Where are you at six months??

[Fairlythere, ASN, RN]

:chair: Well, I graduated in March. I got nclex in April and started at the hospital in May. Orientation on med surg began, 12 hour nights, 5 days in a row for 15 shifts. :smilecoffeecup: I made it through and was cast upon my own to take a patient load of six for the first month, then suddenly they wanted me to take 7 mostly. :uhoh21:

I also began floating to other units when needed. I quickly discovered at 47 a lack of sleep and 12 shifts were not condusive to any sort of sanity on my part.

While I was learning a lot and toughing out the requisite "first year" sentance in med surg, it was not what I wanted.

As many new grads have pointed out, I began to question the whole career change. I had trouble finding the good things about my decision to go into nursing. Ocassionally though,a patient would compliement my skills,appreciate my bedside manner,thank me for my help, and even ask for me again another night. .

Still, I felt panic the day before I had to go back to work. One night I was floated to another unit. The people were helpful, the load was smaller, the work was manageable. I felt like I was in Heaven!!

BURST OF INSPIRATION I began to think maybe the floor I was on, which by the way had a reputation that far preceded my perception of being a whacked ward to work on, may not be a good fit for me. [mouse]WHY DID YOU GET INTO NURSING???[/mouse] I became a nurse because it would afford me the ability to use my best people skills in the manner most suited to my and my patients needs. I loved floating to the observation unit. I loved precepting in the PACU.

However, I felt I HAD to pay my dues in med surg and get experience. Not always so grasshopper! The unit I was floated to that was soooo helpful was a surgical unit cross trained to peds and mother baby couplet overflows from L & D. In otherwords, surgical recoverys,mostly female surgery, sick kids, but not too sick cause they would be transferred to a bigger city, and moms and babies recovering from c sections. There was an evening eight hour shift open. So what the hey, I applied. Me with only three months experience so far. Well, after holding me an additional three months, because they could, I am now officially a surgical/peds nurse with privliges to work with little babies. I have now worked my last graveyard. I have off all weekend,then I start orienting. Everyone was in shock I got the job. But I applied, I interviewed. She liked me. She said while I have a lot of training to do in peds and mother/baby, I have good assessment skills, critical thinking, and my med surg experience will be very handy. My ultimate goal is to work in a day surgery center, day shift. This is a great step in that direction. I will be able to take my ACLS classess in the ams and work on the next step to goto critical care for a year, which is a prerequisite for PACU. Im excited.

:Santa1:

The moral of this story is, Dont give up five minutes before the miracle. And dont EVER settle for less than what you want. I am a squeeky wheel, but I am getting the grease!!! Hang in there fellow newbies.

./[banana]Keep Fresh. No one likes a brown banana[/banana]

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

Thanks for sharing such wonderful words of wisdom. This is advice from which we can all benefit (whether experienced nurse or newbie). Congratulations on your new position! :)

[suzy253, RN]

Nice to read your story.

I'm still on the same unit--step down telemetry/med surg. I really truly enjoy it. Very varied cases....still learning things each and every day. I am so lucky to be working with a great crew on my 3-11p shift. So....I have no plans right now to make a move in the near future.

[ortess1971]

I'm circulating for the most part on my own, next month I'll be completely on my own and in February, I move to the 3-11 shift. They tried to get me to take a 11am-7pm shift but I turned it down. That shift is very disruptive, IMHO.

[DolphinRN84, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

Thanks for sharing your story and congratulations on the new position! :) I've been working on a med/surg floor (vascular surgical unit) and I really like it but its so overwhelming and I had a really bad day yesterday...so I was thinking I couldn't do this....but posts like this really keep me going. My goal right now is to stay on this unit at the most 2.5 years...we'll see how it goes though...go into ICU for a couple more years then apply to CRNA school. Hopefully I can achieve my goal. Thanks again!

[K98]

After six months, I'm on my way out. I have a few civil service exams scheduled over the next two weeks, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[Kinjo]

After 6 months I have left my med/surg position for a new job. I was lucky to find another job with only 6 mos but I just didn't feel like I was going to be able to finish one year of med/surg even though that was my original intention. I still love nursing but I know I am not well suited for a medsurg floor.

[crb613, BSN, RN]

Graduated in May...went to work in May. I went to work in Med Surg since that is what I thought I needed to do to get experience. I love M/S! The more hectic it gets the better I like it....(I am mentally stable ) I have learned so much & now it seems I don't feel like an idiot as much as I used too. I still have so much to learn but I think M/S is the place for me.The only thing I hate is NOC's....I absolutely hate them.....