Not sure if I should continue nursing

[Audi3181]

Hello all,

i have recently been feeling discouraged in my job. I've been a nurse for over a year (it'll be two years this may). In the last few months, I've been feeling like I am not getting any better. In fact, I feel like I am getting worse. I get so nervous and freeze up during conversations with pts. Physicians, and some times my colleagues. I work in a small rural hospital and I find it very cliquey and there is some nepotism evident with some of the nurses. In my personal experience. I often feel like when mistakes are made I am thrown under the bus. For example, yesterday while working (in a 4 bed icu) I was the primary nurse and I had a float nurse to help me. There was clearly aome

miscommunication because I received a message from

night shift stating orders weren't processed for a new admission we'd received. I was assessing the pt. and charting the admission. Therefore, I thought my float was carrying out the orders (as we have no ward clerk and are to process them ourselves). Long story short, I messaged my co worker to inquire (not placing blame on anyone) and I feel I was totally thrown under the bus by my co worker. She stated "I thought you were doing them, that's why I was helping with pt. X ect." I'm very frustrated as she has worked there longer, so of course the staff will take her word over mine. This is just one incident of many and I am not sure if it's the hospital I work at not allowing me to thrive or if I'm simply not cut out for nursing period. Everyday I feel more and more discouraged. If you have any advice I would greatly appreciate it.

[caliotter3]

Look for a change of environment with a new job. It would be foolish to give up a profession based on one workplace situation turning out to be sour.

[Marisette, BSN, RN]

I find myself checking and double checking my work to make sure everything is done, particularly if I'm working with others and their actions can impact my work. It's also a good idea to communicate as often as possible and not assume what may seem obvious. Don't get discouraged by negative feedback from others, but plan for the future so it does not happen again. This person is obviously a "throw you under the bus" type person and you have to make sure you are alert to her actions if you work with her in the future. There will likely be others who do the same. One bad incident does not make you a bad nurse. It may never happen again. Not sure if you should continue nursing? Well, if you have other employment or educational options and your miserable in nursing, that's ok too. It's better to find this out early in your career than continue on a path of misery.

[Orion81RN]

2 years this May is still 7 months away. So you've been working 1 year 5 months? I'd say it's too soon to be thinking about throwing in the towel. You would of course still have big room for progress at only a year and a half. It could be that ICU IS for you, and you happen to work in a poor environment for learning and growth. Or it may be ICU is not for you and you could change specialties.

I thought I was SO done with nursing after being burned out at the bedside. Turned out I just needed a change in environment.

Regarding your example, as primary nurse especially, yeah, you should have been very clear on who was doing what. While the other nurse should share blame in this, you were the Primary nurse. When working as a team, always know who is doing what.

Hang in there. While it's understandably easy to feel this way, and frankly quite common, its too early to give up!