NewGrad nurse, wanting to quit :(

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Hello,

as the title says:... I want to quit.

I am a newgrad and have been working in general med for 3months now. At first it was exciting but now I dread going to work.

I am an emotional wreck, crying before shifts and fighting with my partner. I feel I can't hold my life together and I'm having depression and anxiety.

Although I believe I'm not too bad at the job (despite being super new)... I feel I'm not cut out for it. This has been a feeling I've had for quite a while even as a student.

I thought I'd push through and see how far I could get but now that I'm here I'm having terrible regret.

i feel trapped because I know I wont be able to get another job since I am only a level 1 nurse and have minimal experience.

i feel ashamed because there are other nurses who feel the same but are pushing through.

i just don't think it's normal to feel so miserable.

is there any way out of this?

(I am currently seeing a councelor too).

I have so much respect for all you nurses who never gave up and are amazing at your job (in my opinion).

I would appreciate any advice..

thank you

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As new grad who just stepped in the real working world, it may be tough for first few months. I am new nurse so I understand your feelings. Same like you, I felt wanted to quit after working few months. This due to collegue issue and they said I got communication problem with them. They gave lots negative feedback to my nurse educator behind my back and not gave feedback to me in person or face to face. Some of them like to remember my weakness or mistake but never bother to see my progress.

At the moment I felt so incompetent due to negative feedback by the staff, I almost resigned because I felt that I can't hold it anymore. However, my sister reminded me why you want to be a nurse in first place and this totally pulled me back. I remember I want to be a nurse to care patient and their family member. I remember how satisfied I am when patients discharged well from hospital despite crazy workload in the shift. I remember I want to provide good nursing care and not to live under other's negative comments.

I tried hard and my best to improve myself, my speed to do work, my communication skills, my knowledge so that I can be a better nurse.

Thanks to my nurse educator and nurse manager. They heard about my problem and offered me to change to other ward.

"Start it as brand new," said my nurse manager when she introduced me to colleague at new ward. So I started all over and built my confidence there. The staff are more supportive than previous ward and even I received complement from my patient for my communication. Well, I proved to those who are once never help me but complained behind my back that I can improve myself.

Thus, hints for new grad nurses:

1. Determination will make you stronger in your will to become nurse.

2. Take negative feedback as challenge to improve ourselves.

3. Talk to superior if need help or assistance.

4. Practice makes perfect.

5. Team player even with those who don't like you.

6. Last resort, leave the place or request to change ward. Sometimes we need fresh environment to gain the energy and confidence back!

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I'm a new grad too - it's very hard and I've really only recently started to feel confident in my abilities.

Do you think the problem has to do with your particular ward? Eg. acuity, ratios, staff members? Some wards are definitely tougher than others in terms of the "grad experience". Or is it knowledge/skills based?

Talk to your Nurse Manager and if your hospital has a Grad Support department contact them. Maybe another ward would be more your speed. Maybe you just need a little extra support, or some practice developing technical skills. Don't be afraid to go to your in-charge with any issues, I've made a habit of updating them a hell of a lot throughout my shift, or bouncing ideas of colleagues.

Like, my patient had chest pain but the ECG machine disappeared and I couldn't find the anginine so I grabbed her and asked her to help me find stuff while I started to follow the chest pain protocol. If I didn't speak to her, I would have gotten flustered and missed some steps because not finding stuff just triggered that fight-or-flight response that all the simulations at uni couldn't prepare me for.

Also - general med is hard because there are so many conditions. I'm having a much easier time on my current stint respiratory/cardiology because it's 50% lung cancer, 30% COPD and 20% post-MI patients who are off telemetry. Maybe you'd do better on a more specialised unit where you can develop skills and more in-depth knowledge.

I'm sure you can do it! :nurse: About a month ago I felt like I wanted to quit, but then I took my current contract and my confidence has increased a whole lot. I now feel comfortable and calm before shifts.

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I'm also a new grad who has had those "Am I cut out for this?" moments. I wish I had better advice for you, some deep wisdom to help you get through. I don't. In those moments, I just remind myself why I began this journey in the first place and Just Keep Swimming. Have you connected with any of the other staff on your unit? I've found that having someone that you can go to and say, "I'm struggling because x, y, z" is helpful.

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Hello there. I have been nursing for over 4 years now on a high acuity unit. I felt exactly how you felt when I first started. I was so overwhelmed and constantly terrified of work and the potential to make a mistake. Lots of tears were involved. I had the good fortune of starting on a unit where the other nurses were very supportive of my not knowing anything. I think it's very normal to feel the way you do based in the nature of our job. I had someone who is brand new confide in me the other day that they felt like that at that very moment. Most nurses feel the way you do when you start. Find that nurse you can trust and who will support you. It's gets better. And if it's the people there then you are able to go other places. I have nurse friends who did that too and it just took a different environment.

Best of luck my dear.

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I'm curious what you ended up doing. I am a newer nurse and planning my resignation in the coming weeks...I have another job lined up...

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Hiya super mega late response. I stayed and endured for a year but now trying to find another job. How did you go with yours?

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