healer27

Hi everyone, Again thanks for all the replies, I NEVER expected to get such a huge response. Alot of you have mentioned going into a different area of nursing which I will consider after the baby. Again I just don't have it in me at this point of time to start somewhere new yet again. But really where can you go outside the hospital with little experience and an associates degree? It seems alot of docs offices these days hire medical assistants not nurses. But if someone can make some recommendations I'd love to hear.. thanks again to all.

In response to RN75 I just have to say I'm in agreement with you on alot of points. I've always WONDERED myself if the general overall public was more educated on what nurses do and what there days are like (a true representation not some fluff filled peice with nurses sitting around talking like they have all the time in the world) if this would cause CHANGE in nursing. Does the public realize all we are responsible for when dealing with 8 pts? That you don't get to take a lunch, eat, drink or pee? REally it's pretty ridiculous. To be honest, prior to attending nursing school and then working on the floor I had no idea how tough it could be. And most relatives outside healthcare would make statements like "oh a 12 hour day" it must be great to work 3 days a week instea of 5. Do you get a looong lunch then? And when I would tell them that if I got the chance to pee all day it was a miracle they'd look at me in shock. I'm sorry but it doesn't have to be this way and it shouldn't, I think many people would feel better if they had time to refresh themselves during the day, and had more time to really care for each pt. I can't tell you how bad I felt numerous times having to "rush" people or cut people off (in the most polite way possible) when they probably just needed an ear to listen. The other thing and this is slightly off topic but forgive me is the use of cell phones on the floor? Really necessary? honestly again, 1) how is this when it comes to infection control and 2) how does it affect pt safety when your pulling out meds or in the middle of setting something up and the (*(!! phone rings, even if you don't answer its still and interuption. Again just ridciulous from my point of view? How many years did hospitals go without cell phones? and now we HAVE to have them? pplleeeasssee Just my 2 cents..

Hi just wanted to check in with everyone and say thanks to all the supportive responses. As far as the title seeming "melodramatic" it is what it is and that's just what came out of my head, didn't mean it to be that way. But if you feel the need to pick it apart that's your perogative. I also just wanted to share with everyone that nursing is a second career for me. I worked for 13 years prior to this at a large telecommunications co. So I understand about working with difficult people and THOUGHT I had developed a pretty thick skin. But apparantly not THICK enough. At this time the decision to leave nursing is just a personal one. I'm SURE I didn't do everything perfect and never stated that I did. After all I'm only human. Honestly, being pregnant the stress at this time just not worth it to me. I would really rather work for much less in an environment where I can go to the bathroom or have a sip of water when I need to and just overall in life be happy. Part of the problem for me to was never being able to leave nursing at work. So your technically there for 12 hours but usually for me being newer anyway I'd still be there 1 hour past shift to catching up on documentation. Not only that but your still thinking thinking and rethinking your day following your shift and again for me worrying, dreading and not looking forward to my next shift just worrying. Honestly, it has always scared me too that you can be sued and lose your livlihood over a $50K salary. Again all of this combined at this point in my life I'm just not there. And to this degree it is my fault because I should have realized all this in school, but I didn't. But again I'm not perfect and stuff happens. I will keep my license up and look into options outside of the hospital. In any case thanks to all who posted back for your insights and suggestions.

stevielynn, do you have to be experienced to work at a free standing surgery center?

To everyone that has posted so far - I just want to THANK YOU ALL so much for your encouraging words and being willing to share personal insights and advice. I'm not going to give up my license I will keep it up as many of you have suggested. I also will probably look for work (not immediately) in a doc's office. Penguin2 you said you worked for awhile in a lab? what did you do there? just being curious. Does anyone know what they look for you to do in a doc's office? BP, height, weight? what else? At the moment though I feel like I have this "cloud" of mean people that have appeared at each job so I want to give it some time for I go reapplying for a new job. thanks again to everyone for all your suggestions, keep em coming....

To the commuter - thanks about the pregnancy I'm pretty excited. Maybe in a little while I'll try to break back into nursing but for now, I'm just toasted and need some time away. To nurseangel - yeah, like you I worked my backside off to get through school, pass the nclex. etc... I just feel like I deserve some happiness and peace for at least a little awhile. I thought I'd be tough enough to let stuff roll off me to, but guess not. NOt a fact I'm proud of but it is what it is. I need some time away..

Well, the start of a new year and I'm kissing nursing good bye after only 5 short months. I graduated in may and started at a hospital in august. My very first preceptor was a nightmare, on my 3rd day on the floor she said I was too slow and put me down in front of other nurses or whoever was in distance of hearing her. At one point she even said, "well, I have her she know's nothing I have to show her everything." So being enthusiastic I decided NOT to let it get to me and proceeded to take her C*ap for another couple of weeks. At which time I was moved to a different floor with a preceptor who was great and I learned alot from. PRoblem was at this hospital IF I wanted to stay I'd have to take a evening position. SO I left a found a hosptial closer to home on days. Well, once again I have the preceptor from hell not only that but the managers In my opinion are nitpickers. ON my first day on the floor they wrote up a nurse who was in charge of making sure all the phones were back at the end of the day, for not having a phone returned. (someone took one home accidentally).. I found this ridiculous, it's a busy med/surg floor with an 8:1 patient ratio and they are worried about PHONES???? I could go on and on about the other horrors but it would be to long. Long story short I've decide to quit. Luckily I don't NEED the job to support myself or I wouldn't be able to leave. my hubby makes a decent salary. I do feel bad placing all the financial burden on him but I'm planning on just picking up a admin position somewhere. I don't care if I'm making half the money I jsut want to be happy. I'm so SICK of being stressed going into work, stressed coming home, worrying about this, being stressed on the floor. To me its just not worth it. My hubby is worried that I'll change my mind and want to come back to nursing but won't be able to after leaving 2 prior positions. bUt seriously I can't imagine feeling this way. I also just found out I'm expecting my first child and I really can't imagine the stress level as well as not eating/drinking/peeing an entire shift is good. So I'm gone. I give up, I give in, I just feel like I can't do it. I'm thinking I'm just not meant to be in nursing, or i woudn't have just kept inheriting bad circumstances and preceptors from hell. Well, I'd love to hear if anyone else has left nursing? come back and any other thoughts you all might have. Hope this is a good new year for all.

Hi everyone just checking in... here's a hug for today for whoever needs one...:icon_hug: I keep telling myself to just keep putting one foot in front of the other. And an occasional glass of wine or beer combined with some laughter and friends helps as well too.. :biere:

I'll second what AlsgalRN said about her coworker carrying a small address book with doc phone numbers and stuff. At my current job as I looked up phone numbers for docs, at the end of the day I would write them in the little address book with what area they practiced in (obgyn, gasto, nephro, etc..) this kept me from having to ask repetive questions and saved time having to relook up phone numbers..

Hi everyone, these are great suggestions, I really appreciate this - I feel ready to try to have some SUCCESSFUL Sticks at this point, LOL! Keep the suggestions coming..

Hi everyone - I know this question has been posted before and I've looked at some of the websites mentioned on advice for IV's but I'm still having trouble with getting successful sticks. SOOOO.. I thought I'd ask everyone what was the one thing you would say you believed HELP you become successful with IV sticks??? thanks in advance for any tips... :wink2:

Hi everyone, thanks for your input. BS to be, thanks for your input. I don't assume the interview is one step away from the job, I always (I believe anyway) try to dress neatly, arrive on time and present myself well. I think the feedback idea is a good one though - at this point I welcome it because I do want to know "what's wrong with me?" You can't help but start to doubt yourself when your putting your best foot forward and still getting knocked down.

hi everyone, I posted about 2 weeks ago in regards to interviewing. well, didn't get the last position I interviewed for and went on another interview today somewhere else. Again, hoping I get the position. I just find it amazing when there is a so called "nursing shortage" how HaRD it is to find work as a new grad. I'm just looking to start on a med/surg floor; not asking to start in a speciality. I wanted days but now I''m open to considering nights just to get my foot in the door. I graduated with a decent GPA 3.7. I'm so tired of these hospital websites too where you just Post your resume and then never here from anyone. I did get a hold of one recruiter one time for one hospital and have been trying to work with her. Another hospital I called the HR number and I talked to the recruiter who was so ANNOYED that I called to follow up it just totally turned me off right away . Anyone else going through this? Just GRIPING AGAIN - sorry I'm really not this gripy of a person but I've just had a cloud of bad luck.. :zzzzz

Hi everyone thanks for the good advice and positive thoughts. llg, I DID express an interest to the hiring manager when I teched there, saying that I would like a position when I graduated. This was when I was teching there prior to graduating in May. Perhaps you are right though and I should just go with whats available at the moment & relax and get some experience that way. It's just so disappointing and I guess being a sensitive person I just feel like I must have done something wrong for her not to have held a position for me. Oh well.. thanks again to everyone for listening. Best wishes for all.

Well, I really think I've reached witts end.. I thought I was going into my dream job. Passed school and NCLEX with flying colors went into a internship working for a hospital I had worked at prior to graduating. First rotation had the preceptor from hell, and either told how little I knew, or had my preceptor tell others this in front of me OR was left in situations ALONE I should not have been left in. Second rotation like waaaay better awesome preceptor = gained some of my confidence back. It also helps I am on the floor that I previously worked on as a tech, so it's more familiar. Here's the problem our group of interns last week had a meeting to decide where we want to work permanently, of course everyone wants the floor I'm on now to which there are no positions. The "available" jobs are either nights, per diem or part time or on floors which have reputations. ahem.... so I'm like that's o.k. they gave us until thanksgiving to decide. What makes it worse for me is since I previously worked on the floor I'm on now as a tech and knew the manager and hadn't even expressed an interst in working there after graduation YOU think she would have held a position for me but know. So I've been biting my lip over that. Now I've also been interviewing at hospitals closer to home in the meantime. Had an interview last Monday thought it went well, looked today at the job ad on line and it closed. No phone call; I'm assuming I didn't get the job. Now I keep wondering what did I do say wrong on my interview? What is wrong with me? Why has nothing seemed to work out since I"ve graduated? Why did the manager I worked for previous to graduating not hold a position? I'm never late; never call out, reliable, haven't made any errors to my knowledge.. So I'm thinking maybe I just don't belong in nursing. I just don't know, but I'm just feeling so tired of trying trying. I just don't know where to go from here.

Hi purple princess - it's really a shame that they pay people so little but that's a whole different issue. IT sounds like your doing a great job but as the other posters said finding work in a hospital would probably be better for you. I think they pay more and as you get to know people on the floor including the director you might get your foot in the door for a nursing position after graduation. Find work on a unit you think you might be interested in after graduation. Did you ever think of doing secretarial work on a floor in a hospital as well? I did tech work while I was in school and while it helped to some degree I really think secretarial is better for those planning on doing nursing BECAUSE you then have to learn to read charts and input orders. Getting used to reading charts, and becoming familiar with what tests are usually ordered for what conditions really is something that you could take with you when you become a new nurse. In retrospect I really wish I had done the secretarial thing instead of teching. This is not to say that doing patient care isn't helpful as well as you pointed out you learn time managment, how to deal with difficult patients etc.. Best of luck to you whatever you decide.

Hi everyone - thank you to all for all the responses - everyone here is so nice - I'm so addicted to this board! IN anycase I DID send a thank you note to the hiring manager very short - just saying thank you for your time I appreciated it yadayada. I know she had 2 more interviews after me the last one being today. I'm trying to think positive and believe the whole if its meant to be its meant to be but on the other side of the coin I REALLY WANT THIS JOB!!! It's a really well known teaching hospital with a good reputation & only 5- 10 minutes from my house which is nice. Also I did get a chance to talk with some other nurses on the floor there and they were very nice friendly. When I was waiting to speak wiht the hiring manager I was checking out the nurses station and surroundings and altho it's a quick judgement it seemed organized and people did seem positive. Also the hiring manager did say she doesn't have positions on that floor that often (a good sign) and the nurses I spoke with had started as new grads and had been there two years (another good sign). I did like the hiring manager as well. I thought the interview went well. I thought I had a pretty good rapport going but again you just don't know what is going through the other persons head and I don't know how much more experience these other people will have. All I can do is keep my fingers crossed.... I guess too I'm just a little stressed because I have the feeling its hard to get into this hospital without having a contact there and I don't.. soooo... ahah..

Thanks tweety!! I had that train of thought "if they really liked me they would have hired me blah blah blah"

HI everyone, I'm a new grad been in a place I'm not to happy with. In any case went on an interview today at a hospital thats 5 minutes from my house (currently driving over 1/2 hour to work.). In any case I think the interview went well BUT it's so hard to tell what the hiring manager thought. She said she had two more interviews (last one friday) and then she'd let me know. BUT of course my brain is in overtime now rethinking everything and thinking if she really wanted me she'd have hired me right there? Right so maybe it's not a good sign I have to wait. sigh.... So what do you all think? I really really really want this position its days in a great hospital and like I said for me so close to home..

Just curious -- how long what is the average length of orientation for new grads - based on my experience and friends etc its generally 6 - 8 weeks. Does this match up with all of you?

:icon_hug:You all are the best hugs to you all - I hope things improve for all of us :icon_hug:

Big Mona - I'm sorry it sounds like its been really tough for you - I believe that you get hit with stuff call it beginners luck! lol! Along similiar lines I always seems to have patients that develop problems simulateneously around 7 p.m. right before change of shift????? ... Good Luck hope things get better for you..

Thanks Tom - I'll take that beer in a heartbeat! LOL and everyone else - ahhhh I love this board - don't know what I'd do without it. Your right the "meantime" between passing the nclex and getting comfortable is really yucky.. I try to look at it as a challenge and exciting but sometimes I'm like ugh, its just so tiirrrriiinnnggg. Well. like you said we'll get there!! Thanks to all for the hugs --keep em coming!

I've decided there is no "perfect" time. I'm 35 and a new grad, kept saying after I graduate then ideally I wanted to work a year but now I'm just ready. I don't want to wait anymore, I'm already concerned that I'm 35 and this will be my first. And the way I figure it, I've sacrificed enough family time and other stuff already to get through nursing school. Why not originally planning it I think we are going to start trying soon, like I said just tired of waiting.. Things will work out one way or another with the job as far as I'm concerned. Good luck to you...

havin a party and newohiorn here are hugs to you both :icon_hug: Like I said I try to be positive but some days sigh it's tough to keep pluggin...