Shagce1

If you are taking the same pay cut I would stay at current company and avoid the commute. My time is valuable and if it means an extra 3 hours on the road I wouldn't do it. That's also extra gas and wear and tear on your vehicle. If youre unhappy in offered position, then you could start looking for something else.

In case anyone has been following my story. Thought I'd post an update. I have been working as a nurse for about 4 1/2 months now. Off orientation for about 10weeks. All of a sudden, last week it dawned on me that i was starting to get it. I am learning better prioritization and time management. I had two different patients recently who needed blood at the same time and my coworkers were complimentary about how well I handled (their words) "an unfair assignment". I have been the blood queen lately. Another patient who was to receive blood I was the one who caught a mislabeling of the blood product and refused to give it until it was straightened out. Even though the nurse who was checking the blood with me thought it would be fine. Things are coming together. Anyone out there feeling anxious, lost, depressed-- it's normal. When they say it gets better after 6 months to a year, I am finally starting to believe it. Hang in there all of you new grads. Learn as much as you can and ask as many questions as you need to be a safe practicing nurse. We can all do this. One day at a time!

The above poster is correct. Bully's are everywhere. I also think it can be a department or facility specific behavior. Leadership goes along way. If leadership allows that kind of behavior from its employees or actually behaves that way, bullying seems to become "the norm." Toxicity breeds toxicity. It is not specialty specific.

The crying and and anxiety are normal. Look around these boards. Especially the first year after licensure board. I have been going through the whole crying and anxiety thing. I am now 4 months in and the fear has slowly subsided. One of my good friends from nursing school is going through it. It is scary just starting. You have only given it three weeks. Maybe consider postponing school for 3-6 months till you get more comfortable and see how your body reacts to nights.

I did clinicals at a hospital last year that had a nurse who wore her cap, but none of the other garb. Regular scrubs. Just the cap.

Have you spoke to an academic or guidance counselor? They may be able to help you.

Oh my I know how you are feeling. I too, am a new grad. I have been with my job for 4 months. Probably about 8 weeks on my own now. Things were feeling ok while I was still on orientation, I felt somewhat comforted by the fact I still had the safety net of my preceptor. And then I was let loose on my own and I was terrified. Lots of anxiety and tears both at work and at home. I am not sure if it was the job or a multitude of other personal stressors I have experienced over the past year or a culmination of it all , but I finally talked to my dr and started a low dose ssri. Things are improving. I am getting into the groove of my own nursing style and time management. Each shift things still come up that I don't know how to deal with, but I suck it up and ask for help when it is needed. I try to reflect on my way home from each shift about what went well and what I should do differently next time. I have been told that everyone goes through this and the only way to get through it is to go through it. It sucks, but I am starting to believe it. Things are getting a little better. Good luck to you.

Thanks ruby vee. I know that I have to go through it. And everyone does. I just want it to be over. I do need some tough love. Someone to snap me out of it and tell me to "suck it up buttercup." I assume every new nurse feels very similar, but it still feels so lonely. Each shift I have something new comes up, but last night I decided to take the attitude of 'next time I'll know what to do.' Thanks for for the support :)

Here it is six weeks later and I am still struggling. I just can't seem to stop myself from being so hard on myself. I had a good week and thought things were starting to fall into place. And then the last shift I worked all heck broke loose. I couldn't keep up. I know it has only been three months since I started, but I am starting to lose faith in my abilities. I have had 5 days off and I just can't stop thinking about how awful it was and how scared I am to go back. The depression that so many speak of on these boards is so real. I work third shift and my schedule is a bit unpredictable. On a night, off a night on a night. Then maybe on two nights. I think my body needs a little more consistency. I have a meeting set up with my manager on Monday to hopefully make my schedule a little better. Hoping that helps. To anyone else out there feeling similar know that you are not alone. I know this would probably be better off in the first year after licensure forum if anyone wants to move it.

During my initial assessment I talk to the patient and find out things out that way. Later on, as I am charting or if I have a question I will review notes, labs etc. Sometimes I might check labs quickly prior to med pass if I am verifying a potassium or dig level or inr or whatever before giving those meds. It's definitely not like in school where you have the luxury to poor through every aspect of the chart. Of course I am also not having to write a ten page care plan with outcomes and interventions either. You will find your own routine. I am still a new nurse and fine tuning my routine every shift I work.

Most float pool positions in my area want experienced RN's. They don't want to have to teach you how to be a nurse. Just orient you to the unit and let you fly. I am a new grad too and I am just one month off of my orientation and am still learning new things each and every shift. Things that just don't get covered in nursing school. I would approach this cautiously, I wonder if they are desperate for bodies in the float pool.

Better than the option of get the shot or voluntarily terminate your position.

I have nothing regarding the professor. Sounds pretty over the top. Could you make soup at home and bring it in a thermos or whatever other hot dish you prefer?

Yep. I maybe even created a few of them at some point. I don't have a problem with it though. There is such a turnover of readers that there may be a fresh set of eyes reading and willing to reply. If a topic did not interest to me, or seems like it has been posted multiple times before I just don't open it, read it, or reply. Or sometimes I do, if I went through a similar situation that may be helpful to a new poster.

Every third weekend. And two Friday's and two Monday's during the 6 week schedule.

There are trachs that are longer. I think (maybe) Shiley makes one called an XLT

I feel like you have already made up your mind with all of the pros you listed with the long term care position. You sound like the thought of the long term care position just feels more like a comfortable fit for you. You didn't mention what the nurse to patient ratio would be in the long term care or the types of patients you would be caring for. I personally would probably take the icu position to further gain experience and have the lower nurse to patient ratio. Could you try to set up another shadow in hopes of be g exposed to a more typical day? Maybe also a job shadow in ltc to see what their typical day is like? Good luck to you with whatever you choose. You need to choose what will be good for your overall well-being and if the long term care position does that for you, you should go for it!

Hard to say. I would check with whatever school you are thinking about attending.

Maybe start slower. Consider a cna class and work as a cna for awhile. You will have much less time and money invested. Get your feet wet in the medical field. See what nurses do day in and day out. Then consider starting nursing school. Even then you could start in an Lpn program and transition to an RN program in the future. Good luck to you with whatever you decide. You are 20. So many years to work toward your long term goal. I just finally completed my RN at 43. Anything is possible if you want it bad enough and set yourself up for success.

Wasn't there some sort of contract spelling out what the payback would be if you left before two years? I am not familiar with this program, but it seems logical to me that if you know there is a payback, then there must be some paperwork explaining how much you would owe?

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. I got through the past 4 nights on my own. It was hectic and busy but I did it and stayed afloat. I didn't hesitate to ask questions when I had them, and no one really seemed to mind when I did need to ask. We were even short a cna for the past two nights and was able to not only manage my nursing duties but did all of the cna duties as well.

I am a new grad working ltac. Just finished my orientation last week. This week I will be "on my own." I am terrified. Everyone says I was "doing great" and that I am ready to be on my own. I just feel like there are so many scenarios that could come up that I haven't seen yet. Even on my last two shifts of orientation there were things that came up that I didn't know how to deal with. My main preceptor was great. Very supportive. The house supervisors have told me that I am not ever alone, they will be there to support me. It just seems so scary. The goal was to get me up to 6 patients by the end of orientation. I only got up to five, because of the acuity of the types of patients I had been assigned (most recently 5 patients, 4 had trachs, 3 had vents, 2 were getting tpn, 3 on tube feeding, all with piccs/mid lines and all with multiple iv abx). Logically I know I am probably ready, but emotionally I am definitely not ready. I have four shifts in a row starting tomorrow night. I guess it will be sink or swim. Any well wishes or positive thoughts sent my way will be greatly appreciated!

Thank you everyone for your insight. I am going to just sit on this awhile longer. The stress of being a new grad, plus night shift, plus family obligations have caught up to me. I am going to do the best I can with what I have to work with and see what happens in the upcoming months before deciding whether to talk to my manager about it.

Yes. We go till 7:30. I have no problem being there until that time. But when I am not even able to start report until close to that time is what makes me upset. I am even ok staying over 10-15 minutes. But when every shift is at least 20-30 minutes past is what my complaint is. Like I said, I know things happen and can't expect to leave right at 7:30 every morning, but it isn't ever happening, whether it is a quiet day or not.

Hey there--I work 12 hour night shifts 7p-730am. Report is supposed to be from 7-7:30. Typical for most institutions I imagine. Our facility does what they call huddle at 0700/1900. This is a time that the house supervisor does a quick overview of everything going on in house. Which actually turns into mini report on every patient--usually 25-35 patients. By the time that is over and the day shift comes out for report it is sometimes 7:15. They then proceed to wander around, chatting, getting labels, etc. Now it is 7:20 or 7:25 and they want the most thourough report about every detail on each patient (4-6). Inevitably I am not getting out until 8:00am (and that is if there isn't anything out of the ordinary). I am feeling frustrated and angry. I see the same thing from nights to days, but it seems like it is worse the other way or day shift just isn't ready to give report. Which then means I can't start my shift in a timely fashion. My my question is this normal or am I being overly sensitive and particular? I have only worked here 8 weeks, and am already contemplating other employment because this makes me so angry, but if it is like this everywhere I'll suck it up. I know getting out on time isn't a guarantee, things happen at change of shift. But when things aren't happening and it should be a smooth report off there is no reason to be out late. Right?