What's harder? NS or your first job as new RN?

rashan1053 · Apr 27, 2008

As you can see from most of the replies, both NS and 1st year nursing are stressful, but in different ways. The stress if different, but I wouldn't take back my career choice for anything!!! Some nights may be bad, but when patients are happy to see you back the next night, you know you did good.

Best of luck to you!!!

Ginger45 · Apr 27, 2008

I loved nursing school. I love school period though so that is part of it. It was stressful but I was learning so much.

The first year is the hardest. I had been an LPN before and it was a real reality check to find that as a new RN, I only made 1.00 more.

I can remember when it hit me the hardest. There was a pt who was in crisis and I was thinking, "I've got to get the RN." "Oh geezz, I am the RN." I managed though to pull myself together and do what I needed to do. There are many reasons that it is hard. Reality creeps in. Older nurses are not very nice at times even LPNS and CNAs weren't. The first day on my job there was a sign on my chair that said, "Kick me." Nice welcome but I hung in there. It was the hardest and most stressful of my whole career. I aways remember that though when I am working with a new nurse. I try to help her as much as I can, encourage her or him. We need new nurses.

Other people of course have had different experiences though. That was just mine.

mark3274 · Apr 28, 2008

I am about to start NS and am a little worried about the stress for the next few years. I keep thinking that it will go by fast and I'll be done. But then I was thinking... what if being a brand new nurse is just as stressful as school???? Is this really going to be worth it? Right now, I stay at home with my kids and do not work. I am worried that I will regret my decision to go back to school/work if nursing is as stressful and miserable as so many nurses seem to be...
So for those of you who completed nursing school and are now working, is it easier than when you were in school? Do you like your job? Would you have chose to do something different?

is your first job easier than nursing school?-- no

would I have chosen something different? possibly dpt,dc, or OD come to mind

nurseman78, BSN, RN, NP · Mar 5, 2011

I know this post is old, but I am a new RN orienting in critical care and just wanted to throw my two cents in.

I spent two days in the ER this week, and it has been a trial for my self-esteem. Fortunately I'm at a teaching hospital where the staff is very accommodating and understanding. Last night I had some rough spots: two blown IV starts and a patient coded. I tried to participate as best I could in the code doing compressions, but the doc running the code politely had me rotate out, probably because I wasn't doing them deep enough or something.

It was initially a blow to my ego, but then I realized that this is just something each of us has to go through to get to the point where we're confident and competent. Luckily my preceptor was very understanding, and told me that if anyone gives me a hard time as a newbie, they need to take a step back and remember how it was for them.

I also look back at how I've grown and what I've learned since last year at this time. Last year I was a 2nd semester LPN student stressing about getting good grades so I could go on to the RN portion, and had 2 NCLEX tests in front of me to pass. Now all that's behind me. Just keep your eyes on the road and keep moving forward.

Do-over, ASN, RN · Mar 6, 2011

Last night I had some rough spots: two blown IV starts and a patient coded. I tried to participate as best I could in the code doing compressions, but the doc running the code politely had me rotate out, probably because I wasn't doing them deep enough or something.

The doc may have had you rotate out because compressions are exhausting. If you were doing them wrong, he or she should have said something.

nurseman78, BSN, RN, NP · Mar 6, 2011

That may have been it, too. But I hadn't been doing them very long. Maybe he thought I had or something. Anyway, I'm learning that you can't take things like that personally. What's important is the patient's life.

eyeball · Mar 6, 2011

Both NS and my first job have been really stressful but I would say for me that the stress of the new job has been much worse than school. I am at the six month mark and it has been a wild and wooly ride for too many reasons to enumerate. There have been so many days where I have left the hospital crying, depressed, and asking myself what the h*** I was thinking when I decided to pursue nursing. Some days are better than others but they are all stressful and the workload and responsibility is enormous. Everyone says it gets better after the first year. The progress I seem to have made in adjusting is that I worry less about how my day might go or may be going. I still feel depressed a lot even on days off and still have yet to have an "Aha!" moment where I know I've made a good choice for me. It's been a grind, sadly.

jpeters84 · Mar 7, 2011

For me nursing school was tougher. I stressed out a lot and I look back on it and wished I had relaxed a bit. Working is grueling and stressful but in a much more empowering way. Since I love my job the hard work is fulfilling. In nursing school nothing was really fulfilling I was just doing what I needed to do to get through it. I think its different for everyone though. I was prepared for my first year to be the hardest of my life and I am pleasantly surprised to say not so much. I'm also lucky enough to work at a place and on a floor with lots of patience and support.

nurseman78, BSN, RN, NP · Mar 7, 2011

I think it depends on where you work, but I agree with the above poster in that nursing school was more stressful. I had to commute 45 minutes to school every day, and that plus working part-time took a toll on the budget. The stress of school plus the financial concerns was pretty tough. Right now, work is a little stressful, with the high learning curve, but financially things are stable which makes it more tolerable.

joanna73, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2011

IMO, your first RN job is harder by far. You're learning to make important decisions on your own. You have a license. Yes, school is challenging. But its school. If you can't get through the school part, I can't see how you would make it as a full fledged RN. My BSN was full of all kinds of useless courses that I had to do well in. However, when critical decisions are part of your every day practise, that's a different matter.

joanna73, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2011

And...I also worked all the way through school, and live on my own. So, of course, it wasn't easy...

eeyorelov · Mar 8, 2011

While Nursing school was hard and brought me to tears, nothing compares to searching 2 years for job your not "qualified" for. I have never been so hurt, angry and frustrated on a daily basis. I can remember hating school at time, but never do I remember thinking I was wasting my time and should give up....Until now. To have a degree (BSN), and to push through school, sacrifice so much thinking that it will all be better, only to find out it was lie, and you are about as wanted as a bum on the street....*sigh To those who have found a job, cherish it, to those still in school good luck the real battle begins AFTER the nclex.