Support Stickie for New nurses who are not coping

Published

I have read through lot of threads recently regarding new nurses who feel they are struggling and not coping with being an new RN. So I thought it would be good to start a support thread where all new nurses could post about their feelings and experiences. You are not alone, all new nurses feel this way and if they dont I would be extreemly concerned.

I am a new grad nurse. I actually graduated 2 years ago from a BSN program, but because if personal issues, I didnt take my boards until just recently, and then got my first job in a busy hospital in the city. Anyway, I am 2 days into orientation, and I just feel so overwhelmed and depressed. I am scared of my own shadow, I havent even passed meds yet, as I am frightened I'll give the wrong med, or make some mistake. I feel so intimidated by everyone. When I was listening to my preceptor get report, I felt they gave report so fast that I couldnt keep up, and missed alot of the info as I was taking notes. My preceptor seems like a nice person, but I dont find her to be helpful in any way. She has been on the unit 25 years, and I feel like she skims over everything not realizing I dont know anything, probably because its so second nature to her at this point.

I was off the weekend and am already getting so upset at the idea of going back to work Monday morning. I know its normal to be nervous, but this is out of control. I am petrified doing anything with a patient as I am afraid I will do something wrong or cause them harm. I don't know what to do. I feel as if I'll never be able to do this job. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm desperate. :crying2:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

I am not coping well with being unemployed.

I am going back to school for my master's. Not sure that will help matters but I can only dream....

Sorry to all of you struggling with your jobs and feeling overwhelmed... but at least you HAVE jobs.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Nessa - I promise you it gets better. I used to feel physically ill throughout most of my orientation and especially the day or two before I went out on my own, but I promise, it gets better. You can do this and the best way is to force yourself to try something new and scary every day. Then you'll get them out of the way and see they are that bad.

Two years is a long time, but they saw something in you to hire you. You CAN do this!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CT ICU, Med Surg.

This thread has given me some ease, as far as confirmation that the first months/ years of nursing SUCKS and has relieved some anxiety, but now I'm terriefied, as I see that I still have a looong way to go.

I am 9 weeks in to a 12 week orientation on a very busy university med surg unit. I was the only new grad hired for a long while, and I work nights. Like many of you I'm very anxious and having a very hard time coping; I can't sleep before or after a shift, and wake up in a sweat; I can't eat, before, during or after a shift; and I cry, cry, cry when I get home.. I recently advocated to my educator and manager for a consistant preceptor, because up to now I was being passed around, and it was hard adapting to the job as well as preceptors.. but now they stuck me with someone who straight out told them in front of my face (and their's), that they didn't want to be my preceptor! Now I'm even more anxious (if that's possible), because I have 3 weeks left until I'm on my own; and there's pressure from all sides for me to perform and I just can't! The constant admits and discharges, ontop of the prn's and calling the Resident 1, 2, 3, attending for orders.. and this and that.. blood transfusions.. stat orders.. has got me left charting until 9pm everyday, well after my shift. I don't think I'll ever get it, and it's hard to gage if I've even budged forward since there's no other newbie's on the floor and no feedback. Ontop of that everyone on the floor thinks I'm incompetant and it's impossible to get help. It's also very "cliquey", and I'm definately one NOT to help in their eyes.. I can feel that the supervisor, 'preceptor', and everyone has lost confidence in me and in a way want me out; and I feel the same exact way. I feel like quitting. This was my "dream"hospital on my "dream" unit and it's turned into a nightmare. I don't know what to do or where to turn, it's horrible.. I WAS a positive person but I've completely lost confidence and dreaaaaad going into work. I don't think I'll make it past this orientation, much less my first year :( please, any advise?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Well I am due to hit my 6 month mark in June. I work on a tele transitional unit and I was told that our ratio would be 4 to 1. We are to pull sheaths. care for s/p cabg, and my manager is wanting to start taking fem pop patients. We are sometimes up to 6 patients and the pager is constantly going off for us to take cath patients?? My boss is aware that I did not get the proper orientation. I am afraid everyday I need my job and I am doing my best. Some of my co workers are begining to show their petty heads now. My boss already let me know that they are coming to her complaining. I dont know what to do? What I do know is that a dog that will bring a bone will take a bone so I feel alone out in the wilderness....in the dark......what was that noise?....lol

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Assertive Community Tx.

This thread pretty much sums it up for me...I'm in my first job as an RN and somehow managed to land in community mental health nursing as the first/only nurse on an assertive community Tx team. I am basically writing my own job description but I don't have anyone to bounce ideas off of...I feel like I'm reinventing the wheel all the time. The other thing bothering me is that I am spending so much time setting up/managing a new system that has never been in place before that I feel like I do very little actual hands on nursing...I'm scared that if I ever leave this job I will have lost all my skills. I've been graduated 1 year and worked this job 8 months...I have to admit I am slightly envious of those of you med surge new grads who will have the skill to go anywhere and do anything in a year or two...what do I do?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

I started this thread 2 1/2 yrs ago because I could see a new grads were struggling in lots of ways. What amazes me is that the struggles continue, we still don't support our newbies.

What I want to know is, have those nurses who felt over welmed in oct 2008 now settled? Have you helped the younger less experienced staff or are you now the ones who have turned your back and are doing your own thing?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Orthopedics.
I don't think I'll ever get it, and it's hard to gage if I've even budged forward since there's no other newbie's on the floor and no feedback. Ontop of that everyone on the floor thinks I'm incompetant and it's impossible to get help. It's also very "cliquey", and I'm definately one NOT to help in their eyes.. I can feel that the supervisor, 'preceptor', and everyone has lost confidence in me and in a way want me out; and I feel the same exact way. I feel like quitting. This was my "dream"hospital on my "dream" unit and it's turned into a nightmare. I don't know what to do or where to turn, it's horrible.. I WAS a positive person but I've completely lost confidence and dreaaaaad going into work. I don't think I'll make it past this orientation, much less my first year :( please, any advise?

Hey volunteer pioneer--

I know it seems like things will always be this hectic and crazy, but don't worry--it will get better!! I'm reaching the end of my first year, and it is crazy to think of how far I've come (and how far I have to go haha). But that crazy, blurred, overwhelmed feeling you're having right now is totally normal. Just take a deep breath and take one shift at a time. You will make mistakes, have hard schedules and tough patients but all of these experiences will help you grow into a better nurse. After a few months, you will become used to the pattern of the shift and the specifics of the floor. It takes time but it will happen.

During a meeting a month into my job for all the new grads, a nurse manager came to talk and introduce herself. At one point she said "you may be wondering at this point why we hired you-because you feel like you're doing everything wrong" I sat there and started nodding because that's exactly how I did feel--then I looked around the room and saw so was everyone else.

As for the cliquey staff-it's common in some places but don't let it get to you. Remember you are a new member of the team and it will also (again) take time for everyone to get to know you. And the best advice I got from someone else is to understand that not everyone will like you! I had a tough time with that the first few months because I was taking it personally. Later I found that the nurses who seemed unfriendly warmed up after I proved myself. Best advice on this front: smile a lot, help out when you can, and take time to make friends on the floor.

Last but not least, try to relax on your days off. Whatever helps you to chill and be happy--do it. The best part about working is there is no homework (unless you're taking side classes...but it's different than school)

Take a deep breath and focus on the present, you can and will get there!! :D

Good Luck!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Okay, here it goes.

I am a new nurse. 5 months into working as an LPN at my job, and I HATE it. It is making feel like I want to quit nursing all together. Then when I talk to people about the specialty that I went into (pysch), they are like "Oh that is a tough job!" I really feel like if I don't get out soon, I will be one of our patients at our nursing home. I come home crying every other night (on good weeks). Right now it is 3am and I got to work tomorrow and I am dreading it. It might be the actual shift that I don't like. I work from 3-11pm. I have no time with my fiance or family. I get every other weekend off, and work a total of 4 days straight on a good week. The bad part of my job is that we have 3 nurses at a time for our 95 bed nursing home, and severely under staffed. I feel that since I am so new to nursing, that I don't have choices to apply anywhere since I don't have that golden 1-2 years of expereince. I feel like I am in a downward spiral with this job and no way out. I don't think I can hold on much longer. The stress is literally tearing me apart. I am just so done with nursing I want to just go back school and take up something easier and less stressful. Someone please help me. :bluecry1:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I started in a new grad program on a very busy surgical floor about 4 weeks ago and I am miserable. I feel so incompitent. Ive cried everyday after work. People say it gets better but idk if I can wait! I know how you feel sewing queen27

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Rehab.

It's good to know I am not alone with this. Today was the second time in two weeks I drove home in tears, because my day was just that bad. And it doesn't start badly, but ends badly. I just started a month ago, and over the last couple of weeks have actually been taking patient assignments. And I haven't been with just one preceptor either, I have been with several, and while that helps in seeing what works and what doesn't, they don't all know where I am level and skill wise. Heck, I dont know where I am level and skill wise! I had a couple of stellar days, which help, because it gets me through the days like today, where all I want to do is hide in a corner and bawl like a baby because I am unable to get stuff done, I am overwhelmed, I'm getting yelled at by family members for a pt I don't even know, but was taking care of for all of two hours, trying to do my paperwork, give meds to my four patients, finish up on the other four patients that I nicely volunteered to take over at the end of the day for a couple of hours, give them THEIR meds, while trying to document(it's still ALL paper where I am!), and learn how to hang IV antibiotics and NS as well! :uhoh3: Is how I felt for the last two hours of my shift. Fortunatley, everyone is very helpful, but I have to learn to accept help, one of my bigger downfalls, but AAAHHH. I was SO glad when today ended! I have had days where I dont' want to come in at all, I almost called in today, and wish I had!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NCA, Graduate Nurse.

Im also feeling very overwhelmed and scared to death about being on my own. I actually have three weeks left of orientation and only had nine weeks of orientation, when I found out last week that everyone has 12 weeks or more. THey all told me that I should ask for more orientation, not that Im doin bad, but that its always good to have 12. Although, right now Im feeling like Ill never be ready to be on my own. Im so scared of screwing something up, missing something about my patients, or not knowing what to do if my patient codes. Im so scared and I feel like is this really what a job is suppose to be about...Terriefied everyday to go to work? My preceptor is great and tells me Im doing fine, and Im trying to do everything on my own at this point with help from her when I need it, but I feel like Im constantly asking questions. Another thing is writing a telephone order from the doc, I feel like I always mess it up. It seems like I always forget something on that order. After reading these posts, it definitely makes me realize Im not alone, but it still makes me scared. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Im definitly going to talk to my manager to get more time.

Thanks

Megaan

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion