CityRN123

I have been working my first nursing job out of nursing school for about a year and a half- nights on a very busy med-surg floor. I am absolutely miserable at my job, the fast pace and high acuity level is just not for me. My anxiety level is through the roof everything single time I'm at work and sometimes starts as early as 24 hours before a shift. I even sometimes find myself envying the unit clerk and floor cleaners as they don't have as much responsibility. What drew me to nursing was women's health, ie gynecology or postpartum but I'd like to work with more stable patients who are walkie talkies for the most part. Does anyone have any suggestions for what types of other jobs I might like that are easier or a little slower paced? I've tossed around the idea of Private Duty Nursing, Postpartum, outpatient Surgery, Psych, palliative, doctors office, endoscopy, being a school nurse, being a nurse legal consultant, etc but ANYTHING would probably make me happier than what I'm doing. Any help is appreciated. Thank you so much. Ps- just to explain better what is making me so unhappy, I hate getting to work an hour early to read the charts, working through my lunch break, and often staying between 30 mins and 2 hours past the end of my shift to document and finish tasks. This is standard practice on my floor and we aren't paid for it at all. I love the interesting part of different diagnoses, treatments etc, but hate that I have NO time to nurture or talk to my patients at all, I spend the whole night rushing around like I'm in a marathon. I also hate getting an admission right when I arrive before I've even finished report and the fast pace combined with stress level plus psych patients, incontinent patients, complex wound care, dementia patients on bed alarms, tele, vented patients, it's all just too much!!!

LOL!!!! I've asked the Private Duty RNs that sometimes come to our hospital with patients and they get paid the same amount per hour as I do. I'm not sure if they get as many hours though. I love your fantasy. LOL. I'm sure for some nurses it is a reality to work for a wealthy family and get paid to do relatively little work compared to hospital bedside. It makes me feel better to know I'm not the only one!!! Thank you.

Yup, I've seen this happen with prior abdominal surgery, ascites, scars, and adhesions.

Seriously. This is what I hate about nursing. We multitask through 14 hour shifts, then get blamed for making the most insignificant errors. I'm SURE it's happened before. Don't stress over it. It was a mistake and you're human. With all The stress you were going through with your three patients, it's completely understandable.

Ps- just to explain better what is making me so unhappy, I hate getting to work an hour early to read the charts, working through my lunch break, and often staying between 30 mins and 2 hours past the end of my shift to document and finish tasks. This is standard practice on my floor and we aren't paid for it at all. I also hate getting an admission right when I arrive before I've even finished report and the fast pace combined with stress level plus psych patients, incontinent patients, complex wound care, dementia patients on bed alarms, tele, vented patients, it's all just too much!!!

When I first started my job I didn't know the policy and called out sick 3.5 hours before the start of my shift and was told it would be considered an absence and I would not receive sick pay. Apparently on our unit policy was 2 hours before start of shift on days, 4 hours on nights. I spoke with my nurse manager and explained tht those rules were not told to us in orientation an I would know it from then on and she switched it on my record from a no show to a sick day.

I just want to say that this post was so incredibly eloquently written and entertaining that it really genuinely Wow'ed me!!

I have been working my first nursing job out of nursing school for about a year and a half- nights on a very busy med-surg floor. I am absolutely miserable at my job, the fast pace and high acuity level is just not for me. My anxiety level is through the roof everything single time I'm at work and sometimes starts as early as 24 hours before a shift. I even sometimes find myself envying the unit clerk and floor cleaners as they don't have as much responsibility. What drew me to nursing was women's health, ie gynecology or postpartum but I'd like to work with more stable patients who are walkie talkies for the most part. Does anyone have any suggestions for what types of other jobs I might like that are easier or a little slower paced? I've tossed around the idea of Private Duty Nursing, Postpartum, outpatient Surgery, Psych, palliative, doctors office, endoscopy, being a school nurse, being a nurse legal consultant, etc but ANYTHING would probably make me happier than what I'm doing. Any help is appreciated. Thank you so much.

Wow. I am the complete opposite. At work, I am crabby, stressed out, impatient, and a mess. At home I am smiling cherry, nurturing, loving, and patient.