Quitting after 4 months.....

Nurses New Nurse

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I've been at my first RN position for 4 months now. I don't think I want to continue. I know that I CAN, but I don't WANT to anymore. The stress is just unbelievable. All I ever wanted to do is be a nurse, and now that I am all I want is OUT. School was really no preparation for this, and it has left me very disappointed :o

I just cant rationalize to myself why I should subject myself to 12-13 hour days on my feet sometimes without a break at all, along with rude phyicans, rude patients, rude families and RUDE MANAGEMENT. For what reason??? I keep asking myself....the MONEY? NO. No way, it is NOT worth it at all. I rather make half the pay and have sanity and peace in my life. The funny thing is, the word around is that I work on one of the best floors.

I think I'm going to put in my notice this week. The problem is, I have no idea what to do with myself if I leave. Nursing has put such a bad taste in my mouth. What else is available for someone with only 4 months experience? I feel so lost :o

Specializes in I have an interest in Travel and OB/L&D.

KayceeLeeRN, are you working in ER? If not, where?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Perhaps you may wish to evaluate your reasons for originally wanting to enter the field of nursing, as this might bestow some valuable insight upon you and, hence, lead you toward a new direction. I wouldn't give up just yet...

Make some changes before you make the mistake of abandoning the field altogether. Change facilities, shifts, specialties, or any aspect of the workplace to see if you can conjure up a work environment that is palatable for you. Since you deal with rude physicians, I'm sure you most likely work the day shift. Perhaps night shifts might provide more quietude and less stress. During the night shift, you're less likely to deal with jerky doctors, demanding family members, cruel nurse managers, and so forth.

Always remind yourself that you're capable. If you believe it, you become it.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...I have a mortgage, car payments, tuition bills, and so on. Therefore, I must continue to work day after day (unless I experience a financial windfall and become independently wealthy).

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DO NOT QUIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello fellow new Nurse you are not alone, and I could completely relate to your dilemma. I just completed my first one year and it was rough also. But the overall satisfaction I got so far, I don't think I will ever quit. Using my Nursing skills along with sharing my compassion, love and caring with people when they are at their lowest level is what makes Nursing a genuine and caring discipline. No other profession offers that, not even Medicine/Doctors.

Having said that, there are so many options in Nursing now. One could work as a staff nurse in a Hospital/Nursing home or in an office setting as an auditor for Insurance companies (8 - 5 job), or in Community Nursing/Home Care doing Independent Nursing or Teaching in Nursing Programs or School Nursing (get Summer off) or Nurse Attorney or Traveling Nurse (in my future plans). The list is endless, but it takes searching and testing to get the one you like and then grow from there.

I was privileged to experience a couple options (through PT) while paying my dues as a new Med-Surg/Acute Care Nurse and now it pays off. Having completed a year, I have reduced my hours drastically at the Hospital and they are not too thrilled about it, but my sanity/health comes first. I am venturing into Community Nursing as an Independent Nurse and I love it that I could make that decision. I am still keeping ties with Acute Care to keep up with my Skills and current trends, but it has to be on PT basis.

I narrated this so that you could see that you don't have to quit. All you have to do is look into other Nursing specialties or areas. Internet is a good place for searches that could lead you to places of Employments/options.

Good Luck and Don't Quit!!! If you need specifics of what I am pursuing, email me and I will be glad to discuss further. All I know is that I am happy and I am going forward with Nursing.

:welcome: TO NURSING!!!!

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I've been at my first RN position for 4 months now. I don't think I want to continue. I know that I CAN, but I don't WANT to anymore. The stress is just unbelievable. All I ever wanted to do is be a nurse, and now that I am all I want is OUT. School was really no preparation for this, and it has left me very disappointed :o

I just cant rationalize to myself why I should subject myself to 12-13 hour days on my feet sometimes without a break at all, along with rude phyicans, rude patients, rude families and RUDE MANAGEMENT. For what reason??? I keep asking myself....the MONEY? NO. No way, it is NOT worth it at all. I rather make half the pay and have sanity and peace in my life. The funny thing is, the word around is that I work on one of the best floors.

I think I'm going to put in my notice this week. The problem is, I have no idea what to do with myself if I leave. Nursing has put such a bad taste in my mouth. What else is available for someone with only 4 months experience? I feel so lost :o

I want to give you a hug. I know exactly how you feel. It's feels almost liked you were betrayed, doesn't it? Betrayal is the only thing I can think of when I think about how nursing has been so much unlike what we were prepared for in nursing school. And I know somebody is going to beat me for what I'm about to say, but I must say it. If you don't like nursing now, you probably won't like it later. It will not "get better". You may grow emotionally numb after a while of being a nurse, but that doesn't mean that it got better. It just means that you grew so exhausted from the stress and abuse that you don't give a darn anymore. I know that's how I feel.

You just don't know how hard I've been looking for a non-nursing job. But it is extremely hard to find one without experience doing something else. I've done customer service, so I'm working on doing customer service while I go back to school. But other than that, there are janitorial jobs and fast-food jobs. I'm thinking about doing that. I'll take two jobs if I have to.

I'm sorry for not encouraging you to continue the torture you are experiencing, but I just can't tell you that. I know how you feel, so telling you that would be being hypocritical. I wish you the best in finding something non-nursing. I'm sure if you look hard enough, you will find something. I put in for a sales position the other day. I hope to hear from them soon. Good luck and best wishes.

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I totally agree with the above post; I don't think it gets better for some of us...you either like it or you don't. I've been at a med-surg job for a little over six months and even though I've gotten more familiar with everything, I still hate going to work, still feel filled with dread before I go in. I really want either a non-nursing job or a nursing job in a clinic or something, but I'm afraid they won't hire me without at least a year's experience, and I'm not sure I can last that long. I'm doing an online pharmacy tech course so that hopefully I can get a job in that field once I'm done with it; I just have no desire to stay in the nursing field. But I never really felt 'called' to be a nurse in the first place, I mostly chose it because my parents kind of pressured me into it...not a good idea, I know.

I hope that doesn't discourage you, I just wanted to say I can relate to what you're experiencing. I hope things get better for you :)

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

Not all Nursing Jobs are like this! You just need to get a new position somewhere else.

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Specializes in Operating Room.

Ok, not to hijack the thread but say you do want to learn new specialties..will most places "retrain" you in an area?

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Specializes in Psych, DOU.

i was in a similar situation, i was in a DOU unit, and i didnt even finish my 3 mos orientation, but i knew deep down in my heart that it just wasnt what i was looking for, nor wanted. And i told the supervisor exactly that, just be honest with them and they will respect u more, plus remember, dont burn ur bridges. I ended going to psych, and now i love it. There are so many avenues of nursing that you should never sell urself short. Hope this helps

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Well, to clarify things...I currently work days on a medical floor. Maybe med/surg isnt for me. I dont have any intentions of leaving nursing all together. I just dont know what else I can do. I've been searching all over the place, and it seems that you CAN NOT get anywhere without that "1-2 years med/surg exp" :angryfire

I do feel betrayed. All the talk about "so many options in nursing" (from nursing school). It really appears that I dont have any other options besides med/surg. I really am feeling lost and disappointed. My expectations were coming from a very naive place, and I feel kind of stupid. I wanted to help people. Not just keep them "safe" and cover my own a$$....and thats all I do (as someone else also mentioned). Frankly, I am quite disgusted by the way the entire hospital system runs.

I think I care TOO much to stay here doing this. It hurts my heart too much to see that this is what "nursing" is. I almost wish I had gone into nursing soley for the money, at least then I woudn't be feeling so disgusted. The sad part is, I am starting to not care....because I am only one person, and I can only do so much. I think my expectations were that I was going to save the world or make some signifcant difference in healthcare. HA!

Today I went on an interview at an urgent care clinic and I could really see myself there happy. Unfortunately I dont think thye will offer me benefits or enough hours. But I will continue to search...until I can find something to replace the hell I'm currently trapped in :o

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Specializes in I have an interest in Travel and OB/L&D.

I do feel betrayed. All the talk about "so many options in nursing" (from nursing school). It really appears that I dont have any other options besides med/surg. I really am feeling lost and disappointed. My expectations were coming from a very naive place, and I feel kind of stupid. I wanted to help people. Not just keep them "safe" and cover my own a$$....and thats all I do (as someone else also mentioned). Frankly, I am quite disgusted by the way the entire hospital system runs.

Don't feel stupid...can't you ask someone in charge if you can try a different aspect of nursing besides med/surg???
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Well, to clarify things...I currently work days on a medical floor. Maybe med/surg isnt for me. I dont have any intentions of leaving nursing all together. I just dont know what else I can do. I've been searching all over the place, and it seems that you CAN NOT get anywhere without that "1-2 years med/surg exp" :angryfire

I do feel betrayed. All the talk about "so many options in nursing" (from nursing school). It really appears that I dont have any other options besides med/surg. I really am feeling lost and disappointed. My expectations were coming from a very naive place, and I feel kind of stupid. I wanted to help people. Not just keep them "safe" and cover my own a$$....and thats all I do (as someone else also mentioned). Frankly, I am quite disgusted by the way the entire hospital system runs.

I think I care TOO much to stay here doing this. It hurts my heart too much to see that this is what "nursing" is. I almost wish I had gone into nursing soley for the money, at least then I woudn't be feeling so disgusted. The sad part is, I am starting to not care....because I am only one person, and I can only do so much. I think my expectations were that I was going to save the world or make some signifcant difference in healthcare. HA!

Today I went on an interview at an urgent care clinic and I could really see myself there happy. Unfortunately I dont think thye will offer me benefits or enough hours. But I will continue to search...until I can find something to replace the hell I'm currently trapped in :o

I feel the same way, too. It seems that if you really put your heart into it and actually care about your patients that you will not be happy with nursing in the state it currently is in.

I remember expressing my feelings to an older, more experienced nurse. I told her how I was unhappy and can't stand to come to work anymore. And she told me these words, "Darling, you are taking it too seriously. It's just a job. You can't take this too seriously or you'll never make it!".

And, unfortunately, a lot of nurses feel that way about their nursing job. But for me, how can I not take being in charge of people's lives seriously? To me, it's more than just a job. No offense to anyone working fast-food or retail but working at McDonald's is just a job. Working at JCPenny is just a job. Nursing is more than a job, it's a major responsibility.

When you have idiots (other incompetent nurses, doctors, ancillary staff) that you have to work with that don't care. When you have for-profit corporations that put the dollar before people's lives. When you have nurse managers that forget how it is to be a floor nurse and don't support you. When you have irate family members and visitors that harrass and interfere with your ability to care. When you have overpaid administrators, CEO's, etc calling the shots from a business standpoint instead of what's medically logical. When you have all of these issues going on and you hair turns grey, your stomach has ulcers, you have to be medicated just to be able to work, and you get UTIs and hypertension and gain 20 lbs every year, then it's when you realize that nursing is not what it used to be and never will be that again. No one can blame you for wanting out.

I hope that urgent care clinic job comes open for you. And so what if it pays a little less, has not so great benefits, etc. If it will cut the stress level in half, then I say go for it.

Good luck in whatever you do. And don't let anyone make you feel bad for making the decision that's right for you.:balloons:

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Don't feel stupid...can't you ask someone in charge if you can try a different aspect of nursing besides med/surg???

It's definitely worth asking but not all hospitals will work to find another position for a nurse. You would think they would after investing in orientation and the cost to hire and orient someone else completely, but the way things are done don't always make sense.

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