Nursing is not what I thought it would be!

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As a new grad nurse I was beyond excited when I landed my first job at a highly reputable hospital on a surgical unit. Feeling extremely overwhelmed I told myself that things would get better, but here I am 7 months in and I'm finding that nursing is not what I thought it would be. I feel completely overwhelmed each and everyday at work, I feel like I have no time at all for my patients. Rather than seeing my patient's as people I am forced to treat them as task lists each and every day. I don't even feel like I get to "care" for my patient's, it's all about productivity. I feel like I made a mistake with my career choice, however changing careers is not a choice as I am a mom of two with some hefty student loans. I know there are many other options in nursing but I keep hearing that you can't do much without floor experience and I'm afraid I will leave the job I have now and be even more unhappy. I'm just feeling very confused about my career choice at this time. I'm in my 20's, I'm I going to have to live with this feeling for the rest of my career? Anyone else have this problem?

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

I take it you never worked as a CNA prior to working as an RN?

You have two choices. Start looking now into another field of nursing that allows you to spend a bit more time with pt's, or stick it out and see if it gets better. Seven months is not a long time. Many new nurses struggle the first year.

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Specializes in Short Term/Skilled.

I think a lot of new nurses feel like this when they start. The good news is that there are many different fields to choose from. If your doing med surge maybe you would like critical care better. Not as many patients. Etc. just stick it out while you find your bearings and take each day at a time.

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You have eloquently stated the problems in nursing.

30 years ago I felt the same way. I still feel that way.

Sadly, working conditions have gradually gotten even worse over the years.

No, you have not made a mistake in your career choice. You sound like a nurse that cares about her patients, but is frustrated with the current working conditions.

Continue with your current position. I feel surgical areas are the least of the demons of floor nursing. Get your one year.. maybe two... and you will be surprised as to the other areas that open up for you. Nursing is going to boom in the next 5 years when us oldie-moldies retire and National Health Care is implemented.

Good luck, keep us posted.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

very few get through the first year of nursing without feeling as though they've made a terrible mistake. i remember crying all the way to work every day because i hated it so much, and then crying all the way back home. it took almost two years before it "clicked" and i started to feel competent. you're not the only one.

give your current job a couple of years, and then all sorts of opportunities will open up to you. but you need that experience before you can move on to something different.

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Specializes in ccu.

This sounds so terrible, but I am SO glad that I am not the only one that feels this way!

I am in my first year of nursing, I work on a Very busy cardiac floor and I feel exactly like you do. This job was exactly what I wanted. The hospital, the floor, everything. And I DREAD going into work every day. I feel so overwhelmed all the time!!!

I am bound and determined to stick it out for at least a year. I know that's what's best. It's just so hard when you are bordering on miserable going to work!

When I have a rough shift, I am up ALL night thinking about it! I don't know how to stop that! I just keep thinking about what I could have done differently, I hope so-and-so pt is doing okay, etc, etc, etc,. I called off yesterday. It was the first time, ever. I had to. I needed a mental health day so badly. I just couldn't bare the thought of going in there again, after the night I had on TUE.

Any way, best of luck to you! I hope it gets better for us both, soon! And I am so glad not to be alone in this!

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Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.

It's called paying your dues. Pony up, baby! You'll get that caring job you want, but you have to dig a few ditches first.

What, you wanted the whole dream laid at your feet 7 months in?

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I take it you never worked as a CNA prior to working as an RN?

You have two choices. Start looking now into another field of nursing that allows you to spend a bit more time with pt's, or stick it out and see if it gets better. Seven months is not a long time. Many new nurses struggle the first year.

This brings up a good point. I'm not trying to go off subject but I think EVERY nursing student should be a nursing assistant at some point. You get to see how nursing works, not the idealized view they show you in school and movies. In school you have 3 patients and you don't even do all there care (at least that's how it was at my school, maybe others are different). No, you won't always have time to spend hours with each patients, but after a while, you start getting your routine down, and then you find a way to talk to your patients and getting your work done too. When you are a nursing assistant, you learn time management, prioritization, and if your friendly with your nurses, they will constantly be trying to teach you things. So anyway... You will fine your way. I'm sure your a good nurse, and the fact that you are saying what your saying shows your motivated to get better and I'm sure you will!

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Why does nursing school do such a horrible job of preparing students for what nursing is really like? I feel like new grads actually have to be UNtaught all the BS they learned in school. Oh, they teach the skills, yes, but they also lead students to believe thay will have time to focus on each pt as if they had only 2or 3 pts to deal with. Why don't nursing instructors tell the students the reality of the job??

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

It is pretty well documented that the novice nurse does deal with patients in a task-oriented manner. Time management is the number one challenge of the new nurse. I am one myself, also 7 months in, and see this in myself every day that I work. For me right now successfully managing my tasks correctly, remembering to bring everything I need into the room, tackling things I have never done before, appropriately asking for help or clarification and documenting thoroughly and correctly occupy my days and my definition of a "good shift". The shifts where I am steadily getting all my tasks done represent a really good shift for me.

I was frustrated too until the latest round of new graduates started in June. Suddenly I was able to see how far I have come in the last seven months! I am doing a lot of things independently that I used to either not know to do, have to be reminded to do or be helped to do. Ah, progress! I am learning how to organize my day and getting better at not forgetting to bring things into the room with me. And slowly slooowwwwwly I am seeing these task oriented things becoming organized and thus freeing up time for me so that when a patient wants to talk and share, I don't feel absolute panic. I am getting to know drugs better so am not having to look them up as much. I am getting better at what to delegate and what to just go ahead and do myself, thus freeing up time. I know the numbers of pharmacy and lab and who to call when there is a problem, question or missing med. I know how to use the software more efficiently. I am learning to prioritize things much better.

I bet you are getting better at these things too.

Seven months isn't very long to know how nursing is going to turn out. Hang in there!

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It's called paying your dues. Pony up, baby! You'll get that caring job you want, but you have to dig a few ditches first.

What, you wanted the whole dream laid at your feet 7 months in?

Sheesh,,, munch much?

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Been there done that I'm totally serious when I ask this-Do you consider MN-RNs reply to be a case of nurses eating their young and/or an example of bullying?

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