New RN being moved…

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I am in a residency program. I was hired into a busy ER and was expected to take 4 pt on day one. After a few weeks I was totally drowning. I asked to move to another unit and was moved to a Med/surg floor. This was much better but… I am still struggling with time management, getting all orders in, charting, getting Med pass done as fast as I should. I am being told I am being moved to night shift because is much slower. Less chaos. I don’t want to do nights. This is my second career ( recently retired from my first... should have I had no Med experience before this] I want to add the staff has been great to me and very supportive. I may decline since I was hired for day shift. If I do what other areas could I work in that maybe a slower paced? Alf, rehab? Dr office? Any advice. I’m so disappointed in myself. I have always been able to do my job correctly and efficiently but as a new nurse I am failing and now my confidence is shot. 
T.I.A.

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Specializes in Physiology, CM, consulting, nsg edu, LNC, COB.

A few weeks is absolutely not sufficient time to throw in the towel. Your performance may not be what you want it to be yet, but there are more resources on days to teach you than there would be on nights. Stick it out for a few months before you give up….I’m betting you will be pleased to discover you’ve had better times, better mornings, better afternoons, and eventually better days. Hang in. Really. Don’t panic, no need. 

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Specializes in retired LTC.

HB - I believe you misunderstood that OP is about to be transferred to NOCs which is NOT her desire. It appears that she is having some difficulties adapting to the daytime pace.

nasr69 - TAKE THE NOC position!  Depending what state you work, you could easily be terminated for failure to meet standards for your position. Poss even be term 'just because'. You must have good qualities because TPTB wish to retain you on another shift. Give it a chance.

Your employer pretty much hold all the cards in the deck. You don't have much to bargain with as it is admin right to staff as they see fit, not to meet your desires. They don't have to accommodate you - you're struggling.

The problem, as I see it, is that you're basically a newbie in healthcare. Your past employment history doesn't really prepare one as a HC newbie. Adjusting will be tough regardless of whichever setting you choose. And you need to be careful - you could be jumping into the fire from your frying pan. ALF and rehab can be reeeeal toughies!

NOC shift can really help be a better learning environment - less sensory overload! That was why I so enjoyed NOCs during my career.

Again, give it a chance. It doesn't have to considered a permanent life sentence! Good luck to you!

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Hello

thank you for your replies! I vastly underestimated how hard this transition to a new health care career. I was known for my ability to handle stress and my work ethic in my prior career but health care is a totally different animal. The staff has been wonderful and really worked with me. And I have come a long way. But dayshift is Chaotic and I just can’t keep up with it. Night shift is not something I ever wanted to do again after 20 years of shift changes. And at my age it’s hard on me. I don’t know I’m so disappointed in myself but I may leave for a slower paced dayshift position. What would some options be? Dr office?  Ugh!

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
6 hours ago, nasr69 said:

Hello

thank you for your replies! I vastly underestimated how hard this transition to a new health care career. I was known for my ability to handle stress and my work ethic in my prior career but health care is a totally different animal. The staff has been wonderful and really worked with me. And I have come a long way. But dayshift is Chaotic and I just can’t keep up with it. Night shift is not something I ever wanted to do again after 20 years of shift changes. And at my age it’s hard on me. I don’t know I’m so disappointed in myself but I may leave for a slower paced dayshift position. What would some options be? Dr office?  Ugh!

A doctor's office can be crazy too, just a different kind of crazy. I liked working there much more than at the bedside. But the money sucks. In the end, only you can decide what you can handle. ER is not for everyone. Nor is NOC. Some busy doctors' offices hire RNs, but most fill up with CMAs and some LPNs so it may be hard to find. Not to say give up, but look around and give it a try.

Hang in there. Nursing is rough that first couple years for anyone!

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I have recently graduated with my doctorate and my dissertation is on this very topic. Not only in the U.S., but globally 33% of new nurses quit the profession within the first year because they blame themselves on not being able to be a good nurse. Reasons for quitting their profession mirrored yours in feeling overwhelmed, not prepared to transition to the hospital work environment, not having support by administration, and not having an adequate preceptorship. Specialty areas such as they ER should have a minimum of a 12-week internship. During this time you should also be receiving classroom time for, in your case, ER standing orders, nurse safety, ER medication, and common procedures. You do not say how long your new residency was a a new graduate. 
 

I need graduate should not be expected to take the normal patient load of an experienced nurse who has been working 10 years. New nurse should start with one patient and build up their confidence and skill set and work with their preceptor to build up time management and skills to take care of multiple patients and to learn how to critically think and triage the needs of multiple patients. 
 

if you did not receive this type and length of an internship, and were expected to care for four patients in the ER, that is unrealistic. This mistake the hospital made would definitely decrease your confidence and make it difficult to work on any unit the changes you to and on any shift. 
 

I would look around to other hospitals that follow the American Association of Colleges of Nursing guidelines in Nurse Residency programs. You will have an entirely different experience, and a positive one. Here are hospitals participating in the AACN Nurse Residency program by state https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/AcademicNursing/NRP/Nurse-Residency-Participants-by-State.pdf

I was fortunate and was hired by a hospital that provided a two-year nurse residency program in CVICU. The entire first year I had to work days To become familiar with administration, physicians, new orders, new admits, and all the busy work that does occur on days. My second year was in nights. I now have an appreciation for how busy it was on days and try to get as much as possible done at night to help the nurses on dayshift. Yet I felt more qualified and experienced to be able to handle emergencies with less personnel and staff at 0300 versus 1500. 
 

Please do not give up on your dream if it was in ER, there are many factors that you did not share such as how long of an orientation you received, but there are so many new nurses that are unfortunately feeling nursing must not be for them and they cannot provide adaquate and safe nursing care and quit the nursing profession. This is on the hospital’s lack of a standard residency program not you!! Hang in there!!

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