Quitting after 6 weeks of orientation.

rach2103 · Oct 4, 2008

I'm a new grad too, just about 2 months out of orientation on General Surgical. I KNOW the feeling ~ its totally overwhelming and scary!!! But my advice to you is to give it some time. You are going to learn SO much that will be valuable to your career. Ask questions ~ ALWAYS! Its our license we have to protect, and asking questions facilitates learning. And I truly believe that knowing your not the only one who feels this way helps a ton! I have had days I wanted to cry, and days that I've went home feeling like I really AM a great nurse. But everyone has both good and bad days, and I've already been having more and more good ones. I hope things begin looking up for you! Know your not alone!!!!

Butterflybee · Oct 4, 2008

Wow, sorry it's so rough for you. I just started and from the looks of things I know it is going to be very trying for me too. I think we did the right thing though beginning in med-surg for the experience. Please keep us posted :tinkbll::flowersfo:flwrhrts::tbsk: Hope you get to relax your mind and regroup. Wishing you peace.

loricatus · Oct 4, 2008

Been there, done that.

May I suggest that you first talk to your manager and explain your distaste for med-surg. Maybe they can help you find another area that would be a better fit. For instance, if you are finding the patient load is the culprit & have good grasp of the medical aspects of nursing, then an ICU might be better for you since you can concentrate on 1-2 patients. There are many different areas of nursing that may be better suited for you. At least, give your hospital a chance to help you find it.

VEGASSMYLE · Oct 5, 2008

I think the term what does not break us will make us stronger is true! Just keep believeing in yourself.

I_love_my_job · Oct 5, 2008

Ask your manager for more time. Six weeks orientation is too short. I would feel totally overwhelmed too if I had to start after six weeks. I am going on my 10th week and still feel nervous about being on my own in two weeks. I work in Medical Tele.

Don't quit yet. Talk to your manager. Maybe you could transfer to a different department within the hospital.

PACU'er · Oct 6, 2008

I remember as a kid, the painful growth spurts I had to endure. I would hurt straight down into the core of my bones. At the time, I didn't realize the significance of the growth spurt upon my future development.

Sometimes, it is the same with nursing. I also began in Med/Surg. I would endure days that were downright awful, leaving me with the desire to pack up and change jobs. I remember being nervous of every decision, wondering if it was the right one. The stress would exhaust me.

However, I realized that this was a huge growth spurt for me. I gained valuable experience that I would not trade away. I left Med/Surg and currently work in the PACU (recovery room). It is a very different environment where I am much happier. I actually have an edge over some of the other nurses because I have "floor experience". Know that it will get easier. One day you'll realize self-pride because you handled your day efficiently.

Just know that you are entering into a wonderful field that has an abundance of possibilities and opportunities, especially if you are young. You can try different areas, as they can vary greatly. In fact, I envy nurses who do have a broad base of experience.

Good luck.

Sterren, BSN, RN · Oct 6, 2008

I guess I will be the first one to say I've done this. I started out in an ICU and that just wasn't a good fit for me. I've moved to a less acute setting and am much happier - and much better at my job. I can't say I'll never go back to the ICU but it was a bad place for me to start out.

My only advice is to have a new job lined up before you quit your current job. But I think I would have left nursing entirely if I had stayed in my old unit, I was too stressed and unhappy to succeed. My new unit is a much better fit for me. It's true that sometimes the right thing is to stick it out and push through the hard stuff to get to the good stuff, but I pushed as hard as I could and truly sometimes the best thing to do is to recognize when something ins't working and stop beating your head against the wall. If you can't make it on this unit then you can't, and that's okay. You'll find somewhere that you can.

ewilson3 · Oct 6, 2008

I think that unfortunately you should give it some more time. some of the nurses on my floor have told me that it will take a year to feel completely comfortable. I dont think it matters where you are, its going to be a struggle for the first 6 months or so. I just started in med surge and love the people i work with, but still feel overwhelmed at time and like I will never get it, just have some patients and try to stick it out. If you go straight into a specialty like ob, you will be limiting yourself to what you can do in the future if you dont really like it...just some food for thought

Ruby Vee, BSN · Oct 7, 2008

after only six weeks in nursing, you're just beginning. there is so much to learn, and you've barely had time to scratch the surface! any job you have at this point is going to be scary and overwhelming! give it some more time. it's probably going to be a year before you feel comfortable. change jobs, and it'll be a year from when you start the new job, instead of only 46 weeks from now.

med surg is a great place to start! good luck, and i hope you learn fast!

ready2travelUS · Oct 7, 2008

Awww!! I understand your pain....I have been nurse for just over a year on a surgical unit. I HATED it at first and thought I should have chosen a different career because even still IT IS A LOOOTTT of work. Definitely ask for a longer orientation or a decrease in patients for a while. I know there is so much to keep up. I still have a hard time, some days are better than others. It definitely gets easier, you learn how to manage your time better or better said cut corners, as bad as that sounds (just being honest). Hang in there for a while, but first talk to your manager....Your manager should DEFINITELY either give you more orientation time or decrease your patients and gradually increase them. Oh my orientation was like 3 months. My preceptor told me to because of course it worked out for the both of us. I kept telling her I did not feel comfortable. She understood and your manager should too. Good Luck!! stay strong and remember you can only do what you can do, if you don't have time, pass it on, nsg is 24 hours..you can't be superwoman...just do your best!!!!!

luv2yoga · Oct 7, 2008

I just finished my first year in med-surg and I sure remember nights like that. It's so hard at first, because it just takes you so much longer to do things. You don't even realize it, but later you will be able to make faster decisions, combine tasks, and do things early that prevent problems later. I had a couple of shifts in particular that left me in tears and I went home saying, I just have to quit, I can't take feeling like this another time. But I always said, I can't let things end like this, I at least want to go back for one more shift and it was always better. Now even when a patient goes bad and it's terrible, I cope so much better. I haven't cried in many months. It gets better. But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't start looking around. I sure wouldn't quit without another job lined up. But med-surg is tough and it's OK if you want out.