Not thrilled with my unit - should I quit?

Dear Nurse Beth Advice Column - The following letter submitted anonymously in search for answers. Join the conversation!

Updated:  

Not thrilled with my unit - should I quit?

Dear Nurse Beth,

I'm a new grad nurse who took the first job offer I received. At the time there was hesitancy on my part to take it because of a gut feeling. I ended up talking with other nurses, friends and family all who said to take it because it was the only opportunity I had. If disliked it then I could transfer in a year.

My gut feeling was correct and I'm not thrilled with my unit. I don't mind my coworkers, but I simply do not care for where I'm working. I have concerns about leadership, scheduling, and staffing grids, but I know those can happen anywhere. To top it off I'm struggling to adjust to nights, and find a social life outside of work. When I'm off work I feel like I need to be relearning patho, pharm, assessment, and watch skill videos. Each week I come home and I wonder if I should risk being blacklisted by getting a new job, or wait until I'm able to get a transfer. I have a month or less of orientation. I keep telling myself that isn't enough time to know if I truly like where I'm at. How can an indifferent new grad become excited about their unit? Right now I keep reminding myself this is a temporary stop to build a foundation.

Share this post

+ Add A Comment

5 Answers

Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.

Dear Indifferent,

This first year is challenging no matter where you work. There are so many adjustments and the learning curve is steep. Reality Shock is a real experience.

Give yourself more time. Changing jobs right now could easily set you back in your transition from school to nursing. It takes a lot of energy to look for another job, interview, get hired and start orientation all over. Instead, channel that energy into your current practice.

There is a risk of being blacklisted and there's no guarantee of a better workplace. The grass is not always greener. You could easily trade one set of problems/dissatisfactions for another.

If one year seems too long in a place you don't love, tell yourself you'll stick it out 6 months and then re-evaluate. You can do 6 months. 

Meanwhile, give yourself credit for your growth and accomplishments. Is your time management better than when you started? Are your getting more skilled with your IV starts? Can you perform an assessment and document it faster?

Maybe you aren't excited about your unit, but you can be excited about your patients. Be the best nurse you can be. You said it well yourself- you are building your nursing practice foundation.

Best wishes in your decision,

Nurse Beth

Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Allnurses New Nurse/First Year of Nursing forum offers advice and support to help new grads grow and prosper in their career.

Hi @Nurse Beth,

I think this was my question from earlier in the Spring. As an update I now have a love/hate relationship with my unit. I love that I'm not truly inpatient and working 3-12's. What I hate is that our unit is constantly dumped on. The ER docs and management are constantly pushing our boundaries. Ratios are going up. I also have a love/hate relationship with working nights. I truly think overall I'd feel better if I work dayshift, but that is not an option on my unit.

I do not think I want to proceed further in the trenches of inpatient nursing. I applied to transfer to the ER however I was told to reapply in December. 

I have applied to numerous ambulatory positions and finally I've lucked out. A local peds urgent care is willingly to take me on. My only issue with this position is it'd be part time. There is opportunity to pick up hours according to the managers.

I can't decide if it's worth it to move towards peds urgent care. I feel like I'm so close in my current role to a transfer that I could wait it out however I know there's no guarantee I'll even get a transfer. If I do get a transfer it might not even be for the hours I'd like. During nursing school I thought I'd work in peds and urgent care seems like a great way to get into the organization. It'd probably even help me land a clinic position with them later.

That's a question I keep going back and forth on. I like the scheduling and pay acute care provide but I don't know where I'd go from here. I did interview for an PICU position and because I failed their math test I was told to continue getting experience in my unit, or a peds med/surg then retry. 

Since that interview I've been thinking ED/Critical Care may not be for me. On top of lacking the confidence and making simple mistakes in math; I couldn't see myself staying on nights which is where I'd have to start. I have floated to med/surg units and I absolutely do not like it. 

I think I'd be happier in the outpatient world. I shadowed a clinic nurse and I loved it. Urgent care feels like a good compromise that will continue to give me the experience and knowledge I'd need in a clinic setting.

Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.
10 hours ago, TippyTappyMeow said:

Hi @Nurse Beth,

I think this was my question from earlier in the Spring. As an update I now have a love/hate relationship with my unit. I love that I'm not truly inpatient and working 3-12's. What I hate is that our unit is constantly dumped on. The ER docs and management are constantly pushing our boundaries. Ratios are going up. I also have a love/hate relationship with working nights. I truly think overall I'd feel better if I work dayshift, but that is not an option on my unit.

I do not think I want to proceed further in the trenches of inpatient nursing. I applied to transfer to the ER however I was told to reapply in December. 

I have applied to numerous ambulatory positions and finally I've lucked out. A local peds urgent care is willingly to take me on. My only issue with this position is it'd be part time. There is opportunity to pick up hours according to the managers.

I can't decide if it's worth it to move towards peds urgent care. I feel like I'm so close in my current role to a transfer that I could wait it out however I know there's no guarantee I'll even get a transfer. If I do get a transfer it might not even be for the hours I'd like. During nursing school I thought I'd work in peds and urgent care seems like a great way to get into the organization. It'd probably even help me land a clinic position with them later.

Are you ready to leave acute care for good?

+ Add a Comment