Why so many quit during first year?

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Jul 16, 2005

I believe IMO, that with anything else you have to find out for yourself. The only way is to live it and try it. It'd be nice to know before hand I know but what may not work for others may work for you. It's just like the saying someone else's trash may be your treasure.

I myself am a student and have heard both sides (do and don't do it), but I don't believe everything I hear. I for one, don't knock things till I try them and if I decide it is not for me, then I found out for myself. Better knowing and thinking "what if" for the rest of my life. Most things in life are "a risk".

There is really no way to know.....so meanwhile count on the money and time "wasted" (To me no education is wasted regardless of the field)......

Best wishes to you. :)

Curious1alwys, BSN, RN · Jul 17, 2005

EXACTLY!!!

I have been going over and over and over and over whether nursing is for me. But you know what???? YOU WILL NEVER KNOW FOR SURE UNTIL YOU TRY and once you have that RN behind your name it is NOT WORTHLESS even if you do get out of nursing. Look at all the knowlege you will have gained! I try to keep that in perspective. Plus, there are other places than the bedside...keep that in mind. There is no other career that would give you the variety of opportunities nursing does, even if you end up HATING the hospital.

I plug my ears now when anybody starts talking about this stuff. Can't deal with it! I am making my mind up for myself and so should you. Education is never a waste! Good Luck to you in school!

I believe IMO, that with anything else you have to find out for yourself. The only way is to live it and try it. It'd be nice to know before hand I know but what may not work for others may work for you. It's just like the saying someone else's trash may be your treasure.
I myself am a student and have heard both sides (do and don't do it), but I don't believe everything I hear. I for one, don't knock things till I try them and if I decide it is not for me, then I found out for myself. Better knowing and thinking "what if" for the rest of my life. Most things in life are "a risk".
There is really no way to know.....so meanwhile count on the money and time "wasted" (To me no education is wasted regardless of the field)......
Best wishes to you. :)

katwoman7755 · Jul 17, 2005

Yesterday I ran into a friend of a student that graduated last May (2004), and this mutual friend told me that the one supposedly landed a "dream job" in nursing the year before had already quit and went back to her old career. When I ask "Why?" the friend didn't know. Multiple times just in our little community people have gotten their RN license, worked a short time (6 months to a year) and gotten OUT of nursing altogether. The most cited reason, except for the "I don't knows", is that "It wasn't for me." That doesn't tell me anything.
My question is this: How do you know before putting in the time and expense of nursing school if nursing is for you or not?? Isn't that what clinicals are for?? I am scared to go through all this, then decide it is not for me either. Is there something that instructors and/or other RN's are not telling us before we make this huge commitment????
If you have your RN license and are working or have been working, and have gotten OUT (or are seriously considering getting OUT), specifically WHY? I really want the low down, good, bad, ugly truth about what I am getting into here.
THANKS!

Hey...just wondering where exactly you are??? Life long slidellian here...spent two years in beautiful ft walton beach...now back in mandeville. I was wondering where exactly you were b/c there are sooooo many opportunites in SELA....particularly if you are able to go into the GNO area. I didn't exactly grasp from your post....are you currently enrolled in a program? Hope to talk to you again.

Kathryn RN

mattsmom81 · Jul 17, 2005

Why do so many quit during the first year? Its the working conditions and all that goes into that. Huge responsibilities and liabilities, with insufficient authority and respect. Nursing school bombards us with massive amounts of information and sets us out to 'do good'...then we land in what is too often an unsupportive environment. School simply does not prepare us for the lack of support we will encounter; from doctors, administrations and even our own peers.

I recommend all nursing students work in the field somehow to acquaint them with the realities, so it is not so overwhelming when you get there. I was fortunate to attend a diploma school where I lived in hospital dorms and could work in the hospital in my of hours from school. This helped me tremendously: I went into it with wide open eyes..

If one reads these boards it doesn't take long to see the frustrations and challenges nurses deal with on a daily basis. It is definitely not for everyone.

Some students get angry at vocal nurses like myself who vent about conditions. But I say forewarned is forearmed; and we all need a safe place to vent. It has been hard for me to adapt to all the changes in my practice the past 28 years...nursing was much more enjoyable 20 years, when we actually had time with our patients.

On a more philosophical note, its been hard for me to accept that nurses are pawns of the system..and we have not developed the clout to effect our collective destiny or our practice. We simply follow directives of administration, doctors, the AMA and other powerful organizations etc....the big cogs who run things. They decide, we do. I always wanted more of a voice...and through the years have NOT been rewarded for speaking up, believe me...LOL! A nurse who is a 'yes man' fares better. My personality does not adapt to this easily, unfortunately.

Many nurses do better just 'going with the flow' , doing their job and not looking at our professional responsibilities to ourserlves and the system, which we've failed to live up to IMHO. The 'go with the flow' attitude seems to get them through their tough shifts with a minimum of burnout. I've had to go by the Serenity Prayer throughout my life in nursing...and fight burnout continuously. This career can suck the life out of you if you don't have a plan to combat it.

Good luck to you whatever field you choose...I don't regret choosing nursing, but I realize I might have avoided heartache by choosing a career with more autonomy and authority. We're all different....some people can be very happy and contented in nursing. :)

If one can read our stories on this BB and consistently formulate a way of dealing without feeling overly upset and angry...nursing might be for you. Use this board as part of your education, students! :)

LouisianaNurse2006 · Jul 17, 2005

Hey...just wondering where exactly you are??? Life long slidellian here...spent two years in beautiful ft walton beach...now back in mandeville. I didn't exactly grasp from your post....are you currently enrolled in a program? Hope to talk to you again.
Kathryn RN

Hi Kathryn,

I am not far from you, I live near Opelousas, La, and go to school at LSUE. I have made it through 2 semester in the nursing program and have 2 left, so if everything goes well, I should graduate in May 2006.

I just wanted to thank everyone for the great advise! I really want to try nursing to find out for sure if it is for me. Some days are wonderful, and other days I just find myself staring into space at clinicals wondering "What are they talking about, and what the hell am I doing here!!??" :confused:

Oh well, I geuss all students (and first year nurses) have their days!

MedSurgeMess · Jul 18, 2005

I think a lot of people go into nursing thinking it's glamourous and they see $$$$. When the reality of wiping butts and other 'glamorous' stuff hits them, they run with their tails 'tween their legs. Unfortunately, they've wasted the time and money to go to school and took up a slot that someone else who really could have made a difference could have occupied.... to find out if I wanted to give up engineering and programming, I did volunteer work at a nursing home 1 night a week for a year prior to applying to NS. I realize that this is not an option for everyone, but I figured if I was going to have to make sacrifices in and for school, then volunteering 1 day a week is a small sacrifice. Hope this helps someone.

soontobe_RN · Jul 18, 2005

I think a lot of people go into nursing thinking it's glamourous and they see $$$$. When the reality of wiping butts and other 'glamorous' stuff hits them, they run with their tails 'tween their legs. Unfortunately, they've wasted the time and money to go to school and took up a slot that someone else who really could have made a difference could have occupied.... to find out if I wanted to give up engineering and programming, I did volunteer work at a nursing home 1 night a week for a year prior to applying to NS. I realize that this is not an option for everyone, but I figured if I was going to have to make sacrifices in and for school, then volunteering 1 day a week is a small sacrifice. Hope this helps someone.

I agree with you. I am a nursing student and when I ask my peers why they decided to be a nurse, 9 out of 10 times I will hear, "It pays great". This bothers me b/c we are to be there for our pts not just for the money.

When I started the process to be a nurse(4 years ago), I did not know how well nursing pays (in some areas). I decided to be a nurse b/c I love to help and work with people. Also, b/c I am the type of person that I need to be constantly moving and doing something. Plus, I do well in chaotic or stressful situations. Most of all, I have always wanted to be a nurse ever since I was a little girl. Where most children would pretend to be doctors, I pretended to be a nurse.

Now, I am aware that there are going to be times when I will feel like pulling my hair out. Not to mention the fact that I, too, can get out spoken when it comes to things I do not agree with. I guess the best thing to do is to keep an open mind and always remember why you decided to become a nurse in the first place.

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2005

Great insights in these posts already!

Here is my take on why people quit during the first year:

People graduate school, pass boards .... then they get out into the real world of nursing and expect to be in the role of "nurse". But in fact you have to learn and gain experience. People say it takes 1-2 years to even begin to feel comfortable working on the floor as a nurse. That's too long for them .... they feel like they should know everything now, they feel like they aren't cut out for it because it's taking them so long to get the hang of it.

I definitely agree with mattsmom that you should work in the field somehow to aquaint yourself with the realities. The 144-hour preceptorship that I did last semester before graduating really REALLY opened my eyes. There were days that I cried because I felt so incompetent and frustrated because I had to ask questions about everything. But then I realized (with the help of my wonderful preceptor) that it's ok to feel that way and it's completely normal. I had some really great times during that preceptorship, I really loved the work and I was sad when it was over ..... that's when I realized that I wanted to to this for the rest of my life. Even though I had days of tears, frustration and doubt ..... it was worth it and I knew it'd get better with time

An instructor told us that graduating and taking the NCLEX gives you a license to learn ....... then once you get a job, that's when you get your real training. So that's why I think a lot of people give up that first year ..... they just weren't prepared and had no idea what to expect.

I know this first year will be really hard. I'm grateful that I had to do the preceptorship so I have a little idea of what to expect when I do get in there and start working.

Sheri257 · Jul 18, 2005

I do think nursing is a tougher job than most people imagine it is ...

But, I'm originally from Louisiana and now live in California. I also think a lot of it depends on where you live. California has a strong nurses union and, generally, stronger labor laws which protect you from mandatory overtime and other abuses. The union also passed a ratio law which limits the number of patients nurses can be assigned to five. Pay and overall working conditions are much beter here and, nurses are actually coming back to work here because of this.

To be honest, I wouldn't want to live in the south again because those are "right to work" states which, IMHO, really means right to screw nurses over with mandatory overtime, heavy patient loads and all kinds of nonsense. If southern nurses are quitting after just one year on the job, I'm not surprized, because there are little to no protections there.

:coollook:

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2005

No unionized hospitals here in AZ either, but I haven't heard of a lot of nurses leaving because they were unhappy with the working conditions. From all the nurses I've talked to here, they're happy with the hospitals here in the Valley for the most part. Could just depend on the hospital/company.

grinnurse, RN · Jul 18, 2005

A lot of the people who go into nursing and quit shortly after they have been working IMO have looked at nursing w/ rose colored glasses. In nursing school we are taught the correct way to do things and for testing purposes we always had enough LVNs, PCT, orders, etc to do the things that needed to be done..........................and then there's the real world of nursing! :rotfl:

When I first entertained the thought of becoming a nurse, I took a job at a local hospital as a tech. I worked there all through nursing school. I had always wanted to be a nurse, but working in the environment just "cemented" the deal on going through with the education. How can you know if you like something or not unless you see the "whole" picture? It's glamorous on some days and some days your just rolling around in sh**!! Literally :chuckle

Good luck on your decision what ever it may be