes plus they make crappy comments that they constantly repeat every shift I work when I ask for help for example "me being the last new nurse left in the last hiring pool, they don't get why they pay us so much and we don't know what we are doing, they don't want to help us because they make less money than us, we should know everything by the end of our long orientation, they only got one week orientation when they started out."

Long story short, does this sound normal? I feel very overwhelmed and I'm experiencing crazy amount of anxiety knowing I'm responsible for total care on 6/7 patients with no help. I'm not sure if it's because I'm new grad and need more time or I just need to toughen up or it's the unit environment. Any perspective would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. if I do decide to leave this job, should I put the 3 month experience on the resume or leave it off??

Thanks in advance! ?

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Specializes in ER.

It sounds like you're working with a bunch of jerks. Get your year in and move on. The mass exodus means it not just you having a problem, and supportive units exist, you just need to find one.

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Is it normal to spend a large portion of your waking life in a chaotic , hostile, unsafe environment? No. Not normal.

Plenty of people in this world do it. For the most part, these are people who have no options in life. You have options.

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No, this is not normal. Sadly, a lot of chaotic places that have high turnover and a toxic culture and overworked nurses are often the places most willing to hire new grads.

Trust me, there are nursing jobs that are better staffed with real teamwork and more respect all around. Do not spend more time than you have to in this current job. Staying too long is like staying in an abusive relationship where it saps your morale and brings you down.

Since your coworkers do not sound trustworthy. Do not let them know you are job hunting. Actually, do not give out any information about your life.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, Home Health, Corrections, School Nurse.

I'd be gone yesterday. The biggest sign of toxicity is the fact that in an obviously understaffed unit, they are doing nothing to try to keep you. My last unit was incredibly hard, but the one thing that kept it bearable was that you could always count on help from your coworkers. I disagree with toughing it out for a year. No one needs that much stress and anxiety in their life.

I'd probably keep it off my resume, just because no matter how you spin it, it may make you sound negative.

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Specializes in Long term care.

I really feel like this place sounds dangerous and abusive. Your mental health and your nursing license are on the line. You're at high risk for burnout too.

I'd do your research, find a place that has a good reputation, put in your resume, list your current place of employment but when explaining why you're leaving just say you're really passionate about the type of nursing in the position being offered and that you couldn't turn down the opportunity to at least apply. Employers don't want to hear bad things about your current job unless maybe they are rival hospitals or something. Keep looking for another place but don't go somewhere and end up in the same dilemma you are in now. Nursing is hard, point blank. You're not likely to find something super easy but at least you can find a place that respects you and gives you the support you need.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Find another job. That many patients with good tech support is do-able but all of them on you? No way would I stay.

You are off probation and you will be attractive to other employers. Start looking and put in your notice when you accept a new offer.

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

this is not normal! We never have more than 5 pts, if there are no aides, then 4. And that is at night. Our charges never have pts. This is a sentinel event waiting to happen.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

It sounds like they lied to you about staffing to get you in the door. It amazes me that places like this exist and expect staff to just stay and be abused. The high turnover, layoffs, firings, demotions and crappy working conditions are all signs this is a dump! It doesn't surprise me that the experienced nurses are bitter and unhappy, although attacking you is counterproductive and fixes nothing.

I would find another job with a different hospital system. You have no reason to stay. They have done nothing to retain staff. They are counting on taking advantage of new nurses who don't know any better how bad the working conditions are. Management gets to cut staff to the bone, save money and get a bonus for it and put themselves in line for the next promotion at the expense of all the staff and patients that work for them. Get out of that hospital and that hospital system ASAP!

Research other hospitals through glassdoor, indeed; but look at what the nurses say, not admin. The nurses will tell the truth! Read the business journal in your city to see what system is doing the best financially. Choose a union facility if it is an option. Consider a magnet facility if it is an option. Whatever you do, don't stay where you are. It will only lead to excess stress and burnout. I wish you luck in finding a better job in a good company!

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Remember its your license on the line. And no one to share the blame with. Personally I'd secure a job elsewhere and move on. Nothing is worth putting my hard work on the line.

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Sounds like all nursing homes I have been in, only 60 patients or more , no RN on duty making me the Charge nurse (LVN), and none of the other LVN's have recorded their IV cert on their license. SO I'm running all over a 199 bed facility taking care of everyone's IV's. It's not "normal" per se but it is common. This was a rahab hospital. Here was another irritating, thing. Here' we had new patients with fresh hip and knee replacements, and we've ordered all their meds , meds come in at 9 pm and they are missing a bunch, there are none stocked in the Pixis, and pts are in crying pain. Yeah, dealt with that a lot. I worsened my duodenal ulcer there and vomited weekly from it, a year later I fainted from blood loss, and was careflighted to ICU for 4 days and had to receive 5 units of whole blood. Ulcer was 3.3 cm X 2.2 cm.

This is why I needed to get my RN so I could go into a better job. Working with Achieve now.

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2 hours ago, whisperingsage said:

Sounds like all nursing homes I have been in, only 60 patients or more , no RN on duty making me the Charge nurse (LVN), and none of the other LVN's have recorded their IV cert on their license. SO I'm running all over a 199 bed facility taking care of everyone's IV's. It's not "normal" per se but it is common. This was a rahab hospital. Here was another irritating, thing. Here' we had new patients with fresh hip and knee replacements, and we've ordered all their meds , meds come in at 9 pm and they are missing a bunch, there are none stocked in the Pixis, and pts are in crying pain. Yeah, dealt with that a lot. I worsened my duodenal ulcer there and vomited weekly from it, a year later I fainted from blood loss, and was careflighted to ICU for 4 days and had to receive 5 units of whole blood. Ulcer was 3.3 cm X 2.2 cm.

This is why I needed to get my RN so I could go into a better job. Working with Achieve now.

I feel you! I hope your health is better now! That’s why I left the nursing home to go to a Magnet status hospital but it’s so bad that it makes me want to go back to the nursing home! After I got hired I found out they aren't renewing the magnet status after they boasted so much about it in the application and interview process.

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