SanDiegoRN86

Just finished my 40 week long new grad program and we get placed to our next position. I really am sad that I am no where near where I wanted to be in nursing school and now find myself on an ortho/neuro/trauma floor which I have 0 interest in. I do want to do well and stick it out for awhile to see if I may like it. It seems that a lot of the pts are ortho and then a ton of spinal issues/surgeries. This is all a completely new type of pt for me and I honestly feel like I have no clue what is even going on. I had one night so far and all the pts they gave me were incredibly stable discharges for the am (I work nights). What are some tips anyone can give me? I've got a decent brain from my previous position but like I said these pts have all new dx that I have never encountered before...I'm starting new all over again and I hate this feeling. I also have some resentment that my career isn't my option since jobs are seriously scarce even though all the floors are short (I have a feeling it's like this at all hospitals). Regardless I want to give the best care to my pts and would appreciate any input from rns in this area. I can see the potential for possibly working outpt ortho as that seems to require rns in the office setting and that may be good for my future as I have one toddler and am currently pregnant now.

I wouldn't state that you have a son. I would just say that you haven't found the right fit yet. Point out that it is difficult for new grads to find jobs. It took me a year to land a job after I passed nclex so I was a stay at home mom for 12 months. I just think even though it's the law to not discriminate over things like kids that jobs totally do. Guess what? The new grad job I landed I am with all single girls who have no kids. Even though my little one is my life I never mentioned her as a reason why I hadn't been working. Frankly, I didn't mention her at all in my interview. Just my two cents.

If you want to get into wound care then you should look into getting wound care certified. Where I work all the wound care nurses have special certifications. Those positions are impossible to land otherwise.

No advice with OB but just wanted to say congrats! Where I live finding a position in OB is impossible. Most nurses have to work years on other floors before applying to mother baby (no option to do one or the other). I want to do mother baby but know it is way out of reach for me. good luck!!

As a new grad myself if public health is where you want to be then take the job! Nursing isn't just iv starts, foleys and ng tubes. My friend from school could only find a job on a psych unit and now she really likes it. I tell her how terrible my days are and how I am literally running from room to room my whole shift. She never had medical floor experience and doesn't want to work on a medical floor so I don't see the need to work in a hospital. I think if you wanted to work in a hospital then maybe hold out but since you want to be a PHN then take the job and roll with it. I don't believe that having floor experience is necessary all the time. Be happy you landed a job without floor experience. I find that all RN positions that are not at a hospital require hospital experience so in my opinion your crazy lucky to have landed a job in the area you want to be! Good luck!

Agree that med surg nursing is not for me. I enjoy outpatient work or something else. I just hate the craziness of it all and the constant running from here to there my whole shift. It's awful

Any more advice? How do you prioritize your day?

I'd love to know more about cath lab as it may be an open position I may try for. Hoping someone answers!

All i can say is good luck! I am on week 7 of a new grad program on a medical floor and I absolutley hate it so far. There is not time to get to know your pts at all beyond the critical information. It is so busy I am literally almost running from room to room. Just staying on top of medications is hard. I wouldn't have left a psych job if you liked it but everyone is different. I have a friend who works psych and the one main complaint she has is that it is 8 hour shifts. She wants to work only 3 days a week but honestly I am so drained after working my days "off" i am exhausted and don't even wanna do anything the first day. Once I finally feel rested I get anxiety about the next work day. Sorry I shouldn't be the one to give advice because so far I hate bedside nursing

I'm a licensed rn in CA and have my bsn. I just started in a new grad program on a very busy medical/oncology floor. I'm not chemo certified so I'm not doing any real oncology work besides PCAs and such my preceptor does all the chemo meds but for the most part I have all medical pts. I have a total of 4 pts per shift and am still on my "one on one" with my preceptor. I'm on week 7 and I absolutely hating it. The thing is that I literally am running my whole "12" hour shift (more like 14 since I have to be there at 615,and usually dont leave till 8). I have one main preceptor who I dread and am with her twice a week and with someone else the other day. I have one good day out of 5 usually and am always crying once I get home. The work conditions are great and the team is very supportive since the floor I am on is specifically for new grad training. Its a 40 week long program then we apply within the same hospital system but for a different floor. The first 20 weeks are days and the second 20 are nights. I go on my own starting in three weeks when we go to three new grads per preceptor a shift. What can I do to help me critically think better?? My preceptor says she only sees me doing task after task instead of looking at the bigger picture (shes 18 years in and never gives positive praise EVER). My other preceptor I feel like I can actually talk to and told her how I need that positive praise for encouragement and she is awesome at it. She helps me recognize learning moments and is very good at demonstrating skills with me. I guess I'm just looking for advice and words of wisdom. I have a great brain sheet and we also have a great system of kardexes that gives all the important info on a pt but I have a hard time putting into words what my "plan" for the shift is. I'm like deer in headlights when asked but feel like when I am left alone I do fairly well. HELP!!!!! How would you verbalize your plan if asked? How do you organize your day? Any and all advice welcomed. I'm basically regretting going into nursing but this will be what I do until my student loans are paid off. I literally have so much anxiety the night before a shift I wake up every 20-30 mins and am holding back tears the whole drive to work. I really need to make it through these 40 weeks because any RN job requires a year of experience and some even more. I am finding that I am just hating bedside nursing but find I will doing this for awhile even after the 40 week program because jobs are SCARCE! Thanks in advance for any tips and advice. I should add that I have a baby so it is also hard leaving her as days I work I literally do not see her awake as she is sleeping when I leave in the am and just goes to bed before I get home. It freaking sucks so much.

Anyone??

I'm a licensed rn in CA and have my bsn. I just started in a new grad program on a very busy medical/oncology floor. I'm not chemo certified so I'm not doing any real oncology work besides PCAs and such my preceptor does all the chemo meds but for the most part I have all medical pts. I have a total of 4 pts per shift and am still on my "one on one" with my preceptor. I'm on week 7 and I absolutely hating it. The thing is that I literally am running my whole "12" hour shift (more like 14 since I have to be there at 615,and usually dont leave till 8). I have one main preceptor who I dread and am with her twice a week and with someone else the other day. I have one good day out of 5 usually and am always crying once I get home. The work conditions are great and the team is very supportive since the floor I am on is specifically for new grad training. Its a 40 week long program then we apply within the same hospital system but for a different floor. The first 20 weeks are days and the second 20 are nights. I go on my own starting in three weeks when we go to three new grads per preceptor a shift. What can I do to help me critically think better?? My preceptor says she only sees me doing task after task instead of looking at the bigger picture (shes 18 years in and never gives positive praise EVER). My other preceptor I feel like I can actually talk to and told her how I need that positive praise for encouragement and she is awesome at it. She helps me recognize learning moments and is very good at demonstrating skills with me. I guess I'm just looking for advice and words of wisdom. I have a great brain sheet and we also have a great system of kardexes that gives all the important info on a pt but I have a hard time putting into words what my "plan" for the shift is. I'm like deer in headlights when asked but feel like when I am left alone I do fairly well. HELP!!!!! How would you verbalize your plan if asked? How do you organize your day? Any and all advice welcomed. I'm basically regretting going into nursing but this will be what I do until my student loans are paid off. I literally have so much anxiety the night before a shift I wake up every 20-30 mins and am holding back tears the whole drive to work. I really need to make it through these 40 weeks because any RN job requires a year of experience and some even more. I am finding that I am just hating bedside nursing but find I will doing this for awhile even after the 40 week program because jobs are SCARCE! Thanks in advance for any tips and advice. I should add that I have a baby so it is also hard leaving her as days I work I literally do not see her awake as she is sleeping when I leave in the am and just goes to bed before I get home. It freaking sucks so much.

Anyone else get a yes we wan you call?

I'll be starting in October :)

Hello all! I've been lurking since I applied but made an account today. I was offered a position and I am soooooooo happy! I can't believe that someone would turn down Scripps! (Girl above) best hospital system in San Diego and amazing benefits from what my fellow classmates who have been lucky enough to land a job there. Maybe I'll meet some of you soon?? Yay!!!!!!!