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**Attention: LONG READ; you have been warned! Super-long wall-o-text ahead. Proceed with caution** Amazing... and here I am thinking I was ALONE. I (along with many of you guys) am a newgrad RN working in an LTC facility.... and it's a 3-11 shift at that! When I was offered that shift, I was excited to say the least, because I've worked 3-11, 7a-7p, 7p-7a, (you name it!) in the hospital setting as a CNA/PCT. Ha! How naive! Little did I know how flippin busy that shift is (new admissions, counting Narc meds, falls {God forbid}, med delivery, etc); not to mention, I just found out that I'm going to be the ONLY RN in the ENTIRE facility working this shift at the completion of my orientation which was YESTERDAY. I went to the nurse manager saying I don't think I'm ready to be put in such a situation; her response "oh, you'll be fine!" SMH I'm FAR from a job-hopper and I had every intention to stay because they were the ones who gave me the shot when no one else would, but I now see why *sigh*. I honestly feel like I'm putting my license in jeopardy being here. I constantly feel like I'm on thin line between med-pass and med-error due to this HEAVY work load. Don't mean to offend anyone because I actually LOVE my residents, I LOVE my GNA/CNA's, I LOVE my D.O.N., I LOVE the administrator, I LOVE working with the LPN's (who are WONDERFUL BTW), but... it's the JOB I hate. I hate it so much, it's making me HATE nursing with a passion... and I've NEVER felt that way working as a CNA/PCT. 10-20% of my time is with patients, 30-40% charting, 50% side chores UN-related to nursing care. It's terrible I swear, the SLIGHTEST thing I do puts me SO FAR BEHIND. I can’t read up on unfamiliar medications, I can’t assist my residents with trips to the rest room (YES, I know that’s what the GNA’s are for, but I believe in functioning as a team), I can never talk with my residents, because if I do, “I’m not making good use of time management” via my preceptor. Unfortunately (and I probably shouldn't be saying this) when I go to assess my patient's respiration's and/or heart rhythm with my steth, I'm also "not being good with time management". Somethings gotta give; I'm just wondering if it's going to be me... Somebody tell me, is this what nursing is like? If so, I’ll be going back to school for a different degree in NO TIME. /RANT OVER

You're entering the Navy as an RN??? Lucky bastard lol. I've been making attempts to join the Air Force as an RN since last June, but things are looking "meh" lol. Anyway! While I'm not "officially" working as an RN yet, I'll lend my input because I DO have my RN license and I'm currently working in the hospital setting as a CNA/Tech. 1. Sometimes... yeah, unfortunately. I don't get the "oh so you're a male nurse" thing oh so often, but every now and then, yeah... Not to mention I'm kinda "muscular" I guess and a black dude . Seeing one of those in light-blue scrubs might make you raise an eyebrow lol. But I tend to shrug it off and make light of it all. 2. Unfortunately, another yeah... I was going to make a post about this actually because I don't know how to address this at work, but my co-workers at times (mainly women) seem to be a bit "uncomfortable" around me. Like, I work with a lot married women and whatnot, and I guess seeing a young guy makes it... I dunno... "weird" I guess. I can't tell you HOW MANY TIMES my co-workers would divert their eyes from me and look at the ground or something while I try to have a discussion with them related to the patient and/or their current status. NOTHING... MORE... (I'm not here to date! Just to do the damn job and go home!) Meh, it could all be in my head, but it's been like this for me for quite some time now (If you guys/gals have any advice, please do offer it). As for my patients, it could also be a little weird but, it isn't as much as an issue with them. But I do remember one time I attempted to shake my patient's hand as I was leaving work (I always say goodbye to my Pt's before I depart) and this one woman put my hand on her breast and gave me a flirty look. I WAS SO SHOCKED; needless to say, I got the hell outta there shortly after lol. HR nightmare on a silver platter?? OOOHHH NOOO THANK YOU 3. Again, though I have my license as an RN, I have ZERO experience (thanks to this oh-so wonderful economy and job market 0_o), so I can only answer as a CNA/Tech. For me personally, those "obvious perks" are what keep me going i.e. the caring aspect of it all. It's actually a very... rewarding thing to get a heartfelt (and I mean this) THANK YOU for the care you've provided. With any job there's stress so I didn't really have super high expectations, but I like what I do so... it is, what it is I guess lol.

Wow... this is SO disheartening to read. I haven't even got started in the profession yet, but to hear how most of you hate your job, which you've all spent/wasted ( Does this field suck or what? I'm currently a CNA/Tech and am curious to how different it'll be once hired as an RN... Maybe I should have been an engineer or something lol.

You guys, I humbly thank you both for the reply and for the words of encouragement. @ elumine Yeah, I've had my heart set on military nursing ever since I first started nursing school. I've done the necessary research and I've come to the conclusion that this is, in fact, something that I really would like to do. But again, my stipulations hinder my chances (despite the fact that I'm a totally different/mature person in this day and age; plus my flippin allergies to shrimp!). Don't know whats a fella to do *shrugs shoulders* that's why I sound so bummed lol. But you did give some great advice; I actually WANT to be a critical care nurse, so going for my CCRN in a year or so is a great idea. Again thanks! @ just cause I'm aiming for active duty. Also, I actually DO know a prior service woman that was a nurse so I will be sure to get in touch with her. Thanks. So all in all, I guess I have no choice, but to go the "long route" huh?? Because I'm actually GETTING job offers in the civilian sector, but I've been downplaying them because I ultimately want to join the military. Civilian nursing it is! (lol) Well... for NOW at least... P.S. Happy holidays :)

Hello everybody, First time poster, but I've actually been a 'lurker' on this forum for quite some time; in fact, thanks to the individuals of this site, I've gotten so many answers to any questions I've had about the nursing profession, so in short, I'm taking a brief moment to give a special 'thank you' to whoever cares... but anyway I'm in need some advice/guidance as far as military nursing goes... New Grad here (May 2010) and I was just turned down from the US Air Force Nurse Transition Program due to excessive applicants/down-sizing this year. Pretty much, as a result of the aforementioned, they said that they will NOT be accepting anything below a 3.5 CGPA (which I don't have) or any waivers whatsoever (I have allergies to shellfish therefore I needed an SG Waiver). Not to mention, I've had a troubled youth and had 1 or 2 run-ins with the law during my adolescence (my record is currently clear btw, but I didn't want to lie about my past to the recruiter). So with all those strikes against me and how fierce the competition is, my recruiter told me that my application will not undergo review this year (was kinda hurt when I heard that). I was then told by my recruiter to go the "long route", i.e. work in a civilian hospital for about 6 months to 1 year and reapply as a "seasoned RN". My questions: will this honestly make any much more of a difference?? Because after reading this forum, I've noticed that there are many folks with "better" credentials that are being put on a waiting list or flat out told "NO". Is there anything I can do to better my chances of entry? Should I pursue another branch such as the Army for a better chance?? I hope I don't sound too overwhelming; it's just that I really have my heart set on serving, but after realizing how difficult it may be for me to join... then maybe I shouldn't bother. Any words of wisdom/guidance would be nice. TIA *FOR THE ATTENTION DEFICIT* The "Too Long; Didn't Read" version: I applied to join the Air Force as a new grad nurse and they said NO, please give me advice on what to do next lol