New job

[SchoolNurse91, BSN, RN]

I landed my dream job as a NICU RN. however, I'm not loving it like I thought I work. I actually get a sick feeling in my stomach when I have to come in. Is this normal for a new grad to feel like this with any job? Does it get better? I feel so incompetent when I'm on the floor. It's only been a couple weeks.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

I landed my dream job as a NICU RN. however, I'm not loving it like I thought I work. I actually get a sick feeling in my stomach when I have to come in. Is this normal for a new grad to feel like this with any job? Does it get better? I feel so incompetent when I'm on the floor. It's only been a couple weeks.

There are SOOOO many threads on this subject -- go to the "First Year After Licensure" forum and you'll find hundreds.

When I graduated back in the 70s, we called it "Reality Shock." Nursing isn't what we thought it would be, based on what our dreams were and what we learned in school. The transition from student to nurse is difficult, and it takes about two years to go from student to competent nurse. In the mean time, life is miserable. Even in your "dream job". You're stressed beyond reason, you cry on the way to work, on the way home from work and even sometimes in the bathroom AT work. I was nauseated thinking about work, either before or after my shift. I was exhausted all the time (even though I didn't work night shift until two years in). And I thought life couldn't get much worse. But in those days, we didn't quit. We just powered on through. I was supporting my husband, providing health insurance (there was no portability in those days) and had no option of quitting. So I sucked it up.

Over time, I noticed that work was less stressful and I started feeling more on top of things. Little by little, I learned and grew into the job. Somewhere about the one year mark for most of us, there's a little "click" and you realize that "I've got this." The first year or so is miserable, but the only way to GET through it is to GO through it. Changing jobs won't be a shortcut, and the grass really isn't greener elsewhere

At two weeks, you don't even know enough to know what you don't know. It will get better. Just hang in there.

[Checkers08, BSN, MSN, RN]

It took me a solid year before I quit feeling like I wanted to vomit every day when I came to work. Try to hang in there!

[SchoolNurse91, BSN, RN]

I already quit, but I'm much happier in my new spot. Thank you!