Quit after first day of orientation!

RedhairedNurse, BSN, RN · Nov 23, 2009

has anyone quit after their first day on the job? i just did!
i thought i wanted to be a nurse - my whole life really - but never could afford to not work and just go to school. then, as luck would have it, i was offered a position at a local hospital, who also paid your way thru school and a stipend to live off of while attending school. perfect! (or so i thought)
so, as luck would have it, i had to drop out of lpn school the very first week, due to my mother being hospitalized. the stress of taking care of her and trying to study was too much/stressful, so i dropped out of the program. to my surprise, the hospital wanted to keep me on as a cna - which i have never worked as before but had recently obtained my license when i decided to pursue nursing.
so, i had my first day of orientation and quit that night! i feel like a loser, but i didn't quit because of the job really, but more on the physical demand it took on my body! i could barely get myself out of my car after an 8 hr shift! now, i've always had issues with my back because of numerous car accidents, but it has never bothered me like this until now. i really think it bothers me more because for the past 25+ years of my working career, i sat behind a desk -- and not on my feet for 8+ hours.
has anyone else dropped out of nursing all together for these reasons? does it get better? should i have stuck it out and tried to make it work? it just kills me that i've given up on something just like that ..... when it i was something i thought i've wanted to do my entire life.
thanks for listening and thanks for any advice or for anybody else sharing their experiences to commiserate with me!

when i was a young irresponsible teenager, i quit after one day of work; i was young and ignorant and really didn't know the real meaning of responsibility. i've learned the meaning of responsibility over the years and i would never quit without thinking it through which definitely can't be done after just one day on the job. i would have thought you'd at least want to give some notice, even if just a week. if you can't physically do the job, you should have been responsible enough as an adult to handle this situation and spoke to your manager.

i don't think you gave it enough time, but you will never know; you may have liked it. you just set an example for many people that know you and possibly your children too, that when the going gets rough.......

not something i would want to let people see me do, but that's me. good luck in your future endeavors and next time, try and stick it out, if you can't, please at least give a little notice, it just shows a little respect when you do.

Blackheartednurse · Nov 23, 2009

I'm skinny as heck and I'm arleady worried I wont be able to lift patient when (wow dreaming) I will land my first nursing gig (not that I will get lucky anytime soon...)

roseynurse345 · Nov 23, 2009

This post reminds me of when I worked as a Nursing Assistant. Two girls who were going to start their first day as CNAs(nursing students might I add), came on to the unit at 0700. At 0700, everyone knows that is when the bells start ringing and the bedchecks start going off, and people start going to procedures. The two of them saw the activity going on, went up to my manager and stated, "they couldn't handle this" and they both quit on the spot. I can still see the look of disbelief on my manager's face. Its was funny but still sad in a way. Many people entering nursing have unrealistic views about what the job entails, and don't realize that it is tough and physically demanding profession.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Nov 23, 2009

I remember having second thoughts about nursing my first day of clinical, when I was 17 and very fit. Woke multiple times that night with leg cramps that took my breath away. No doubt it's much worse as the years pile on. Orientations are rough too as you walk miles at a slow pace instead of briskly to get the blood flowing.

PS I take the elevator down just one floor because my feet hurt, and it's a 10 second break. All the motivated runners don't ever see me because they take the stairs.

nina4nursing · Nov 23, 2009

Aren't we a little touchy?
I don't care WHY, or even that you're fat at all, overweight, obese, overly-dense, pushing maximum density, etc., and I wasn't making a judgment call. If I was making a judgment call, I would have stated that fat people COULD NOT do the job. But I didn't did I?
Now go stabilize your blood sugar and relax.
FWIW, I also have "thoughts" about skinny people going to the gym and getting on the Stair Master, then riding the elevator up at work too.
And I also take care of 3 toddlers too, so big woop.

I think all should take a look at ChuckE's profile. New to Allnurses, (Oct 2009) and from the looks of it does not appear to be in the nursing field, and with only 21 post. Hum....... :twocents:

Nina

brandy1017, ASN, RN · Nov 23, 2009

Wow! So many of you are being so judgemental. Good for her if she quit the first day and realized it was not for her. It sounds like she used good judgement especially considering she already has back problems. CNA's and nurses are at risk for back, shoulder, neck injuries because of the refusal of the hospitals to create a no lift environment. In my years of nursing I have seen coworkers become permanently disabled because of one injury, some very young even just 19 years old! I've also worked alongside many in chronic pain, needing epidurals, pain meds and even surgery. I've had one back injury this year where I needed light duty, luckily the pain went away, but its scary and maddening, especially when it doesn't have to happen.

Some states have been working on creating a safe, no lift environment, I believe that's the case in Texas, but in California it was defeated by Gov Schwarnineger. There was even an attempt in the national congress this year, but I've heard no more about it so it's probably been shelved.

Rather than giving her a hard time, why don't you suggest she consider other jobs in health care that don't require lifting and risking permanent injury to her back. HUCS many times make as much or more than aides, coders, medical assistant in a doctors office.

She needs to think long and hard if this career is right for her given the stress and risks involved. CNA job is especially dangerous, stressful and low-paid. I think I would consider other options.

mammac5 · Nov 23, 2009

Y'all may or may not agree with ChuckE's post, but can we all just agree that it was funny as heck? We have to remember to take nursing (and our responsibilities there) very seriously...but we don't always need to take ourselves quite so seriously.

acubed · Nov 23, 2009

OP, maybe you can make another post to let people know about the hospital, maybe someone else will want to take up that opportunity for school + job.

neatnurse30 · Nov 23, 2009

Wow! So many of you are being so judgemental. Good for her if she quit the first day and realized it was not for her. It sounds like she used good judgement especially considering she already has back problems. CNA's and nurses are at risk for back, shoulder, neck injuries because of the refusal of the hospitals to create a no lift environment. In my years of nursing I have seen coworkers become permanently disabled because of one injury, some very young even just 19 years old! I've also worked alongside many in chronic pain, needing epidurals, pain meds and even surgery. I've had one back injury this year where I needed light duty, luckily the pain went away, but its scary and maddening, especially when it doesn't have to happen.
Some states have been working on creating a safe, no lift environment, I believe that's the case in Texas, but in California it was defeated by Gov Schwarnineger. There was even an attempt in the national congress this year, but I've heard no more about it so it's probably been shelved.
Rather than giving her a hard time, why don't you suggest she consider other jobs in health care that don't require lifting and risking permanent injury to her back. HUCS many times make as much or more than aides, coders, medical assistant in a doctors office.
She needs to think long and hard if this career is right for her given the stress and risks involved. CNA job is especially dangerous, stressful and low-paid. I think I would consider other options.

I agree. I would never be a CNA because it is a horrible job, very physically demanding and low paid. As an RN, I have at least more options that I can choose to work, and not necessarily physically demanding. I think the person used a good judgement, she realized that it was not the job for her. She should move on with her life and consider other healthcare jobs that don't require breaking the back.

ChuckE · Nov 24, 2009

Thanks Mamma.

My prereq instructor told me that the nursing dept had no sense of humor but I thought he was talking about the teachers. Some of you need to put yourselves on the organ donor list for a sense of humor transplant.

I never called anyone fat, certainly not the OP, nor did I attack anyone personally. What I did do was note my personal observations.

To the Op, I do think you made a mistake. If you do ANYTHING for the first time, it's going to hurt. If it didn't, it wasn't worth doing.

And, yes I am new to Allnurses and I have posted elsewhere that I am still a nursing student, so what?

Y'all may or may not agree with ChuckE's post, but can we all just agree that it was funny as heck? We have to remember to take nursing (and our responsibilities there) very seriously...but we don't always need to take ourselves quite so seriously.

mammac5 · Nov 24, 2009

ChuckE

I was also informed during the first week of class that nursing students are not known for their senses of humor. Well. The instructor who said that was NOT kidding!

meluhn · Nov 24, 2009

OP worked 25 plus years of her life, tried to realize her dream only to find out that it wouldn't work out. She stepped out of her comfort zone, even if it was only a short distance. At least she made the attempt.

I agree. No harm no foul. I dont see why everyone is so hard on her. Better she find out now that nursing is not for her, than halfway through a nursing program.