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.
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.
Hey Raindreamer! I was away this weekend so I didn't see this until now-Congrats on passing NCLEX!!!!!! :) Way to go girl! :)
Specializes in Rehab, Neuro, Travel Nurse, Home Care.
During my first year as a RN I constantly wanted to quit sooo bad. Everyweek I was looking at help wanted ads. I even tried to apply as a tech, but my dumb self told that company I was a nurse on my work experience. I wanted to have the jobs my friends did. It seemed like eveybody had computer jobs, going to happy hour, playing on the computer and going on busniess trips. Here I was wiping butts, having family yell, rude Dr's, the nurse I have to give report to who wants me to do everything so she can have a cushy shift. Then off course I had the worse schedule because I did not have senority.
It was tough for me coming from living at school with people my age to moving back with my mom and working with people old enough to be my mom. (Not trying to offend anybody). I went to go through a quarter life crisis. I was glad to be a adult, but didn't want the full realities of it. I started to feel like all I did was sleep and work.
Everybody in nursing said give it a year. I didn't believe them, but they were right. About nine months in working, it started getting easier. I'm thankful that I was a extern and a tech since my junior year. I learned the game as I call it and also learned how to stick up for myself. I also had to set goals to help the time go by. I wrote career plan for me until I hit 30 years old. I said 30 because I wanted to do another profession at that age
Well anyway I'm sorry that I vented to you guys. Congrats to you guys that passed their boards and good luck to those still in school.
I have been a med surg nurse/new rn 1 yr 4 months.
i can say that clinicals are not the same as "real' nursing....clinicals gave us small numbers of pts (not the 8-9 I have now) and lots and lots of support (very unlike i have now)
IE at my current job, i have had charge nurses belittle me when i ask questions or ask for help (one called me :helpless- I must have bugged her one too many times) so i can see why quitting and leaving so soon would be tempting... i have thought of it myself if this facility doesn't work out (this is my second job move in 1 yr 4 months and it isn't any better)
my advice- from observing the happiest of our classmates- find a niche- casemanagement, icu, public health- but medsurg nursing is far removed from the ideals of the "ivory tower"
Don't forget that if you go to work in a certain area of nursing and don't like it... maybe it's not nursing all together, but just that field you don't like. There are too many opportunities. If you know the 'less-glamorous' side of what nursing is about and you still want to do it, then I'm sure you'll be able to find something in the field you like! Think about all the possibilities! And yes, in nursing school you will do the work of an Aid throughout and you will find out very quickly if you can handle the yucky stuff, the stress, the way you can be treated, etc.
It seems to me that some of the fault lies with schools. I know my school and my niece's (she graduated in 2002) had students taking a full load of patients in their senior practicum and using their preceptor as a resource. So they already KNEW what the workloads were like. I see a lot of students here in the US who have never taken a full patient load before they graduate.
It seems to me that some of the fault lies with schools. I know my school and my niece's (she graduated in 2002) had students taking a full load of patients in their senior practicum and using their preceptor as a resource. So they already KNEW what the workloads were like. I see a lot of students here in the US who have never taken a full patient load before they graduate.
I have to agree. :) Clinical is suposed to teach and prepare us for real life. If they sugar-coat everything all the way through clinical, then it is no wonder that the new nurse will feel overwelmed and lost. Not to mention the lack of camaraderie in this field can be very disappointing at times .
It seems to me that some of the fault lies with schools. I know my school and my niece's (she graduated in 2002) had students taking a full load of patients in their senior practicum and using their preceptor as a resource. So they already KNEW what the workloads were like. I see a lot of students here in the US who have never taken a full patient load before they graduate.
Absolutely right Fergus! I trained in Northern Minnesota where I believe our Diploma program was similar to your model...we DID get 'real world' nursing and were not in need of preceptorships and internships as new grads in basic medsurg settings. We also were prepared to teamlead in a medsurg environment...a great learning experience, IMHO, and a springboard to our futures.
Sadly, we are not seeing the same today. My belief is schools are short changing the students and turfing much responsibility to facilities and practicing nurses, which places nurses in a difficult position. This is why I recommend new grad internships to new grads today... as well as specialty internships for nurses seeking a change to specialties. This way they get the attention they deserve. :)
There have been a lot of great responses in this thread. ... And it's great to see that it has not turned into just another listing of complaints. People here seem to be trying to really understand the problems and not just b**** about the imperfections of the world.
I work in a hospital, but work with programs that brings me into contact with a lot of nursing students. Sometimes I am amazed at how unrealistic their conceptions of nursing careers are. When I ask them about their career plans etc., they are often totally in the dark about what the different options are and/or what they can expect as a new graduate. When that happens, I really wonder (and worry) how these people came to choose nursing as a career ... why they are investing so much effort and money into preparing for a career they know so little about ... etc.
If you are in school now and/or thinking about entering school, I strongly encourage you to investigate the profession before you make much of a committment. Ask your school or your nursing student association to invite guest speakers, set up panel discussions, etc. with nurses practicing in a variety of roles at different institutions and at different stages of their careers. Learn about the paths these nurses have taken in their careers ... the plusses and minuses of the various jobs they hold ... their joys and frustrations, etc.
Arrange interactions with nurses who are happy and successful in their careers. Find out "how they did it" and ask what advice they would have a new nurse just starting out in the profession. Years ago, when I was a student, we used to have nurses come to our clinical post-conferences to talk briefly about their specialties and their roles. (It's how I first learned about the CNS role.) Today, my hospital is continually offering to supply guest speakers etc. to the local schools and continually being told that they are not interested in what we have to say. It's a shame. The students never get a chance to interact with our nurses except during the busy patient care hours in which there is often little time to talk.
If I were a student today, I would be asking my school (and/or nursing student association) to provide me with regular opportunities to interact with practicing nurses in an envioronment that would allow for asking questions, sharing stories, etc. Such opportunities would help the students develop not only realistic expectations of a nursing career, but also realistic plans for dealing with some of the key career issues.
Absolutely right Fergus! I trained in Northern Minnesota where I believe our Diploma program was similar to your model...we DID get 'real world' nursing and were not in need of preceptorships and internships as new grads in basic medsurg settings. We also were prepared to teamlead in a medsurg environment...a great learning experience, IMHO, and a springboard to our futures.
Sadly, we are not seeing the same today. My belief is schools are short changing the students and turfing much responsibility to facilities and practicing nurses, which places nurses in a difficult position. This is why I recommend new grad internships to new grads today... as well as specialty internships for nurses seeking a change to specialties. This way they get the attention they deserve. :)
I think this is more the norm in Canada. New grads who are hired on med-surg floors often get only a set of shifts as their orientation because they don't need a big preceptorship (they did that already as students!).
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.
I think you shouldn't feel too bad about many nurses being aware of the decent pay in nursing. I think too many female-dominated areas, such as nursing, are afraid to openly agree that a factor in their decision to become a nurse could have been pay. Liking good pay does not mean you're a greedy, uncaring person. It simply means you like the practicality of it also. I personally really enjoy helping people & also like the pay and flexibility of nursing.
I think you shouldn't feel too bad about many nurses being aware of the decent pay in nursing. I think too many female-dominated areas, such as nursing, are afraid to openly agree that a factor in their decision to become a nurse could have been pay. Liking good pay does not mean you're a greedy, uncaring person. It simply means you like the practicality of it also. I personally really enjoy helping people & also like the pay and flexibility of nursing.
EXACTLY!!! love this point :) People deserve to be compensated well for a job well done. The fact is ,as any profession becomes more female, the income levels tend to go down (look at drs pay, for example) If you need to work for a living, there's nothing wrong with wanting a good salary.
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christvs, DNP, RN, NP
1,019 Posts
Hey Raindreamer! I was away this weekend so I didn't see this until now-Congrats on passing NCLEX!!!!!! :) Way to go girl! :)
-Christine