natsumi

That is seriously troubling, not to mention unprofessional behavior. I am so sorry that your work enviornment feels so hostile and unnurturing. First of all, you won't get fired for a small mistake, especially if you are unionized. If you do something unsafe and it is a pattern, then that is a different story. I personally have only experienced being picked on as a nurse tech, and unfortunately, it did not get better even after speaking to the manager, which is why I did not want to work there when i became a nurse. But not all units are like that. Can you speak to your manager about it? You don't necessarily have to name names, but I know that my current manager would want to know. I would also encourage the other new nurses who are feeling similarly to do the same. Chances are, it isn't the first time these behaviors have occurred on your unit. What kind of small things do you get criticised for? Do you think it is anything you can use to improve upon or is it just mean spirited? There is a difference between forgetting to put a bed alarm on vs forgetting to refill a water pitcher so even though it may be difficult, see if you can put things into perspective as a chance to improve. Continue to work hard, do your best, ask questions when you are unsure, chart thoroughly, and always always always put patient safety first. Good luck to you. I hope things change for the better.

I agree with RavenNicci... give it a try with a travel assignment. I actually live in Seattle, and I've worked with many travel nurses. They love Seattle and all have either wanted to move here or have actually done it. Good luck to you!

Hi nurses, I have been feeling so stressed, emotionally burdened, sad, and tense lately. Let me give you some context. (This is a long post.) I started a job in inpatient oncology a few months ago (not my 1st job) and even though I thought this was exactly where I wanted to be as a nurse, I think I was wrong. It has been so sad to watch people suffer and pass away, especially young people. I know it is part of the job, but I didn't anticipate it would be this hard. I get flashbacks and nightmares sometimes of my dying patients, and it is very difficult for me to shake it off sometimes. By the way, I am not emotionally attached to specific patients or anything like that. It is the overall suffering here that bothers me. My husband has been travelling for work, pretty much gone for most of the time I have been at my new job. He is a great listener and very empathetic but we all know that if someone isn't a nurse, they just can't understand what we are experiencing. On top of that, I work night shift (I used to work day shift) so I am feeling pretty isolated and alone. I see friends 1x/week or more, and I chat with some on a regular basis, but I feel like I am a "debbie downer" or that they dismiss my feelings. Obviously work isn't the only thing I talk about but if they ask, I will start to open up a bit and gauge how they will handle the subject of death/suffering and my feelings related to my job. I feel that most of the time, they become uncomfortable and some have said things like "oh, I'm sure it's not that bad" or "it'll be fine" or "I GUESS that can be frustrating." I do a lot of things on my days off, such as exercise, get fresh air, cook, read, etc., so it's not like I sit around and dwell. But I cannot shake the feelings or images from my mind sometimes. Even when I am busy or being active, I will get these sudden pangs or a pit in my stomach thinking about things that have happened at work. As for my coworkers, who are fantastic nurses, I have confided in a few only asking advice about dealing with the suffering and sadness of our unit, and they have basically told me it is ok to cry sometimes but I will just get used to it. I don't feel comfortable sharing anymore of what I'm going through with them since I am new and I don't want people to think they need to treat me with kid gloves. Before each shift, I feel tense and anxious and find myself pacing in the elevator for example. I don't let anything show at work and am really focused on patient care, but I just feel...crazy. If you made it this far, THANK YOU for reading. Can anyone offer words of encouragement or advice? Has anyone been through this or anything similar? How did you get past it? Should I seek professional help?

Hi there, I have a BS in a technical field and quit my job to pursue nursing full time. I have been taking classes for the past two years, volunteering at a hospital, and even got my CNA license. Unfortunately, I couldn't get hired anywhere as a CNA because every place said I did not have enough experience. I am applying to master's entry programs, but I don't think I'm a worthy candidate because I don't have enough healthcare, research, or travel experience. I was a very active volunteer in college and was involved in many things, but none of them are health care related. I feel like the only thing I have going for me is my grades (I've gotten all As in my science prerequisites), but I know it's not everything when it comes to master's entry programs. From your experiences, what do you think my chances are? And does anyone know of schools that are "easier" to get into? I'm planning on applying in Washington and Northern California. What can I do to make my application stand out based on what I have, and not what I don't have? Please give me your honest opinion, because the people in my life just tell me "of course you'll get in" without paying attention to the reality of the situation. Thank you SO much to whoever is kind enough to respond!!