Nursing student here...need encouragement. Not sure I can do this!!

loriangel14, RN · Oct 15, 2012

You have just described most of nursing.That doesn't just apply to med surg.To get to the jobs with no patient contact you have to deal that stuff first.

The uncomfortable feeling will go away with time.Pee and poop are something you will have to deal with in a lot of settings.Were you not aware that dealing with bodily fluids was part of the job?Being able to deal with patients and families is a big part of being a nurse.Unrealistic demanding patients/families are everywhere.

Novo · Oct 15, 2012

I know exactly what you mean I would look into pysch (less about skills more about talking to patients/meds) , OR (patient is out the entire time), or Emergency (you dont see the same person for too long).

That Girl · Oct 15, 2012

If you don't like the "building a relationship" part of nursing then maybe the ER or an urgent care would be up your alley. "Treat em' and street em'" as the terrible saying goes. Some patient interaction is inevitable as a nurse so hopefully you'll enjoy it more as you feel more comfortable with the skills side of things and can relax a little. Good luck!

Thanks for the replies thus far.
As far as the patient interaction thing goes. I guess for me its the same concept as having somebody lurking over your shoulder waiting to pounce on you for screwing up. It simply rattles my concentration and seemingly everything i've learned thus far goes out the window.
I like to lose myself in my work but it's hard to do that with real, live patients. I didn't anticipate this being a problem for me and have been waiting for a moment that would tell me I was doing the right thing by being in nursing school but I have yet to have that happen.
Im willing to relocate anywhere in the country for the right job. Med-surg would simply be too miserable of a time if im forced into it. I have read many threads on this forum pertaining to different specialties but not many have mentioned their personal path to get that job/position. Would love to hear those stories!
Again, without knowing much about these specialties, the following sound intriguing to me:
OR
Radiology
PACU
Informatics
Dialysis
Im open to any other suggestions. I worked so hard to get into my program and hate that im not enjoying it.

rocksteady1 · Oct 15, 2012

Im going to discuss Pysch Nursing with my professor next class. She is an awesome teacher and really has been looking out for me. I guess she can tell im a bit overwhelmed. I know I can be honest with her about my issues and won't have to worry about her judging me as a someone ready to jump ship from nursing.

On another note, its's funny...the whole "nurses eat their young thing", I can actually sense the negative vibes from some RN's on the floor towards students. Completely miserable *******...not all, some have been there for us for any question we may have. Many, however, are just nasty, snarling, blowhards.

smurfynursey · Oct 15, 2012

I echo the other notes you have received thus far.

Side note, I DESPISE med/surg but am "home" doing hospice.

Best of luck to you.

ArrowRN, BSN, RN · Oct 15, 2012

Sounds to me like you are living my future fears exactly. I am also male will be planning to get into nursing school this Spring 2013. The only medical experience I've had was as an EMT in the caribbean for between 1998 and 2003. I am a naturally quite person and I too dread patient interactions. The best thing about being an EMT is you just have a short ride with them in the ambulance drop them off , hand them over to the hospital and I never see them again...unless they were frequent flyers :) With the urgency of the calls, the family members generally remain focus on telling you as much history about what happened and then they let you do your job. After 2 years as a field EMT I got a diagional promotion in the Quality Assurance as a QA Medic. That was an office job and I occassionally trained new EMT's how to properly document their work...this area had absolutely no patient contact, but I was required to do several ride alongs per month to keep up my skills. I don't know if nursing has a Quality department, but most hospitals I'm guessing do have it. MY EMT experiences have thaught me that the medical field is where I belong..my previous field was electronics. As an EMT I never felt like it was a job and I looked forward to working. There's an area of nursing like that for you, you just have to find it.

The big adjustment I will have to make is that in nursing I know I will have to deal with the patient all day long, maybe see them through entire recovery for several days. I have no desire for med/surg either...but I will have to just suck it up and just do it even if its the first job I get.

You have to remember there are many fields in nursing, the field most similar to EMT will be working in the ER/ICU as a Crital Care Nurse so that is my eventual goal and it is one area that most male RN's gravitate too because its a high energy intense rush area. I also have a high interest is working in the OR . You will notice that both these areas

1. most times patient will be really out of it so they don't really bug you and

2. most times family members won't be allowed in depending on severity of condition.

So interactions again will be limited. I like helping people, its in my nature, but being around people while doing my job will get me very nervous. I think you should stick it out for the rest of the program. Your other clinicals will be different and you will find the area you like. That's the best thing about nursing and why I've chosen this for my future. You can also look in travel nurses who ride also in ambulances or flight nurses who fly with patients in helicopters between facilities. If you really wont zero contact after a few years you can get your BSN, masters or DNP degree and eventually get into education or management fields. And trust me, you are not the only one who is feeling overwhelmed, I bet your classmates are too. Experience will help a lot, so it will take time, just take it in stride.

The only other thing you have to deal with is the lack of males in the nursing field and no "compadres" to talk to. Women communicate differently..we men might want to talk about how to be more efficent at the job and the technical stuff to get it done right, women might want to talk about how the patient and family feels and how they could be more compationate towards them. That will be a challange in itself, but more men are getting into this, which is a good thing.

allnurses Guide · Oct 16, 2012

I have also discovered that I do not enjoy patient interaction at all.

I would look into pysch (less about skills more about talking to patients/meds)

Well, it seems to me psych would not be ideal if one does not enjoy patient interaction.

Patient interaction and strong communication skills are everything.

It is very much an art, actually, that could mean the difference between keeping things cool and a full-scale riot!

Patients can often sense boredom, indifference, insincerity and dislike on the part of their nurses.

You don't want to present like this in any area... and in psych, it can be like absolute poison.

As for psych being "less about skills"...

That is incorrect, especially if one were to work on a medical psych floor.

That and the fact that, like any other area of nursing, psych has it's own set of skills to master.

loriangel14, RN · Oct 16, 2012

Trying to find a job that will involve no patient interaction will be difficult.Nursing really is all about the patient and you really will need to work on that.

I agree with Hygiene Queen, psych is ALL about patient interaction and Med Psych still involves nursing skills.The other things you have mentioned not liking will still be there in most areas.

peanutsauce · Oct 16, 2012

I agree 100% with Hygiene Queen! Psych has everything to do with the nurse-patient interaction. Even on straight psych floors, nursing skills still pop up. Also, many psych patients are even more acutely aware of what you're doing, which could lead to some of the insecure feelings you've described.

A lot of the awkwardness you're feeling is normal. But, if you know that a ton of patient interaction isn't your thing, I think it's wise to go after something else.

If you're looking to "lose yourself in your work", maybe the bedside isn't the right place to begin with. Look into informatics -- It has the least of the things you seem to dislike.

FurBabyMom, MSN, RN · Oct 16, 2012

Thanks for the replies thus far.
As far as the patient interaction thing goes. I guess for me its the same concept as having somebody lurking over your shoulder waiting to pounce on you for screwing up. It simply rattles my concentration and seemingly everything i've learned thus far goes out the window.
I like to lose myself in my work but it's hard to do that with real, live patients. I didn't anticipate this being a problem for me and have been waiting for a moment that would tell me I was doing the right thing by being in nursing school but I have yet to have that happen.
Im willing to relocate anywhere in the country for the right job. Med-surg would simply be too miserable of a time if im forced into it. I have read many threads on this forum pertaining to different specialties but not many have mentioned their personal path to get that job/position. Would love to hear those stories!
Again, without knowing much about these specialties, the following sound intriguing to me:
OR
Radiology
PACU
Informatics
Dialysis
Im open to any other suggestions. I worked so hard to get into my program and hate that im not enjoying it.

The first thing I am going to tell you - you WILL make mistakes no matter what kind of nursing you go into. Just like life in general, sometimes, unfortunately, we learn from our mistakes. The key is being able to own up to the mistakes you make and knowing how to fix it. Many times, working as a nurse in patient care - the correct way to do things AND how to handle mistakes are basically outlined in facility policy. Following facility policy is what will ultimately save your behind as a nurse - being able to show you followed policy is what will allow you to be protected under your facility's malpractice insurance should something serious happen (not that it isn't a good idea to carry your own insurance but that's another topic). Also, nursing is just like life in general. Some days you love it and feel amazing/super hero like, others you wonder what in the world you are doing.

I can tell you, basically, nowhere will you be offered a job in PACU as a new grad. PACU is very specialized, and experience is a huge asset. Most places will also not hire new grads for dialysis because it's a very specialized area and a different kind of care. Dialysis patients are typically not stable anyways let alone during dialysis.

It's also very hard to get into the OR as a new grad. Look for internships at hospitals with a good orientation - once you are off orientation you can be given almost anything and have to deal with it (well, I guess this depends on facility policy). I'm in one now, it's been basically amazing. I love what I'm learning but I do value the year I spent in med-surg land (neuro) to help broaden my base of knowledge. It seems to depend on the facility if they use RNs in radiology and/or what staffing is like, or experience expected.

I would suggest asking if your classroom staff/clinical staff can help set up some time to shadow in specific areas. A lot of the areas you've mentioned are not for everyone - it takes a certain type of person to tolerate it.

I noticed on another comment you (original poster) made - you mentioned long hours without good breaks, and less than ideal doctors. Those are common throughout nursing. I work in the OR. Not everyone can work in every type of case/service, and sometimes there is not adequate staffing to allow for breaks, so, it does happen everywhere. My hospital has a very strict policy for workplace violence for anyone from housekeeping to well known/top of their field surgeons. Not every hospital has this policy though, and some that do, do not enforce such a policy.

SarcasticLVN · Oct 16, 2012

I did a lot of my clinical rotations in ltc facilities and vowed never to work ltc once licensed. I took my first job offer at ltc facility because I felt blessed to even be considered cause I was a new grad. At this point I don't know if I could do it for the next 30 years but right now I really enjoy it. Worst rotation was psych, I don't think I could ever be a good psych nurse. I feel so incompetent on our Alzheimer's unit lol. Once you go through more rotations you will get a better idea of what you like, everyone is different. You worked hard to get into the program do not quit! We need more male nurses. :)

echoRNC711, BSN · Oct 16, 2012

What drew you to nursing initially? That may hold the key to the direction that will inspire you. Sit down,give yourself some space and ask yourself "If I removed fear from the situation. The truth I see is........