jpRN51

Thank you everyone. You all helped me realize some important things. ItsThatJenGirl, you're right, I need to at least give it a try and give it my best shot. I think this feeling is mostly just nerves related to the unknown. Thanks everyone for the thoughtful advice :) I got this!

Hello, I am a new grad from an ADN program and am working on my BSN. I passed the NCLEX and am beginning to look for jobs. Sometimes I wonder if I made the right career choice. I was a CNA in a SNF during nursing school and loved the residents, but management made it hard to love the job. During nursing school I was always nervous to go to clinicals in fear of making mistakes, not working with supportive nurses/preceptors, not knowing what to expect, etc. I did however love working with the patients and loved the feeling of successfully inserting my first Foley, first IV, and other skills. I am fascinated by the human body and like helping people. I probably have that scared new grad RN feeling and hope that it will get better once I find a job and gain experience. However I keep hearing horror stories from older and retired nurses. Things like, "nursing was so stressful that I developed HTN and had a stroke, was forced to retire, and am now on disability". I hear of nurses developing burnout, compassion fatigue, kidney problems from holding their bladder, heart attacks, slipped discs, chronic pain, arthritis, PTSD, depression, and more...ahh! I've noticed that these older RN's are always trying to dissuade nursing students away from the field altogether. I understand nursing is a stressful career and am worried I may not like it because of that. The thought of being limited to working 12-hour night shifts as a new grad RN scares me. I am not sure I could handle that, physically or emotionally. I don't want to end up being one of those nurses who hates nursing after all the time, money, and effort I put into school. I do want to go back for a Master's Degree after I have saved up money, but am not sure if it would be nursing-related or not. My questions are: Should I turn back now and find another career that's less stressful and less hard on the body? (This isn't really realistic, but people have me very frightened). Is there such thing as a low-stress nursing job? If so, what are some examples? (Especially for a new grad...again, probably unrealistic, but worth asking). How long did it take for you to become confident in your nursing abilities? What jobs do you recommend for a new grad that wouldn't cause burnout right away? Any other tips for a nervous new grad? Thanks!