Why is nursing like this?

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I am a new nurse. I graduated one and a half years ago, worked six months, then had to take time off for mat leave, anyways, just starting back at work. I have been reading some of these posts lately, and I am so perplexed by nursing. I feel the exact same way as a majority of you new nurses do. Overwhelmed, scared, nervous, I dread going back to work after days off. I literally count down the hours until I have to go back to work, just like I did when I was ten years old having to go back to school on a Monday morning after a weekend. I have all these feelings and a majority of you do as well, after spending tens of thousands of dollars in tuition and four years in university, only to have feelings of inadequacy and self doubt. I always feel like I am not smart enough, not knowledgeable enough, and don't have enough experience. I have two degrees and have worked other areas such as administration and hospitality, but have never felt like this. I am just wondering what it is about the field of nursing that makes us feel the way we do, because I hate how my career choice makes me feel. Is it simply lack of experience? Does it stem from lack of support from colleagues? A fear of making a mistake? Does this happen in other fields as well? Any ideas? Any advice how to get through these first few years and not only survive, but thrive?

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I used to feel that same way when I started my first job after graduation. I felt intiminated by my coworkers, afraid I was going to make a mistake and utterly disappointed. But the more I learned, the more comfortable I felt. Now, I can happily say I now love going to work!! It took a while...but it was worth the stress:) Good luck!!!

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hey i can totaly relate I just got my liceanse a few weeks ago.my orientation which was supposed to be 2 monthes turned out to be 3 weeks.I am doing okay for the most part,however I stlii msake a lot of paperwork mistsakes.The dr are awful at giving orders,you cant read their writing and they act very elitist.I worked this past week 4 12s and an 8 .last night was awful with two admits who were drunk and angry(I work with detox pt).The amount of paperwork is HUGE and no one has sat down with me on a one one basis very often and shown me about a lot of details.I am finding out the details by making mistakes.I have been on my own for the last week,the staff is great about helping each other,but I still am lost and feel like I know nothing.(i work night) thius morning med nurse who of course never works the floor was ******** at me about paperwork mistakes,hse is about 50 and always has a sour face people walk on eggshells around her.She ius unprofessional and rude she could have taken me aside and said look I see you are making mistakes here is the right way but instead in front of the other nurses wants me to correct the paperwork I am 40 years old I am not 12.she was saying I do want haVE TO WRITE YOU UP how unprofessional however I merly thank you for pointing out my mistakes I will do better in future.,look I was beat they arecalling me at home to work extra shifts and this is the thanks,I know this person must be nhappy with herself because peolple are hostile and nitpicky usually have issues.I really am trying I believe I am doing well on pt assessments medications an dpt safety but the paperwork is crazy and everyone seems to have their own way of doing things so I get different answers to same questions.I am going to vent to you guys because you understand.She was/is a big sorry ***** .thanks for listening,

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I understand 100%. I am a new nurse. I feel intimidated by the other nurses, the doctors,etc. I feel as though I don't have enough knowledge to do my job correctly. I'm sometimes embarrassed to call on to the other nurses because I feel like I'm bothering them with the same questions over and over. I never had anyone sit with me and explain all of the paperwork and I seem to only learn by making mistakes. I admit it has gotten a lot better but I still don't know everything as for the paperwork. I work in LTC and I forget sometimes you have to write the same information in a lot of different places. I leave work a lot of the time feeling like an idiot. That's why I'm so thankful for this website to know that we all go through this sometimes as a new nurse. So I think we owe it to ourselves to hang in there and realize that on day it will get better. Good luck and keep on keeping on:nurse:.

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Thanks for the responses everyone...it sure helps to know that we are not alone and that these feelings are common and hopefully (fingers crossed) will go away soon. Stay confident and strong!!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, LTC, Rehab.

I know how you feel. I'm almost through orientation and come home some nights wondering if I screwed something up. The worst part is having 3 days off and being unable to enjoy them because I'm afraid I'll return to work and find out I hurt someone with a mistake I've made.

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i just wanted to add my 2 pennies to the OP--why IS nursing like this? I have almost 2yrs in, i have the hang of my floor, i have worked other hospitals, blah blah and I STILL feel the way you describe! I, too am a 2nd career RN and i am beginning to seriously doubt if i should even stay in nursing at all. i think i may leave before too long. and i feel like i may even be a good nurse. that just makes it more confusing. how do you do well something you are beginning to completely abhor. and when does one decide to say 'hey i dont like feeling this way any longer" and quit altogether??

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hey I know it is sad,that we go through school only to find out that maybe it is not for us.hang in there maybe it will gt better.:yawn::heartbeat

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

OK. I'm not always that great at explaining things, but here goes:

Nursing isn't like a factory job, where there is a linear progression of learning a skill or skills, using the skill(s) over and over and over, speeding up your production, and then plateauing at a particular level of competency. It's more like the process of learning to walk: you start out taking baby steps, fall down once or twice, take two steps forward and three steps back, change course a few times, take some big forward leaps, stumble, regress, then move forward again.

What you don't know is, there is no "there" there---just about the time you feel like you've making ends meet in your career, someone moves the ends. IOW, things change.

I once had an instructor who told me on the day that I graduated, "In five years, your practice will have changed so much that what we taught you will be irrelevant." She was right. Things have changed many times in my 12 years of practice---it's the one constant in this life---and the only way to deal with that is to change with it.

What this means to nurses is that we have to become comfortable with being UNcomfortable. We will always be just a little off-balance, because nursing deals with human beings and human beings are constantly changing, as is our knowledge of how our bodies work. We can never become complacent, thinking we've got it nailed, because with each new piece of research, each new innovation in practice, we have to be prepared to do things differently. And that can be very hard for people who prefer continuity and stability!

My hope for all new nurses is that in time, you will learn to be OK with never feeling completely 'at home' in your practice. You will, of course, become more competent and more proficient as the months and years go by. But just about the time you think you've seen it all, you'll run into a situation that reminds you that there's a heck of a lot out there you HAVEN'T seen before (and probably wouldn't want to again), and that's what keeps things endlessly interesting. :D

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

Love that post, Viva. I feel like with nursing, we will never know it all. Even specialists never know it all...at all! Nursing is my first career so when I thought I couldn't cut it during my first year, I just figured any other career would just be as hard for me so why bother switching after all this work. Glad I didn't even though it does sound like the grass really IS greener on the other side from people doing nursing as a second career.

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That's how I felt when I declared accounting major. I forced myself to go through it and failed miserably. Seems like you have too much on your plate.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, LTC, Rehab.

Great post Viva. I am one of those people who prefers continuity and stability. If it wasn't for the fact I felt "called" to nursing, I would have to ask myself what was I thinking. I know how I am and that constant change is not easy for me. Nursing is definitely about constant change. From day to day and moment to moment.

My schedule usually allows 3 days off and then I do 2 12s in a row. The hardest part is that first day when I have a new group of patients. I feel anxious because I know nothing about them. By the time I start my second 12 I'm more comfortable because I have the same patients and the day generally flows better. And I know the reason is because I feel more stable at that point.

I guess the important thing is that my patients stay stable. I can have my nervous breakdown later. LOL

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