CLARIFICATION‼️So a lot of people commenting are new to my channel and don’t know much about me or the situation so I’ll pin it here. I have been a nurse since 2018 (started as an LPN) and never had any interest in bedside. I had experience in other areas of nursing before doing the residency (non bedside). My “new grad” residency was open to nurses without bedside experience so I thought I’d give it a try working for the peds unit(where my experience is in) but last minute they told me that there were no more openings, only in telemetry, so I took it. After being there, I wasn’t willing to be overworked and underpaid as a floor nurse, in a specialty I didn’t originally want, when I made the same exact pay doing home care in a less stressful environment. This experience happened in April. I have been working in a psych hospital since then with less stress and better pay than what the other hospital promised me in a year.
Good for you! I worked tele as an experienced nurse (had 2 years experience) ... it was hell. Made me leave bedside nursing. Been practicing over 20 years now. So you will be fine!
Honestly I just quit my nursing residency bedside nursing job tooI put in my notice 2 weeks ago. I love medsurg and I will always love it but mehn!! This shit is toxic.. the same issues you mentioned in your video is exactly what I have been going through since the beginning of this year. Am going to do travel RN homehealth contracts… it’s Tripple the hospital pay and more flexible… no 12 hour shifts no weekends or holidays and l very flexible… only mileage.. I have so much respect for people who have done bedside nursing for long… God bless your heart ❤️
I’ve been a hospital RN, certified, charge, preceptor, 21 years experience barely making over $40 per hr . New grads start mid 20’s. Our annual raises are only 2%. Smh….
Did you find another job prior to leaving? I'm was also an LPN prior working agency. I just quit my hospital RN position & went back to agency. Would like to reapply for bedside but not sure how only 7 months on a step down unit will look to managers. My manger felt like I was doing great, but I didn't like being over worked for little pay. Plus they were always short so we got 5-7 pts on a regular basis. 3-4 was supposed to be the unit norm based on acuity.
Yes ma’am. I’ve been a nurse for 7 years. I cried everyday my first year of nursing. Left bedside after 2 years. Now I’m back as a travel nurse and back to crying often. I’m just doing per diem shifts after this assignment and finding something less stressful full time. LISTEN TO YOURSELF! Being stressed everyday is NOT NORMAL. IDGAF what anyone says. My mental health has taken an enormous hit. I don’t wish this on anyone. ❤❤❤
Omg this was meant for me to see. I’m in the same boat. I did ED orientation for 2 months and cried each day and quit. I was so relieved when I quit. A week later I got a call for my dream job of L&D. I’m 3 months in and I hate it as well. It’s such a toxic environment too on my floor with nurses upset with short staffing and not wanting to train me since I have no experience. I just want to feel happy going to work to learn things. I know as a new nurse I have a lot to learn but I think I’m going to try an outpatient setting. I give all respect to bedside nurses. I haven’t even done 6 months total and I’m done. I feel so bad quitting like me being a nurse is expected to work in the hospital. But I just can’t. I just feel like I keep making other people happy but myself.
I hate when they say “I know you can do it”, then when you ask for help nobody is there to help, everybody has an attitude because you’re interrupting them to ask questions. I used to have panic attacks in my car before going into work. I had to journal so much in my car to convince myself to go in because I needed the money. I never cried, but just constantly felt like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders, had nightmares every night about codes, alarms ringing, etc. It was just impossible to do a good job, no matter how hard I tried. I thought I was alone because everyone acts like they’re fine. We are NOT fine. I’m SOOOO glad that we are all speaking out now. I quit bedside and I am working from home as a nurse care manager for an insurance company. It’s bliss. Same salary, way less stress. Don’t give up, baby nurses. Look for the right fit for you.
Quit my nurse residency after 6 months and became a clinic nurse for a year and a half. I don’t regret that decision as it was what was best for my mental health. I actually love being in clinic vs being at the bedside. The beauty of nursing is that there are many fields and environments to work in.
Can you explain what you do in the clinic setting? How's the training? I'm a new grad and got approached for a clinic job. Please let me know. Thank you.
@@jakenyajones7268 i worked at a testosterone replacement therapy clinic. It was a small practice so I worked 2 days with the NP and 3 days with an MA assisting me. I had to know how and actually do a lot of things. I was both clinical and office staff because our practice was so small. To work in a clinic, especially a small one, you need to be VERY comfortable with the skills required. I did IV hydration, phlebotomy, injections (IM and subcu) daily. Of course, know how to do a manual bp and not just the machine. Things like that. It was a good learning/growing opportunity for me that led me to what I’m currently doing now, medical school. Good luck, you got this!
Clinic life is the best! Normal hours, I only work 3 hours every 6th Saturday. Other than that- no weekends, no holidays. I’m paid far less than I was at the hospital. But I’m not considering ☠️, so that’s a huge plus! I have tons of PTO built up because I can handle going to work everyday, at normal hours! Dealing with mainly healthy patients, dealing with the flu etc. is a breath of fresh air compared to being a code responder at the hospital. I can’t stress how much better this life is!!
My biggest tip for the new nurses is always check on your patients. Regardless of the chart, regardless of the order, regardless of the patients wants. Make sure your laying your eyes on your patients every 1 hour to every 1 1/2 hours and trust your gut.
so very true!! the thing i hate about nursing is charting & also reading the chart! I always describe nursing as imagine taking care of a busy toddler who is getting into everything but imagine they are sick but you also are trying to read a book - remember everything you read & now you have to chart everything you did - plus more. It’s a lot! The one thing I do diligently is round on my patients - stopped falls, found patients who got out of restraints - stopped pts from removing LDAs, most of all found if my patient was responsive or not, VSS weren’t stable (I was able to intervene before they coded)
Yeah that’s cool in the daytime but at night if they’re stable I’m not going in their room every hour. Transfusions hourly antibiotics and psych pts and having 8-9 pts there’s absolutely no way I’m going in everyone’s room every hour
That would make sense if the ratios actually allowed for it. It’s logistically impossible to check on 8 pts every hour on the hour, and still juggle all the other tasks being dumped on you throughout the day.
No one is listening to new grads. And as soon as you kill a patient, they throw you under the bus. I’m sad to hear about your experience. However, I’m so proud of you for acknowledging your feelings, and standing up for yourself.
No such thing! If youre in a residency, you should be with a preceptor and theyre aupoosed to hawkeye and give constructive criticism and intercede when needed daily. The problem is alot of ppl are not qualifid to be precepting
I saw this coming! New grads always get all excited and full of cuteness until they finally get in it and see how emotionally, physically, and mentally draining it is.........as well as how toxic the whole profession is.
Yeah I avoided bedside for my 4 years of being a nurse because I already knew it wasn’t glamorous. I decided to try it out with reluctance after becoming an RN because I thought I would get eased into it…definitely had the same feelings come back
Thankful that I’m going into nursing a little older( I’m 32 and not even the oldest in my cohort) and already having one career under my belt. I learned a lot of lessons in my 20s about the consequences of overextending myself, learning how to say no, putting myself first, advocating for myself, being persistent in that advocation, protecting my health and well being and knowing that having a sense of dread when you pull into your works parking lot is in fact not normal and anyone who tells you that is not on your side. I can’t be guilt tripped into working OT because I’ve been there and ran myself into the ground before. Not doing it again. The stakes are so much higher in nursing. My passion is being of service to others but I definitely am not a door mat and I don’t have rose colored glasses on. I won’t feel like a failure if the time comes and it’s just not the right fit. I’m Goldilocks, gonna try another bowl til I get the right one for me lol
Girl!!!! This video is a blessing to me. I just graduated with my ASN, passed my nclex in 75 Q, and got a temp 6 month position at a psych hospital in Boston MA. I’m so glad I didn’t go for a residency program. I’ve never liked Meg surg. I’m passionate about psych and want to be an NP working in mental health eventually. AND YES THE PAY IS SO GOOD. Thank you so much for the relief❤ I wish you the absolute best!
I went to my fist interview as a new grad and they offered me 23 x Hr. 😂😂😂 I asked her like three times, I couldn’t believe it, I told them not 👎She was surprised, we need to stand up for ourselves, they take advantage of the new grad nurses. Good for you girl 👏👏
That’s it?!! 😂 I just enrolled to take my prerequisites for nursing, I only have a few left to complete. But I’m like you I refuse to take scraps!! All the sweat and tears, going to clinical, student loans, taking NCLEX etc.. for $23 no ma’am 😅
I’ve been a nurse 14 years, back in school for CRNA . My big regret is I never did that sooner. Bedside is horrible, the drama , cattiness, work load , rude entitled patient have made it a nightmare. It doesn’t get better. Good choice
Rude entitled patients? Look in the mirror. Patients aren’t there cause they wanna be there. Do your job instead of pissing and moaning or quit it’s that simple. Healthcare in this country needs a massive reform and it starts with #Trump2024
Nurses sure know how to sedate patients for good. I believe it. Have fun being a doctors servant and taking out job frustration into resident students like all nurses do. Useless bums.
@@jakem3494 you obviously don’t know what CRNA do , so defending my scope of practice would be like discours with a rock ( the rock might be smarter) . And talking about dumb; the very nurses you are disrespecting are the very ones that will hold your life in there hands … dude ,it’s not the doctor at your bedside … so be careful not to need to be in the hospital from this day forward
I retired after thirty years and I wish you the best! My first RN job they made me night shift supervisor immediately after graduation and it was nothing but trouble after that. There is a common saying that nurses eat their young and it's true. I have done my crying too. My last job gave me legit PTSD so bad that I am done. I hope that you new nurses are able to change this toxic culture.
I quit my RN residency program after 4 months it was also for telemetry. I was always interested in psych but thought I “HAD TO” get bedside experience first… anyways it was the BEST decision I made, I’m getting paid wayyyyy better and I don’t have an anxiety attack in the car before I go into work anymore!
O.R. Nurse here retired after 44 yrs. God Bless you for having the gumption to say "enough." I am glad you found your niche. Expectations are unrealistic for new grads. It's a tough business and gurl I cried a river over those 44 years. I think I would have liked psych but got locked in, my mistake. You followed your gut and didn't allow yourself to be gaslighted or manipulated. Take care of yourself and be happy. I am proud of you.
I have been a nurse for 26 years. It is always better to start on nights at least for a year. There are less meds less road trips and less doctors rounding. It allows you to just focus more on the patients and learn a routine and hone your skills. Also I still cry or get emotional when people die. When you stop caring it’s time to leave the bedside.
Night shift isn't for everyone, I can barely stay awake on night shift, and forget learning anything. I am an experienced nurse and I wanted to get into maternal child health, I successfully got a job in that area last year, but as soon as I switched from day orientation to my permanent night shift I just could barely function, and had ZERO desire to have the sleep all day and be exhausted all the time lifestyle for a job!! Not everyone can adjust to night shift, just keep that in mind!
Nurses are not and will never be sacrificial lambs for hospitals and/or patients. I’m sick of people belittling and overworking nurses. Prioritise yourselves. Proud of you for putting yourself first ❤️
I'm so glad to hear that I'm not the only one! I quit my first new grad job last month.They didn't have experienced people to train me and they put me with any one just so that I can finish my 8 weeks of orientation. They were rushing me to be on my own without learning enough. I was anxious, stressed out, couldn't sleep a night before my shift. It affected my health so quickly. I feel so much better now.
I´m also a new grad RN, and I wasn´t even asked how I felt about handling 6 patients. At sudden in the middle of the what so called orientation they handled me all 6 patients at night shift, and said , here is the phone, good luck!!! This is the model, training hospital of my area, I was shocked! I don´t blame new nurses or any nurse when they quit a position, because the training is terrible and the pressure is huge! Good luck to you, you´ll find something you like!
When I graduated in 2010 all the hospitals shut down new grad programs. You could only get jobs in the hospital if you knew someone. People moved to other states to get a job or worked retail with a RN license. So many of us got stuck in LTC, thinking that that was at least some experience that they would consider. But, once you worked on your license, you were not considered a new grad so not eligible once they opened up new grad programs, but also in a catch 22 because you didn't have acute care experience. It took me 3 years to finally land a hospital job through an agency. They told me "fake it till you make it, you'll be ok"..... I learned med/surge tele on the fly every day, 2 day oriented. And that was with an entry level masters in nursing degree........12 years later, I say take care of yourself 1st. These hospitals do not value our license, mental, or physical health.
Bingo! (2011 Grad here). Remember the "nursing shortage" from that era? Ha! And it's so idiotic that once you start a non-acute job you no longer qualify for a proper acute orientation. BUT they'll hire you. Oh yes they will. No thanks. I'm happy in residential.
I'm a former Hemodialysis RN based in NJ for 8 years & this is the principle I live by. There is no perfect career. Don't waste this one life being anxious about career choices. Your worth isn't based on your work.
What's your honest opinion on dialysis nursing. I'm thinking of a change bc I don't want to go back to the floor. Pcu, CCU stepdown and cs mgr exp 10 yrs here.
@@tashaw3636 Its worth trying it. It's not the usual bedside nursing, its very technical and routine. Cannulate the fistula, hook them on the machine, do yhe assesstment, give their epoegin, monitor their vitals every 30 mins and take off from the machine after treatment is done then another batch of patients comes after them. The only thing is the long shift typically opens at 445AM and last patient at 8PM to be taken off from the machine.
We had a senior nurse retire and during the party I told her how important she was to me as a mentor. Mind you, she had 30+ yrs experience, I have 20 years. Level 1 Trauma, teaching hospital, surgical/trauma ICU. I jokingly told her that she was going to miss work. She turned, gave me this deadpan look, shook her head and said, "this job gave me too much anxiety, I dreaded every day I had to work." That blew me away. Because I dread work, too. Now, once I'm on the unit it all disappears and I bebop through my shift. But, the best feeling is walking to my car on the last day of my shift. I stayed because the crew was fun. But, the crew changed and these new people were bitchy, backstabbing know it alls. So, I left.
I have been a Nurse for 9 years. To be honest for the past year I cut down to PRN. Working on my own terms is best for me. ❤️ Being stressed EVERYDAY is not normal! They can’t pay me enough! I love per-diem. Just to keep my license active…while I look for better.
My residency was on a med surg floor. I wanted the OR. My preceptor asked me to fill out the patient assessments without assessing the patients! when I told her I was uncomfortable doing that, she said I was insubordinate and stuck me in the corner. My teacher called me that night and said my preceptor complained about me. The next day I was in the OR! :)
I’m currently in a residency program for ICU and we had two classes then we were thrown on the floor. I was confused too with how a residency program worked because I felt like I was thrown to the wolfs even with a preceptor right when I started. I try to keep pushing through every shift but you’ve opened my eyes to know my feelings are valid and even psych may be an option for me. Mind you, the pay is even less than what the hospital payed you! I don’t feel comfortable being put out on the floor on my own and I’m already half way through my preceptorship. I know everything will work out, just have to have an open mind and remember we have the power to choose what’s best for us. Thank you for this! Wishing so much success sis!
I quit my New Grad Residency in June and I’M SO HAPPY I finally did it. It was wearing me down hard and having me question my degree. There’s a niche out there for every nurse, but my first experience was NOT IT. ❤
I also left my new grad position which was also a tele unit. The hospital is very reputable and I worked my butt off to get into it. I honestly thought it was my dream position and had ideas of retiring there, so I'm shocked at myself for leaving the program. It was so intense that once I spend the whole day without food, water, or a bathroom break. Other people including other new grads could work there just fine, but I had such a hard time. I feel like a failure and suddenly your video popped up on my front page. I don't feel so alone now :) I'm a Christian as well and believe that God has bigger plans for us. But it's still scary to be jobless and to not have income now. I'm looking towards outpatient nursing but dang, the one thing I'll miss is working 3 days a week.
I’ve been a nurse for 20 yrs. People hear about the money in nursing and jump into it without considering the amount of stress from school to on the job. Most of our new nurses left after a yr or even less.
Yep I left my unit as well after a year and a month. Very toxic crazy amount of pts. I’m talking 8-9 pts assigned. Definitely not worth it. I had a contract but I’m not paying them anything. Those contracts have to be illegal. I’ll be retaining a lawyer
This comment is narrow minded. Being a nurse is/ was a dream I worked hard for and now that I'm in it I'm having a hard time. It was never the money for me.
@@nickidrew5113 Try being an RN in Michigan it’s even worse ! Up to 40 patients, 24 hr shift Mandation, no breaks, no lunch and being treated less than a Roman Galley slave!! Nursing IS a toxic hellscape of mental fuckery !! I have nurses I knew commit suicide due to the unrelenting abuse, stress and anxiety.
I needed to hear this. I am on week 4 of my residency and hate it. I am having all the feelings you did. I sincerely thank you for this video; it made me feel so much better.
Omg the same thing happened to me. I went through 3 different hospitals before I was accepted as per diem in a psych unit. I was so lost, but thankfully I found an opening at psych. It’s been 2 years now, and I couldn’t be happier. I have my certification now and I’ve going for my PMH-NP now!
For those who are struggling to find their place in nursing, keep your chin up! I have been a nurse for 16 years, and started out as a new grad in the ER. I really liked it for my first year, but after that I got so burnt out from being overloaded with patients, the psych patients (not my thing, don't like psychiatric patients at all), and having really sick patients with no one covering my other 3-4 patients while I was tied up for 2. plus hours. Anywho, luckily I am also a paramedic, so after a year of full time nursing I switched back to full time EMS and per-diem nursing, which was a blessing. It allowed me to get some nursing experience and increase my yearly nursing pay based on experience, without having to do it full time. Eventually I left the ER and went to a vascular access nursing job per-diem, which I really liked, but I felt like I was "loosing my nursing skills". About a year and a half ago the EMS agency I worked for got bought out by another company, and it had quickly become a toxic awful place to work, and I felt like we were at high risk of loosing our 911 contracts. I decided that since I felt like I may be loosing all my nursing skills by doing vascular access nursing that I should try maternal child health, as I thought I would LOVE that area. Tried it for 5 months, and then I had to switch to permanent nights since that was the shift I was hired for, and I quickly realized that typical bedside nursing is not for me. I don't want to go in patient's rooms and assess them, or pass out medications, or even assess them, or deal with some of the family drama etc. I don't want to clean them up when they have accidents, or call the physician at 1am when they need something urgent, it's just not for me. I read a RUclips comment that said it best the other day, the author had said something to the effect of WHY DO I CARE IF I LOOSE NURSING SKILLS I HAVE NO DESIRE TO DO!. Anyway, I was BLESSED to have found an AWESOME NURSING JOB on a vascular access team about 3 months ago, it took me a while to figure it out, but vascular access nursing IS my niche. I am hoping to stay in this position for a long time. Bottom line, find something you really enjoy in nursing, and don't worry about "loosing nursing skills" because it does not matter if you don't want to do them!! Be patient, it took me 16 years to confirm my nursing niche... so it may take various jobs before you find your happy place, or you figure out that nursing just isn't for you at all.
This was a wonderful post. Thank you for this comment 🙏🏽 It's been 8 yrs for me at medsurg/tele and medsurg IMC with 3 yrs of travel. I hate EVERYTHING about my career. I'm always angry, sad, and unmotivated outside of work. But your comment gives me hope...
The honesty and vulnerability in this video is awesome. I only got thru my first year as an RN by sheer stubbornness. It was traumatic and had me doubting myself in ways I had never imagined. But I can say that having gone thru that experience has made me the nurse I am today and I look back at the time fondly.
Hello! I am new to your channel. I have a story as well. I am a new grad got hired into the tele department. My first month and a half I was given and passed on to different preceptors ( my original preceptor had covid and was out for a month and a half). Every preceptor was different so I always had to change my SBar, routine, and adjust to that preceptor! It was awful! My first week I was given no patients then next week I was given all four patient week after that I was given two….. no structure! I voiced my opinion with management and all they told me is that having different preceptors is good since I’m learning from different nurses -.-. Once my actual assign preceptor came back I was finally relieved! Finally structure! ( she was an educator as well) so I felt relief. Boy was I wrong! She expected so much from me and I kept telling her that I did not know the fundamentals like how do I know what to do! What needs to get done! How do I plan my day! Instead she ignored my questions and did the work for me instead of explaining it to me. I remember one day we were going to start a heparin drip so she handed me an IVP first dose of heparin to the patient so i tried to double check to make sure it was the right patient and she rushed me. Turns out it was the wrong patient, I almost cried. She threw me under the bus and told management that it was completely my fault. My last 3 weeks of my residency she told me she didn’t not know how to fix me so she requested a different preceptor for me……. I felt so incompetent, low self esteem, and embarrassed…. I felt like everything I was doing wasn’t enough for her or management. Every time I would have a meeting with management they would never have anything good to say. I tired my absolute best for them and yet it wasn’t enough. My father had a stroke during my last 2 weeks of my residency program (lucky my dad survived and he is doing fine). I took those 2 weeks off to look after my father after I came back to the floor I was assigned to a different preceptor and finally! She knew how to fix me! Sadly I did not have enough to during my residency to fix all my problems I had! After two weeks went by I was fired due to patient safety! I told them that this preceptor that was recently assigned was actually listening to me and was helping me! If they have me more time I felt like i would have been fine. Sorry long story but I wanted to share my experience.
Good for you! It's a wonderful thing that you realized early that you no longer wanted that job. I was heavily encouraged to stay as a staff RN even though it stressed me out so much. Management wanted me to dedicated my life to the unit and would guilt trip me so I would not go anywhere else. My manager would say things like "I did so much for you; I believed in you so much to give you this job. We trained you so why would you even think about leaving?" Eventually I came to fully understand my value to them, which is pretty much nothing. I left after 2 1/2 years to pick up travel nursing during Covid, best decision ever.
Been a bedside nurse a long time and it is still ALOT. It is one of the hardest jobs out there because the patient, the families and the hospital administration all take from your life energy. That guilt trip they put you on is par for the course from people that need to keep nurses in those difficult spots that are less desirable like tele. What makes it feel icky is that those same people could not and would not do the job they are trying to guilt you in to staying in.
Love this video! Rn started a residency at a HCA hospital in 2019, after 9 mos I peaced out because it was affecting every aspect of my life. Found a mon-thurs 9-5 clinic job in with more pay. The only thing now that I’m experiencing that I didn’t at the hospital is coworker & management toxicity 😣 hopefully one I day I find a job where the grass is truly green ❣️
Good for You Sis. They're so many nursing opportunities out there. I totally agree with your decision. At the end of the day we must do what's right for us. Good for You.
Your not alone I quit my first new grad residency after only 4-5 months in the ED. The whole work environment was toxic. Nurses were fake and backstabbing. The educators were not as helpful as they claim and made me feel incompetent. Anyone from Dallas pls stay away from the county hospital as a new grad🏥 IYKYK!!! However, started at a new hospital last month as a PACU nurse and it’s def night and day 💗💗
It’s so relieving to see videos like this. I’m in the same position. It’s been two months for me in orientation and it’s almost over and I’m ready to be out. It’s funny because I left psych after 6 months so I can get “real” hospital experience. Smh 🤦🏾♀️ now I’m in med surg with extreme anxiety and dread getting up in the morning. Probably going back to psych and will do a nursing home on the side.
The problem with these new grad residency programs is that they are not standardized and based on previous results to help the new grads learn new nursing skills and time management. there are only some guidelines but each hospital pretty much designs their own residency program. Learning nursing skills, time management , and navigation through critical thinking takes time NO EXCEPTION!! No nurse should ever be rushed into an independent patient assignment until they are comfortable with their skills. Academia knowledge from nursing school is different from what happens in the hospital. Nurses are given only the fundamentals in nursing schools, and they have to build on their knowledge and that is why it takes time to learn and become a great nurse. Nursing is so diverse and includes so many many different aspects of care and scenarios where it is absolutely crucial for the new nurse to be comfortable taking care of patients, otherwise patient safety can be gravely compromised. Nurses are considered professionals and are held to the highest standards of work ethics, yet healthcare corporations have no problem pushing these new nurses into taking patient assignments when they don't feel ready to safely do patient care causing them to be overwhelmed and in great despair, and what do they do ? They quit, and rightfully so. Nursing residency programs have to be designed to assure patient safety while helping these new grads learn how to manage time, think critically and do hands on nursing with close supervision of preceptors AND mentors. This cannot be rushed, it takes time, and I wonder how we the nurses can get this message over to the healthcare administration all across the US so they finally comprehend what we need. Healthcare is mainly service, but it is very much treated like a business and everything evolves around money. Of course hospitals want to make money and workers want to get paid, but not at the expense of cutting corners to undermine patient safety and destroy new nurses' motivation and eagerness to be a good and successful nurse!
Good for you! I just retired in 2020 just before Covid, my son became a nurse and encouraged to go to OR one patient at a time, clean area Ect.. I didn’t want him to go through what I’ve been through.
Congratulations on finding your place. Your insight will help many and it is extremely valuable. I quit my first career to be a labor and delivery nurse and ended up doing Oncology at the bedside in 2005. I did not like the place where I first worked as a new grad so I quit because of some older nurses who were bullies and thrived on the “eat their young” mentality and went to a different hospital and thrived. My career has taken many turns and I am now starting my 5th month as a new grad FNP at a primary care clinic and finding my way. Everyone ends if where they are supposed to be if they honor their thoughts and feelings. All the best to you!!!
SMART!...that's what you are. I wish you all the best moving forward and TWO THUMBS! up for all our healthcare workers and front-line workers, who gave their all 2020 during this ongoing pandemic. You guys are absolutely BRILLIANT! Thank you!
I started in an emergency department at a level I Trauma Hospital and had 9 days of orientation when they told me they were shirt staffed and I needed to take a regular assignment. Trial by fire!! That was 18 years ago...but I stayed and learned to be the best I could be. You will be just fine. Happy you found your nursing niche!!
I can really relate to what you are saying. I was a secretary and asked to help out one day when there was a shortage of techs. I was told to process specimens by what I thought the color and consistency was!!!! I said that I didn't feel comfortable doing this and was told to Get Comfortable!!! Unfortunately healthcare is not how it should be. The nurses are abused, overworked, and overwhelmed. They are taking care of sick patients and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. If you cannot or will not show some respect to the nurses then find another career. You made the decision that was best for you. Good luck and God bless you ❤️❤
As a new grad looking to quit my residency and bedside nursing in general, I've looking for these types of videos a lot. I'm probably just trying to justify what I know in my heart I need to do, but that's beside the point. The more I watch these videos, the more I realize that life outside of the regular bedside nursing is so much better and it's like the hospital people keep trying to brainwash us into thi king there is no other nursing out there or that's worse, or that you are not really a nurse if you don't give away a yar of your life to medsurg. I'm happy for you girl. Thanks for posting this
Very true. I got a nurse externship during nursing school and only lasted a month. When i quit, the manager made me feel so bad and guilty for leaving only a month in.
So you never get comfortable with death. You are human and the nurses who truly care it effects. Never jump into the first job. Make sure it’s something you are passionate about doing daily. Also remember you only have one license protect it at all costs. Every place you work for is a business they don’t care about you or your license that you worked hard to get. Congratulations on the new job. I love psych.
I am now retired, but I had a similar experience very early on in my career. One of my nursing instructors emphasized how important that first job was and how it would affect the type of nurse you would become. Her big thing was "don't follow the money". So, of course, I didn't listen and took a much higher paying job on what I thought was a regular med/surg unit, found out after I started that it was also the "jail" unit. I started my "new grad" program with great hope and naivete. It turned out to be a "nurses eat their young" atmosphere, no one smiled and they always seemed angry. I never saw my nurse manager, it was useless to ask for help because it wasn't available. You get the picture. After 1 month, I quit. I can recall the nurse manager telling me "what do you mean you're quitting, you just got here, you can't quit" I ended up taking a $4/hr cut in pay to go to another hospital where I had had many wonderful experiences during clinical rotations. It was the best decision of my career. I ended up staying at that same hospital for the entirety of my nursing career. Good for you for listening to your gut and doing what is best for YOU.
Thank you so much for sharing. You have no idea how meaningful it is to me and others going through the same thing. The miniscule pay is so demotivating and demeaning
I was a nurse for 20 plus years. I have done, bedside, home care, management, etc. I have now left the field. Unfortunately, nursing school doesn’t teach( you how to balance a complete assignment and what comes with it.It’s very hard to find a nurse preceptor you click with and design your plan and development around your needs, strengths, and wants. It takes about 2 years to develop your nursing . I feel for you
I was a bedside nurse for 6 years, and honestly, i did not feel okay till at least one year. I did precept 5 new grad nurses so I understand the feelings but it gets better!
I so appreciate you sharing about each person having their own place and that not every person needs to fit in where someone else does. Why do we do that to each other? I'm thinking that this psych unit is so blessed to have you, and I'm so thankful and relieved for you that you are enjoying it more. It was a testimony to me of you knowing what was not good for you, standing your ground despite what people may say or think and doing what you felt you needed to do. And the good that has come!
I quit after 7 months on a Neuro/tele. I thought I was a failure, but that job truly affecting my well-being. I knew it was toxic and manipulative the moment they said it's "normal" to cry and feel overwhelmed. Maybe they should figure out why that is? Burnout and mental health problems are one of the major problems in nursing. I don't think the newer generations of nurses tolerate this treatment. Healthcare systems can't run without nurses, so they better figure it out before it collapses 🤷. In the end it's never about the PTs, but the $$$ they get from them
🥺🥺🥺 I feel you. I’m also a new grad on a med surg floor and it’s so hard… I literally cried last Monday the whole shift because it was so hard. I didn’t even have time to really read my patients story. I had 6 patients. And we working short staff almost all the time… I’m on the edge of quitting too… I don’t think I can do bedside for long..I’m thinking about something else.. maybe a nursing home or something else.. seeing this video makes me feel so much better 🥺🥺 Any advice will be appreciated.
I feel you ! I quit my new grad nurse residency after 6 months recently! They took kept telling me the anxiety and crying was normal but i realized the fact my anxiety made me cry before shifts and made me realize it’s not normal to dread going in until the whole “ after 1 year “ it’ll get better is not soemthing i cared to go through ! The specialty and hospital was not for me . Changed to m/b postpartum and although it was a lot learning specialty experience was completely different! And my true calling . Plus the l&D hospital was very unstaff unsafe and a reason they made me sign a 3 year contract due to high turnovers my new residency and hospital came without having to sign a contract and much healthier learning process .
I’m not a nurse but I do work in a hospital, 24 years now. You all deserve so much more. I know pay varies state to state. I was shocked when you said you made $35/hr. Pharmacy Techs at area hospitals where I live is starting at $25/hr. I see the tension and frustration on a lot of nurses, overworked and underpaid, it’s so unfair to y’all. Congratulations and good luck at your new work place.
you made a good decision. I agree it's about you and your needs physically and mentally. Sometimes I am surprised how much these hospitals get away with in nurse residency programs--and what's more surprising is that people tolerate the abuse...
It’s crazy how everyone says it’s normal it’s not a cakewalk I feel like nurses are becoming emotionless 😐 I worked on med surg / general surgery and girl it’s ruff. It’s definitely not for everyone. Everyone should have a chance to shadow before picking a unit to work on. I hope you find your happy place soon. Don’t beat yourself up about it trust me you will find a place that makes your heart happy and not anxious
Dang, my friend is an RT and she used to make $20 an hour and now she’s a travel RT due to Covid and she’s making $130 an hour as a respiratory therapist and she doesn’t do anything but sit around and wait to be called
Girllll…I totally feel you! This is true stuff!!! I started as an LPN with home care experience and only skilled home care. I applied to the hospital where I had clinicals for my RN program. Thought I liked it during my clinicals, my favorite instructor worked it and I said let’s apply. Got in. Was getting paid $27/hr doing midnights with 7-8 patients on an ortho/plastics unit with snooty ass nurses that were super cliquey. Had major anxiety going into work and was not even loving nursing anymore like how I loved it before. I was unhappy, underpaid, not feeling it and I said after 5 months I am done. I cannot continue doing this any longer. The peace it has brought me is amazing. But, I did just apply to an ER job at a different hospital. We shall see how this goes! But good for you! I am proud of you. Stand up for what feels right!
Thanks for sharing. I am going to start nursing school soon , hopefully, if I get accepted. I have felt like you in home care aid jobs, and I’m glad you spoke up because it took me so long to speak up due to being scared that I would be seen as weak. Especially when people say “oh it’s normal” and act like it’s no big deal and dismiss your feelings & make you feel like you are wrong for having those emotions. You have helped me feel less alone.
What I get from these experiences is the hope that there is always so much more out there and that you can always always always pivot! Hats off to you for standing up for yourself and doing what’s best for you! I would LOVE to see a DITL/come to work with me at the psych hospital! I’m interested in psych nursing. Wishing you alllll the best!
I just got done doing a temp gig at a psych hospital. Its was great. My colleagues were so much more down to Earth and it was pure comedy and adrenaline.
I stumbled on your post and thank you for posting this. I’m 7 months into a full time residency and I’ve been thinking about quitting for a while now. I took a position I knew I didn’t want from the beginning just to get into this hospital and I knew right away it wasn’t for me. I asked management to let me train for a different unit but I’ve been told I can’t for over a year. I also work per Diem at a psych hospital as of the last 2 months and I’m considering quitting the residency and just staying in psych. It’s way more manageable and I don’t have the same anxiety going to work. Thank you for your post cuz I’ve been praying for god to help me know what I should do. 😢
Also my residency pays well. Most ppl I know in my area started at 51-53 per hour as new grads. With night differentials we make about 59. So it’s not about the pay. I make a less at the psych hospital but idk… I honestly don’t care. I don’t want to feel this way every week!
I have been a nurse for 15 years. I have felt the anxiety and shed the same tears as you and let me tell you it’s not normal! Once you start feeling that way it’s your sole telling you this is not for you…and that’s ok! I will never allow myself to feel that kind of anxiety again. There are sooo many things you can do as a nurse just keep looking and trying out different things until you find what you like! I do outpatient oncology (part time!)and most days love it but nothing is perfect. I will never go back to the floor…I will quit nursing all together first before I do! I have recently started school for esthetician which is my passion and will see where that takes me. Hope this helps! You did what was best for you and that will always be the right decision❤️. Best wishes to you.
I worked at a top 20 hospital on a cardiac stepdown unit. In addition to serving as charge (rotating) I had 10 patients at nights, and there were usually 2 codes/ night as the ICU liked to use us as their dumping ground. A horrific hospital, with horrific nurse managers, and scumbag hospital administrators. I quit 15 years ago, and would live on the streets before I would ever go back. It's just pathetic listening to the health care criminal ring continue to complain that we need to train more nurses, which working to grind the ones they have into the ground.
I quit my new grad residency last year and I’ve been traveling and getting paid almost 4x as much as I was at my hospital 🙌🏾 I’m in Corrections now and I love it. Very low stress.
OMG thank you so so much for this video. I was debating if I should apply for nursing school. I watched so much videos and I finally decided to not go through it. It made me a little sad but relief too. I'm just a bit too old for going through stresses. Thank you!
I can relate 100%. Feelings do get brushed off as its normal to feel that way. But when u see experienced nurse still feeling that way, thats a red flag. I'm still in my nurse new grad program. I am now off orientation and working on my own. The anxiety is definitely there and the excitement I had finally being able to do my dream job has gone out the window. Don't get me wrong. I still love nursing but the situation I'm in being a new nurse with a 6:1 ratio when my unit suppose to be at 4:1 is hell. Everything is rushed and overwhelming. I want to quit almost everyday for the sake of my mental and physical health. I pray everyday that it gets better. 😞
I graduate with my BSN in December and work on a tele floor as a PCA and they are trying to convince me to stay on that floor. I’ve always wanted to do L&D because I just love everything about it! Everyone tells me I might not be able to start out that way but I keep telling everyone that you can do anything that you want. It might me hard to get in but I am gonna get that position! I don’t want to be stuck on tele or med/surg for two years! Thanks for the extra motivation!🙌🏼
As someone who just had a baby I will beg you to please be attentive and patient with your patients. If they have PRN pain meds, offer to bring them on a schedule anyway, new moms can’t keep track of time. Talk to the patient before she starts pushing about her goals for birth. Is she gung-ho about a vaginal birth or is she ok with a c-section if things aren’t progressing? (I pushed for 3 hours because my nurse thought I’d be upset with a c-section…I was fine with a c-section!) There’s so much more…but my L&D nurses made or broke my “shift” each day and night based on how attentive and proactive they were. Please be that nurse for your vulnerable, emotional patients!
People told me the same thing when I said I wanted to go straight into the OR. But I was able to secure an interview and I used that interview to show the ways I’d done my research about that care area. I was lucky enough to get hired and after I felt I was ready to move on after a few years, I was hired in an ICU. It is simply not true that you have to work Med-Surg if you don’t want to.
Do not let that discourage you at all. I Also am a new grad and I remember as at February, March when my friends were getting jobs, I kept applying to the postpartum unit. I kept getting declined. Everyone told me you have to start medsurg and I’m like I don’t need that. I was so discouraged. I can tell you that now I have the job I wanted and the pay is better than all the positions my friend said to try.
I just started my nurse residency and it is a 2 year commitment. I'm praying I don't have to go through this and they're not just "all talk". I'm on a women's services med/surg floor. Everyone is nice now but we'll see after a month. So glad you stood up for yourself!
This is how I felt being a nurse for 7 years and going from TELE to ED. The feeling lasted a good 3-4 months, and now I'm still working in the ED it's been 8 months. At 6 months I was going to quit, but I just kept going. But you gotta do what is best for you. So be proud of your decision and I'm glad you're in a better mental environment. Tele is not for the faint forreal I do not know how I did it for 6+ years.
Thinking about quitting my residency program as well. I'm 9 months in. The anxiety, the inability to eat/pee when I want to is driving me insane. They rusb these patients out and immediately send more up when we arent even caught up on our other patients. I work on a kidney med surg unit but it feels like we do more than med-surg stuff at times. These patients are so critical, yet they want to give us 7-8 pts as the norm. So many times I'm overwhelmed and frustrated. I've been wanting to leave since I was in orientation but I didnt want to be a failure and I chose to stuck it out.
That’s right baby these people try to guilt you into staying some place you don’t wanna be. Congrats on the courage ❤️ it ain’t normal to be anxious to go to work.
Omg no but seriously!? Why are we lowkey anxious and all before going into work. Our bodies are literally rejecting the experience, but we are telling ourselves no…uhhhh?
I have been a nurse for many years. I think this is excellent advice. One thing I would tell nursing students is you don't have to go to Med/Surg and Tele these are not easy areas very complex patients and heavy patient/nursing ratios. I agree don't be afraid to leave those terrible areas. The contract information is very important don't get stuck and have to pay. One more thing is the manager is working the patient care areas for a reason they got tired of it too; check most of their work history and you will find only a few spent 2-3 years in nursing care areas. I pray you will be happy in the physiatric area.
I teach A&P and 90% of our students are future nurses and I think they are lured in by the idea of big money. I try to warn them that it's very hard, stressful, and nothing like they think it will be. When I see them in the hospital they are so broken down. 💔 I feel for you!
I don’t blame you sis I left my residency after a year and 8 months lol. I tried to transfer with the hospital I worked for but my manger blocked me . Then had the audacity to ask me why I turned in my resignation lol 😂. Now I work in a clinic less stressful and worth it .
I wish I found this video after graduating nursing school. I stumbled upon this video b/c I’m going through something very similar. I received my RN license in March this year and worked on an intercare/telemetry floor in a local hospital. It was not my first choice (as I wanted to specialize in a different patient population), but it was the “best” choice at the time for this specific hospital. I was miserable, and I knew I didn’t like this floor within the first 2 weeks of working. As time went on, I got more “comfortable” working there, but I still didn’t enjoy working there and dreading going to work every shift. The fire and passion for nursing that I had prior to nursing school started going out as months went on. I started losing a sense of who I was/who I wanted to be as a nurse. Ultimately, I ended up leaving the hospital and never finished residency program. Unfortunately, for many inpatient positions, they require you to have 1 year experience (i.e. I have to start my residency all over again). So yes, what everyone’s saying about settling is correct! Don’t do it! Even if that means you won’t find a job for 3 months! Sign the contract for a job you know you’ll love. Don’t settle!!
Girl don’t feel bad… I left a residency as well. These hospital employees only care about themselves and their “role”. They don’t have our best interest in heart.. I’m so glad that solidified it for you. I as an LPN was hired into the hospital setting on a medsurg/ oncology floor.. and really I just didn’t feel comfortable with everything.. when I left I felt like a failure.. but as stated.. I’m an LPN.. and if BSN RN’s dont feel comfortable.. then my gosh.. what about the LPN
Yeah I understand, I was an LPN for 3 years and never did bedside because I heard of the horror stories. I thought going into the residency with a BSN would be a smoother transition but I was wrong
I was a LPN on a med surg urology ward working nights back in 1990 did it for 3 years. Was hard but we did team nursing Lpns on the floor and Rn behind the desk doing all the paperwork besides nursing notes. Was stressful but manageable. Had about 10 to 15 patients at night. So much crazy shit happened but lucky for me no non dnr patient died on me in those three years, lol so felt pretty successful. Then I moved and started working on a med surg neuro/ortho floor on evenings. It was primary care. I had between 9 and 12 patients every evening. All very sick all in need for a lot of care. The stress was off the charts. I COULD NOT deliver the care those patients required. Patients suffered, mostly the neuro patients with fresh strokes that where basicly unresponsive. I worked as fast and as hard as I could, but no amount of effort could enable me to provide care to all those patients. I worked as hard as I could yet every night I went home feeling like crap because I knew my patients did not get the care they required even though I ran like a mad man for 8 hours strait. I went 2 times the 6 months I worked there and talked directly to the DON. LOL like he gave a crap. Just wanted to talk about how many patients he had 20 years prior to that. That was my last hospital job. Now I work home care. Pay sucks. Benefits don't exist even paid time off, sick days, holidays nothing. But i'm not stressed and my patients get good care. As I understand it, prior to covid anyway. Nurse to patient ratios are better then when I worked med surg. But med surg is such a tough job. All the glory and prestige goes to ICUs and ER but I can guarantee med surg is much harder and more stressful then either of those.
I have only been in my residency for 2 weeks and I am over it already. The unit has consistent 6 pt ratio but when I interviewed they said 4-5 and occasional 6! LIES!!! I told my preceptor that I am a flight risk and I am over it already!
Glad you left and you’re happy where you are. I had a contract and I left after a year and a month. Very toxic and that health system as a whole didn’t care much about their employees. I don’t plan on paying them a dime Chile. I’ll be getting a lawyer
It’s crazy because I never wanted to do Med surg I went in with the thought that okay, I can do this for a year then transfer over to labor and delivery where I wanted to be. They were so toxic they’ll block you from even trying to move on. You wouldn’t believe after I tried applying to a different unit, the next day they wrote me up for attendance. If you get written up you can’t transfer for another 6 mos. So I said okay watch this I’m leaving either way. Put in my two weeks notice and didn’t even work the entire two weeks ✌🏽
That’s crazy that they offered you a $10 an hr raise after only 1.5 years! Still, hospitals often don’t pay very well. The raises tend to be more generous in the hospital (and your testimony proves this), but jobs outside of the hospital tend to offer higher starting wages (in the case of your job as an LPN). I’m also a BSN prepared nurse, currently working in home health. I did skilled nursing for 3 years and psych for 8 months, home health pays $45 an hr, skilled nursing was $40-$43 an hr and the psych job tried to start me at $34 (I negotiated it up to $38) and other hospital jobs in different specialties have offered similar pay, because my skilled nursing experience isn’t considered applicable, so I’m basically a new grad in their eyes. 😓 It baffles me how hospitals try to low ball you on pay and they wonder why people are leaving. 🙄
I was all excited about being a new grad, but nothing prepared me for toxicity. I wish I was prepared to the level of toxicity that hit me hard, I had to bail out of my new grad RN program too.
I hated tele, 😭 same situation ended up on a floor I did not want to work on: I tried to push through, but it got worse and worse. Plus I didn’t have a proper preceptor
Nursing is very tough and not for the faint of heart ,very ,very stressful emotionally ,physically ,mentally. I have worked 5 twelve hours back to back shifts and I am drained .I have a lot of responsibilities and two kids in college . I have been a Nurse a long time and with the patient load ,working short ,working with combative patients that hit ,spit at you while you are giving them care \ med \tx .. it is not easy and unlike any other job you will have. It is also rewarding because you are helping people but at the end of the day who is helping you? I have been crying really easy from burnout \stress ...Good luck Nurses ...Take care of your health...
Nursing is not what people think it is. Hospital and Nursing Facility are very different worlds. More responsibility and stress not as much pay,or gratitude.Tele is very serious. I used to encourage now I say think about it Nursing is not the sisterhood it used to be.
CLARIFICATION‼️So a lot of people commenting are new to my channel and don’t know much about me or the situation so I’ll pin it here.
I have been a nurse since 2018 (started as an LPN) and never had any interest in bedside. I had experience in other areas of nursing before doing the residency (non bedside). My “new grad” residency was open to nurses without bedside experience so I thought I’d give it a try working for the peds unit(where my experience is in) but last minute they told me that there were no more openings, only in telemetry, so I took it.
After being there, I wasn’t willing to be overworked and underpaid as a floor nurse, in a specialty I didn’t originally want, when I made the same exact pay doing home care in a less stressful environment.
This experience happened in April. I have been working in a psych hospital since then with less stress and better pay than what the other hospital promised me in a year.
Good for you! I worked tele as an experienced nurse (had 2 years experience) ... it was hell. Made me leave bedside nursing. Been practicing over 20 years now. So you will be fine!
That's awesome 💕
Honestly I just quit my nursing residency bedside nursing job tooI put in my notice 2 weeks ago. I love medsurg and I will always love it but mehn!! This shit is toxic.. the same issues you mentioned in your video is exactly what I have been going through since the beginning of this year. Am going to do travel RN homehealth contracts… it’s Tripple the hospital pay and more flexible… no 12 hour shifts no weekends or holidays and l very flexible… only mileage.. I have so much respect for people who have done bedside nursing for long… God bless your heart ❤️
I’ve been a hospital RN, certified, charge, preceptor, 21 years experience barely making over $40 per hr . New grads start mid 20’s. Our annual raises are only 2%. Smh….
Did you find another job prior to leaving? I'm was also an LPN prior working agency. I just quit my hospital RN position & went back to agency. Would like to reapply for bedside but not sure how only 7 months on a step down unit will look to managers. My manger felt like I was doing great, but I didn't like being over worked for little pay. Plus they were always short so we got 5-7 pts on a regular basis. 3-4 was supposed to be the unit norm based on acuity.
Yes ma’am. I’ve been a nurse for 7 years. I cried everyday my first year of nursing. Left bedside after 2 years. Now I’m back as a travel nurse and back to crying often. I’m just doing per diem shifts after this assignment and finding something less stressful full time. LISTEN TO YOURSELF! Being stressed everyday is NOT NORMAL. IDGAF what anyone says. My mental health has taken an enormous hit. I don’t wish this on anyone. ❤❤❤
Good luck to u
As a CNA, it’s pretty difficult too.
Y’all scarin the life outta me, 1st semester of nursing as of yesterday😅😅😅😅
Preach !!! Went from med surg, oncology, ICU currently outpatient and still feel dead inside. Burnt out is an understatement.
Omg this was meant for me to see. I’m in the same boat. I did ED orientation for 2 months and cried each day and quit. I was so relieved when I quit. A week later I got a call for my dream job of L&D. I’m 3 months in and I hate it as well. It’s such a toxic environment too on my floor with nurses upset with short staffing and not wanting to train me since I have no experience. I just want to feel happy going to work to learn things. I know as a new nurse I have a lot to learn but I think I’m going to try an outpatient setting. I give all respect to bedside nurses. I haven’t even done 6 months total and I’m done.
I feel so bad quitting like me being a nurse is expected to work in the hospital. But I just can’t. I just feel like I keep making other people happy but myself.
I hate when they say “I know you can do it”, then when you ask for help nobody is there to help, everybody has an attitude because you’re interrupting them to ask questions.
I used to have panic attacks in my car before going into work. I had to journal so much in my car to convince myself to go in because I needed the money. I never cried, but just constantly felt like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders, had nightmares every night about codes, alarms ringing, etc. It was just impossible to do a good job, no matter how hard I tried.
I thought I was alone because everyone acts like they’re fine. We are NOT fine. I’m SOOOO glad that we are all speaking out now. I quit bedside and I am working from home as a nurse care manager for an insurance company. It’s bliss. Same salary, way less stress. Don’t give up, baby nurses. Look for the right fit for you.
Just started my new grad n this is me 😢😢
Quit my nurse residency after 6 months and became a clinic nurse for a year and a half. I don’t regret that decision as it was what was best for my mental health. I actually love being in clinic vs being at the bedside. The beauty of nursing is that there are many fields and environments to work in.
Can you explain what you do in the clinic setting? How's the training? I'm a new grad and got approached for a clinic job. Please let me know. Thank you.
@@jakenyajones7268 i worked at a testosterone replacement therapy clinic. It was a small practice so I worked 2 days with the NP and 3 days with an MA assisting me. I had to know how and actually do a lot of things. I was both clinical and office staff because our practice was so small. To work in a clinic, especially a small one, you need to be VERY comfortable with the skills required. I did IV hydration, phlebotomy, injections (IM and subcu) daily. Of course, know how to do a manual bp and not just the machine. Things like that. It was a good learning/growing opportunity for me that led me to what I’m currently doing now, medical school. Good luck, you got this!
Did you do a 2 week notice? Wondering cause I’m ready to leave mine!
Clinic life is the best! Normal hours, I only work 3 hours every 6th Saturday. Other than that- no weekends, no holidays. I’m paid far less than I was at the hospital. But I’m not considering ☠️, so that’s a huge plus! I have tons of PTO built up because I can handle going to work everyday, at normal hours! Dealing with mainly healthy patients, dealing with the flu etc. is a breath of fresh air compared to being a code responder at the hospital. I can’t stress how much better this life is!!
My biggest tip for the new nurses is always check on your patients. Regardless of the chart, regardless of the order, regardless of the patients wants. Make sure your laying your eyes on your patients every 1 hour to every 1 1/2 hours and trust your gut.
Great tip! Thank you
so very true!! the thing i hate about nursing is charting & also reading the chart! I always describe nursing as imagine taking care of a busy toddler who is getting into everything but imagine they are sick but you also are trying to read a book - remember everything you read & now you have to chart everything you did - plus more. It’s a lot!
The one thing I do diligently is round on my patients - stopped falls, found patients who got out of restraints - stopped pts from removing LDAs, most of all found if my patient was responsive or not, VSS weren’t stable (I was able to intervene before they coded)
I truly agree to this. Patients can turn within the blink of an eye.
Yeah that’s cool in the daytime but at night if they’re stable I’m not going in their room every hour. Transfusions hourly antibiotics and psych pts and having 8-9 pts there’s absolutely no way I’m going in everyone’s room every hour
That would make sense if the ratios actually allowed for it. It’s logistically impossible to check on 8 pts every hour on the hour, and still juggle all the other tasks being dumped on you throughout the day.
No one is listening to new grads. And as soon as you kill a patient, they throw you under the bus. I’m sad to hear about your experience. However, I’m so proud of you for acknowledging your feelings, and standing up for yourself.
Thank you!
Yep, they’ll use you as a scapegoat for everything that goes south with your patients.
@@richardlegislador853 typically that is because ones lack of experience is the cause.
No such thing! If youre in a residency, you should be with a preceptor and theyre aupoosed to hawkeye and give constructive criticism and intercede when needed daily. The problem is alot of ppl are not qualifid to be precepting
Similar thing happened to me and I was thrown under the bus as well ...
I saw this coming! New grads always get all excited and full of cuteness until they finally get in it and see how emotionally, physically, and mentally draining it is.........as well as how toxic the whole profession is.
Yeah I avoided bedside for my 4 years of being a nurse because I already knew it wasn’t glamorous. I decided to try it out with reluctance after becoming an RN because I thought I would get eased into it…definitely had the same feelings come back
You avoided bedside as a new grad. You understand the whole nursing and healthcare is based on bedside. Anything after that is secondary.
100%. If you don't have to be there, get out while young
Yup
So true. I am a new new, it is so toxic and stressful!
Thankful that I’m going into nursing a little older( I’m 32 and not even the oldest in my cohort) and already having one career under my belt. I learned a lot of lessons in my 20s about the consequences of overextending myself, learning how to say no, putting myself first, advocating for myself, being persistent in that advocation, protecting my health and well being and knowing that having a sense of dread when you pull into your works parking lot is in fact not normal and anyone who tells you that is not on your side. I can’t be guilt tripped into working OT because I’ve been there and ran myself into the ground before. Not doing it again. The stakes are so much higher in nursing. My passion is being of service to others but I definitely am not a door mat and I don’t have rose colored glasses on. I won’t feel like a failure if the time comes and it’s just not the right fit. I’m Goldilocks, gonna try another bowl til I get the right one for me lol
Girl!!!! This video is a blessing to me. I just graduated with my ASN, passed my nclex in 75 Q, and got a temp 6 month position at a psych hospital in Boston MA. I’m so glad I didn’t go for a residency program. I’ve never liked Meg surg. I’m passionate about psych and want to be an NP working in mental health eventually. AND YES THE PAY IS SO GOOD. Thank you so much for the relief❤ I wish you the absolute best!
girl btw you're so pretty
What’s the pay like in Boston? I know Boston always pays more but it’s a pain to commute there
You go girl. Am in psych too and enjoying it
I just started an RN new grad residency position in a psychiatric hospital. I also have the long term goal of being a psych NP. Good luck to you!
@@squish1267 thank you! I’m actually working med surg rn 😂 funny how things work but I’m looking to get back into psych I miss it
I went to my fist interview as a new grad and they offered me 23 x Hr. 😂😂😂 I asked her like three times, I couldn’t believe it, I told them not 👎She was surprised, we need to stand up for ourselves, they take advantage of the new grad nurses. Good for you girl 👏👏
That’s it?!! 😂 I just enrolled to take my prerequisites for nursing, I only have a few left to complete. But I’m like you I refuse to take scraps!! All the sweat and tears, going to clinical, student loans, taking NCLEX etc.. for $23 no ma’am 😅
Hell no you can make more than that being a Panda Express manager lol. These hospitals are trippin
That's decent CNA pay 🤑
@@111coolonethis also depends on the state
I make $35+/HR as a CNA currently fyi
I’ve been a nurse 14 years, back in school for CRNA . My big regret is I never did that sooner. Bedside is horrible, the drama , cattiness, work load , rude entitled patient have made it a nightmare. It doesn’t get better. Good choice
Rude entitled patients? Look in the mirror. Patients aren’t there cause they wanna be there. Do your job instead of pissing and moaning or quit it’s that simple. Healthcare in this country needs a massive reform and it starts with #Trump2024
@@jakem3494 phew! I’m almost done with my DNP ! At least my pts will be sedated! Glad I won’t be around to be your nurse ! Gotta love Amerikkka
Nurses sure know how to sedate patients for good. I believe it. Have fun being a doctors servant and taking out job frustration into resident students like all nurses do. Useless bums.
@@jakem3494 you obviously don’t know what CRNA do , so defending my scope of practice would be like discours with a rock ( the rock might be smarter) . And talking about dumb; the very nurses you are disrespecting are the very ones that will hold your life in there hands … dude ,it’s not the doctor at your bedside … so be careful not to need to be in the hospital from this day forward
How is CRNA school? Do you have to do a dissertation?
I retired after thirty years and I wish you the best! My first RN job they made me night shift supervisor immediately after graduation and it was nothing but trouble after that. There is a common saying that nurses eat their young and it's true. I have done my crying too. My last job gave me legit PTSD so bad that I am done. I hope that you new nurses are able to change this toxic culture.
Amen. Yes, eating their young
I quit my RN residency program after 4 months it was also for telemetry. I was always interested in psych but thought I “HAD TO” get bedside experience first… anyways it was the BEST decision I made, I’m getting paid wayyyyy better and I don’t have an anxiety attack in the car before I go into work anymore!
So you’re a psych nurse now??
O.R. Nurse here retired after 44 yrs. God Bless you for having the gumption to say "enough." I am glad you found your niche. Expectations are unrealistic for new grads. It's a tough business and gurl I cried a river over those 44 years. I think I would have liked psych but got locked in, my mistake. You followed your gut and didn't allow yourself to be gaslighted or manipulated. Take care of yourself and be happy. I am proud of you.
Hi! New grad OR nurse here! Any words of advice?
I have been a nurse for 26 years. It is always better to start on nights at least for a year. There are less meds less road trips and less doctors rounding. It allows you to just focus more on the patients and learn a routine and hone your skills. Also I still cry or get emotional when people die. When you stop caring it’s time to leave the bedside.
Now hospital residences are hiring for rotating shifts meaning one month on day shifts and VV
I might try nights because days are very busy
Night shift isn't for everyone, I can barely stay awake on night shift, and forget learning anything. I am an experienced nurse and I wanted to get into maternal child health, I successfully got a job in that area last year, but as soon as I switched from day orientation to my permanent night shift I just could barely function, and had ZERO desire to have the sleep all day and be exhausted all the time lifestyle for a job!! Not everyone can adjust to night shift, just keep that in mind!
Nurses are not and will never be sacrificial lambs for hospitals and/or patients. I’m sick of people belittling and overworking nurses. Prioritise yourselves. Proud of you for putting yourself first ❤️
I'm so glad to hear that I'm not the only one! I quit my first new grad job last month.They didn't have experienced people to train me and they put me with any one just so that I can finish my 8 weeks of orientation. They were rushing me to be on my own without learning enough. I was anxious, stressed out, couldn't sleep a night before my shift. It affected my health so quickly. I feel so much better now.
I´m also a new grad RN, and I wasn´t even asked how I felt about handling 6 patients. At sudden in the middle of the what so called orientation they handled me all 6 patients at night shift, and said , here is the phone, good luck!!! This is the model, training hospital of my area, I was shocked! I don´t blame new nurses or any nurse when they quit a position, because the training is terrible and the pressure is huge! Good luck to you, you´ll find something you like!
Lol try having 8-9 pts🤣
When I graduated in 2010 all the hospitals shut down new grad programs. You could only get jobs in the hospital if you knew someone. People moved to other states to get a job or worked retail with a RN license. So many of us got stuck in LTC, thinking that that was at least some experience that they would consider. But, once you worked on your license, you were not considered a new grad so not eligible once they opened up new grad programs, but also in a catch 22 because you didn't have acute care experience. It took me 3 years to finally land a hospital job through an agency. They told me "fake it till you make it, you'll be ok"..... I learned med/surge tele on the fly every day, 2 day oriented. And that was with an entry level masters in nursing degree........12 years later, I say take care of yourself 1st. These hospitals do not value our license, mental, or physical health.
Girl…it’s sickening…confidence is a major part of your nursing tool kit
Bingo! (2011 Grad here). Remember the "nursing shortage" from that era? Ha! And it's so idiotic that once you start a non-acute job you no longer qualify for a proper acute orientation. BUT they'll hire you. Oh yes they will. No thanks. I'm happy in residential.
wonder did they do the same to the doctor tho
Thank you for sharing, that information was helpful to this new grad.
I'm a former Hemodialysis RN based in NJ for 8 years & this is the principle I live by. There is no perfect career. Don't waste this one life being anxious about career choices. Your worth isn't based on your work.
What's your honest opinion on dialysis nursing. I'm thinking of a change bc I don't want to go back to the floor. Pcu, CCU stepdown and cs mgr exp 10 yrs here.
@@tashaw3636 Its worth trying it. It's not the usual bedside nursing, its very technical and routine. Cannulate the fistula, hook them on the machine, do yhe assesstment, give their epoegin, monitor their vitals every 30 mins and take off from the machine after treatment is done then another batch of patients comes after them. The only thing is the long shift typically opens at 445AM and last patient at 8PM to be taken off from the machine.
We had a senior nurse retire and during the party I told her how important she was to me as a mentor. Mind you, she had 30+ yrs experience, I have 20 years. Level 1 Trauma, teaching hospital, surgical/trauma ICU. I jokingly told her that she was going to miss work. She turned, gave me this deadpan look, shook her head and said, "this job gave me too much anxiety, I dreaded every day I had to work." That blew me away. Because I dread work, too. Now, once I'm on the unit it all disappears and I bebop through my shift. But, the best feeling is walking to my car on the last day of my shift. I stayed because the crew was fun. But, the crew changed and these new people were bitchy, backstabbing know it alls. So, I left.
whats great about nursing you can bop around to many positions
I have been a Nurse for 9 years. To be honest for the past year I cut down to PRN. Working on my own terms is best for me. ❤️ Being stressed EVERYDAY is not normal! They can’t pay me enough! I love per-diem. Just to keep my license active…while I look for better.
My residency was on a med surg floor. I wanted the OR. My preceptor asked me to fill out the patient assessments without assessing the patients! when I told her I was uncomfortable doing that, she said I was insubordinate and stuck me in the corner. My teacher called me that night and said my preceptor complained about me. The next day I was in the OR! :)
I’m currently in a residency program for ICU and we had two classes then we were thrown on the floor. I was confused too with how a residency program worked because I felt like I was thrown to the wolfs even with a preceptor right when I started. I try to keep pushing through every shift but you’ve opened my eyes to know my feelings are valid and even psych may be an option for me. Mind you, the pay is even less than what the hospital payed you! I don’t feel comfortable being put out on the floor on my own and I’m already half way through my preceptorship. I know everything will work out, just have to have an open mind and remember we have the power to choose what’s best for us. Thank you for this! Wishing so much success sis!
I quit my New Grad Residency in June and I’M SO HAPPY I finally did it. It was wearing me down hard and having me question my degree. There’s a niche out there for every nurse, but my first experience was NOT IT. ❤
I also left my new grad position which was also a tele unit. The hospital is very reputable and I worked my butt off to get into it. I honestly thought it was my dream position and had ideas of retiring there, so I'm shocked at myself for leaving the program. It was so intense that once I spend the whole day without food, water, or a bathroom break. Other people including other new grads could work there just fine, but I had such a hard time.
I feel like a failure and suddenly your video popped up on my front page. I don't feel so alone now :) I'm a Christian as well and believe that God has bigger plans for us. But it's still scary to be jobless and to not have income now. I'm looking towards outpatient nursing but dang, the one thing I'll miss is working 3 days a week.
We’re the same.
I’ve been a nurse for 20 yrs. People hear about the money in nursing and jump into it without considering the amount of stress from school to on the job. Most of our new nurses left after a yr or even less.
I’m seeing a lot of single moms become nurses. How many stay on for the sake of their kid?
Yep I left my unit as well after a year and a month. Very toxic crazy amount of pts. I’m talking 8-9 pts assigned. Definitely not worth it. I had a contract but I’m not paying them anything. Those contracts have to be illegal. I’ll be retaining a lawyer
This comment is narrow minded. Being a nurse is/ was a dream I worked hard for and now that I'm in it I'm having a hard time. It was never the money for me.
@@nickidrew5113 Try being an RN in Michigan it’s even worse ! Up to 40 patients, 24 hr shift Mandation, no breaks, no lunch and being treated less than a Roman Galley slave!!
Nursing IS a toxic hellscape of mental fuckery !! I have nurses I knew commit suicide due to the unrelenting abuse, stress and anxiety.
My eyes got so wide when you said psych!! Woohoo 👏 👏👏👏 I moved from bedside to psych and I never looked back. Happy for you ❤
I needed to hear this. I am on week 4 of my residency and hate it. I am having all the feelings you did. I sincerely thank you for this video; it made me feel so much better.
I feel the same way right now 😢
I feel the same way too, it’s so hard😭
@@belindaaddo9162
Same here I’m a month it and I don’t like it. I want to leave
Omg the same thing happened to me. I went through 3 different hospitals before I was accepted as per diem in a psych unit. I was so lost, but thankfully I found an opening at psych. It’s been 2 years now, and I couldn’t be happier. I have my certification now and I’ve going for my PMH-NP now!
As a PMHNP for two years with my own clinic in three states, I wish you nothing but the best!
@@just_shaeee Thank you!! That means a lot!!
@@just_shaeeewow
For those who are struggling to find their place in nursing, keep your chin up! I have been a nurse for 16 years, and started out as a new grad in the ER. I really liked it for my first year, but after that I got so burnt out from being overloaded with patients, the psych patients (not my thing, don't like psychiatric patients at all), and having really sick patients with no one covering my other 3-4 patients while I was tied up for 2. plus hours. Anywho, luckily I am also a paramedic, so after a year of full time nursing I switched back to full time EMS and per-diem nursing, which was a blessing. It allowed me to get some nursing experience and increase my yearly nursing pay based on experience, without having to do it full time. Eventually I left the ER and went to a vascular access nursing job per-diem, which I really liked, but I felt like I was "loosing my nursing skills". About a year and a half ago the EMS agency I worked for got bought out by another company, and it had quickly become a toxic awful place to work, and I felt like we were at high risk of loosing our 911 contracts. I decided that since I felt like I may be loosing all my nursing skills by doing vascular access nursing that I should try maternal child health, as I thought I would LOVE that area. Tried it for 5 months, and then I had to switch to permanent nights since that was the shift I was hired for, and I quickly realized that typical bedside nursing is not for me. I don't want to go in patient's rooms and assess them, or pass out medications, or even assess them, or deal with some of the family drama etc. I don't want to clean them up when they have accidents, or call the physician at 1am when they need something urgent, it's just not for me. I read a RUclips comment that said it best the other day, the author had said something to the effect of WHY DO I CARE IF I LOOSE NURSING SKILLS I HAVE NO DESIRE TO DO!. Anyway, I was BLESSED to have found an AWESOME NURSING JOB on a vascular access team about 3 months ago, it took me a while to figure it out, but vascular access nursing IS my niche. I am hoping to stay in this position for a long time. Bottom line, find something you really enjoy in nursing, and don't worry about "loosing nursing skills" because it does not matter if you don't want to do them!! Be patient, it took me 16 years to confirm my nursing niche... so it may take various jobs before you find your happy place, or you figure out that nursing just isn't for you at all.
This was a wonderful post. Thank you for this comment 🙏🏽
It's been 8 yrs for me at medsurg/tele and medsurg IMC with 3 yrs of travel. I hate EVERYTHING about my career. I'm always angry, sad, and unmotivated outside of work.
But your comment gives me hope...
The honesty and vulnerability in this video is awesome. I only got thru my first year as an RN by sheer stubbornness. It was traumatic and had me doubting myself in ways I had never imagined. But I can say that having gone thru that experience has made me the nurse I am today and I look back at the time fondly.
Hello! I am new to your channel. I have a story as well.
I am a new grad got hired into the tele department. My first month and a half I was given and passed on to different preceptors ( my original preceptor had covid and was out for a month and a half). Every preceptor was different so I always had to change my SBar, routine, and adjust to that preceptor! It was awful! My first week I was given no patients then next week I was given all four patient week after that I was given two….. no structure! I voiced my opinion with management and all they told me is that having different preceptors is good since I’m learning from different nurses -.-.
Once my actual assign preceptor came back I was finally relieved! Finally structure! ( she was an educator as well) so I felt relief. Boy was I wrong! She expected so much from me and I kept telling her that I did not know the fundamentals like how do I know what to do! What needs to get done! How do I plan my day! Instead she ignored my questions and did the work for me instead of explaining it to me.
I remember one day we were going to start a heparin drip so she handed me an IVP first dose of heparin to the patient so i tried to double check to make sure it was the right patient and she rushed me. Turns out it was the wrong patient, I almost cried. She threw me under the bus and told management that it was completely my fault.
My last 3 weeks of my residency she told me she didn’t not know how to fix me so she requested a different preceptor for me……. I felt so incompetent, low self esteem, and embarrassed…. I felt like everything I was doing wasn’t enough for her or management. Every time I would have a meeting with management they would never have anything good to say. I tired my absolute best for them and yet it wasn’t enough. My father had a stroke during my last 2 weeks of my residency program (lucky my dad survived and he is doing fine).
I took those 2 weeks off to look after my father after I came back to the floor I was assigned to a different preceptor and finally! She knew how to fix me! Sadly I did not have enough to during my residency to fix all my problems I had! After two weeks went by I was fired due to patient safety! I told them that this preceptor that was recently assigned was actually listening to me and was helping me! If they have me more time I felt like i would have been fine.
Sorry long story but I wanted to share my experience.
Sorry you went through that, are you with another hospital now?
@@godsaveyourpeope no not yet I’ve been applying to other new grad programs at the moment but so far no replies yet I’m crossing my fingers.
Good for you! It's a wonderful thing that you realized early that you no longer wanted that job. I was heavily encouraged to stay as a staff RN even though it stressed me out so much. Management wanted me to dedicated my life to the unit and would guilt trip me so I would not go anywhere else. My manager would say things like "I did so much for you; I believed in you so much to give you this job. We trained you so why would you even think about leaving?" Eventually I came to fully understand my value to them, which is pretty much nothing. I left after 2 1/2 years to pick up travel nursing during Covid, best decision ever.
Wow it’s crazy that they guilt tripped you. Glad that you finally left
Been a bedside nurse a long time and it is still ALOT. It is one of the hardest jobs out there because the patient, the families and the hospital administration all take from your life energy. That guilt trip they put you on is par for the course from people that need to keep nurses in those difficult spots that are less desirable like tele. What makes it feel icky is that those same people could not and would not do the job they are trying to guilt you in to staying in.
Love this video! Rn started a residency at a HCA hospital in 2019, after 9 mos I peaced out because it was affecting every aspect of my life. Found a mon-thurs 9-5 clinic job in with more pay. The only thing now that I’m experiencing that I didn’t at the hospital is coworker & management toxicity 😣 hopefully one I day I find a job where the grass is truly green ❣️
Very toxic place to work…from the top down
Good for You Sis. They're so many nursing opportunities out there. I totally agree with your decision. At the end of the day we must do what's right for us. Good for You.
Your not alone I quit my first new grad residency after only 4-5 months in the ED. The whole work environment was toxic. Nurses were fake and backstabbing. The educators were not as helpful as they claim and made me feel incompetent. Anyone from Dallas pls stay away from the county hospital as a new grad🏥 IYKYK!!! However, started at a new hospital last month as a PACU nurse and it’s def night and day 💗💗
Are you talking about parkland? I have a clinical rotation there and I heard stories 🥲
It’s so relieving to see videos like this. I’m in the same position. It’s been two months for me in orientation and it’s almost over and I’m ready to be out. It’s funny because I left psych after 6 months so I can get “real” hospital experience. Smh 🤦🏾♀️ now I’m in med surg with extreme anxiety and dread getting up in the morning. Probably going back to psych and will do a nursing home on the side.
good for you. The hospital was the most toxic environment I was in. It is not for every personality.
The problem with these new grad residency programs is that they are not standardized and based on previous results to help the new grads learn new nursing skills and time management. there are only some guidelines but each hospital pretty much designs their own residency program. Learning nursing skills, time management , and navigation through critical thinking takes time NO EXCEPTION!! No nurse should ever be rushed into an independent patient assignment until they are comfortable with their skills. Academia knowledge from nursing school is different from what happens in the hospital. Nurses are given only the fundamentals in nursing schools, and they have to build on their knowledge and that is why it takes time to learn and become a great nurse. Nursing is so diverse and includes so many many different aspects of care and scenarios where it is absolutely crucial for the new nurse to be comfortable taking care of patients, otherwise patient safety can be gravely compromised. Nurses are considered professionals and are held to the highest standards of work ethics, yet healthcare corporations have no problem pushing these new nurses into taking patient assignments when they don't feel ready to safely do patient care causing them to be overwhelmed and in great despair, and what do they do ? They quit, and rightfully so. Nursing residency programs have to be designed to assure patient safety while helping these new grads learn how to manage time, think critically and do hands on nursing with close supervision of preceptors AND mentors. This cannot be rushed, it takes time, and I wonder how we the nurses can get this message over to the healthcare administration all across the US so they finally comprehend what we need. Healthcare is mainly service, but it is very much treated like a business and everything evolves around money. Of course hospitals want to make money and workers want to get paid, but not at the expense of cutting corners to undermine patient safety and destroy new nurses' motivation and eagerness to be a good and successful nurse!
Allll of this! I quit a residency program myself. Feeling the need to quit made me feel like a failure. But in reality, the whole system sucks!
🎯
So much of the time we are set up to fail..
This is the perfect comment to sum it all up!
Good for you! I just retired in 2020 just before Covid, my son became a nurse and encouraged to go to OR one patient at a time, clean area Ect.. I didn’t want him to go through what I’ve been through.
Congratulations on finding your place. Your insight will help many and it is extremely valuable. I quit my first career to be a labor and delivery nurse and ended up doing Oncology at the bedside in 2005. I did not like the place where I first worked as a new grad so I quit because of some older nurses who were bullies and thrived on the “eat their young” mentality and went to a different hospital and thrived. My career has taken many turns and I am now starting my 5th month as a new grad FNP at a primary care clinic and finding my way. Everyone ends if where they are supposed to be if they honor their thoughts and feelings. All the best to you!!!
SMART!...that's what you are. I wish you all the best moving forward and TWO THUMBS! up for all our healthcare workers and front-line workers, who gave their all 2020 during this ongoing pandemic. You guys are absolutely BRILLIANT! Thank you!
I started in an emergency department at a level I Trauma Hospital and had 9 days of orientation when they told me they were shirt staffed and I needed to take a regular assignment. Trial by fire!! That was 18 years ago...but I stayed and learned to be the best I could be. You will be just fine. Happy you found your nursing niche!!
I can really relate to what you are saying. I was a secretary and asked to help out one day when there was a shortage of techs. I was told to process specimens by what I thought the color and consistency was!!!! I said that I didn't feel comfortable doing this and was told to Get Comfortable!!! Unfortunately healthcare is not how it should be. The nurses are abused, overworked, and overwhelmed. They are taking care of sick patients and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. If you cannot or will not show some respect to the nurses then find another career. You made the decision that was best for you. Good luck and God bless you ❤️❤
As a new grad looking to quit my residency and bedside nursing in general, I've looking for these types of videos a lot. I'm probably just trying to justify what I know in my heart I need to do, but that's beside the point. The more I watch these videos, the more I realize that life outside of the regular bedside nursing is so much better and it's like the hospital people keep trying to brainwash us into thi king there is no other nursing out there or that's worse, or that you are not really a nurse if you don't give away a yar of your life to medsurg. I'm happy for you girl. Thanks for posting this
There is something wrong with an industry that makes people experience this. They always want to guilt you for sticking up for yourself
Very true. I got a nurse externship during nursing school and only lasted a month. When i quit, the manager made me feel so bad and guilty for leaving only a month in.
@@janeth3187 Yep, that’s what they do, abusive and toxic!
So you never get comfortable with death. You are human and the nurses who truly care it effects. Never jump into the first job. Make sure it’s something you are passionate about doing daily. Also remember you only have one license protect it at all costs. Every place you work for is a business they don’t care about you or your license that you worked hard to get. Congratulations on the new job. I love psych.
I am now retired, but I had a similar experience very early on in my career. One of my nursing instructors emphasized how important that first job was and how it would affect the type of nurse you would become. Her big thing was "don't follow the money". So, of course, I didn't listen and took a much higher paying job on what I thought was a regular med/surg unit, found out after I started that it was also the "jail" unit. I started my "new grad" program with great hope and naivete. It turned out to be a "nurses eat their young" atmosphere, no one smiled and they always seemed angry. I never saw my nurse manager, it was useless to ask for help because it wasn't available. You get the picture. After 1 month, I quit. I can recall the nurse manager telling me "what do you mean you're quitting, you just got here, you can't quit" I ended up taking a $4/hr cut in pay to go to another hospital where I had had many wonderful experiences during clinical rotations. It was the best decision of my career. I ended up staying at that same hospital for the entirety of my nursing career. Good for you for listening to your gut and doing what is best for YOU.
Thank you so much for sharing. You have no idea how meaningful it is to me and others going through the same thing. The miniscule pay is so demotivating and demeaning
I was a nurse for 20 plus years. I have done, bedside, home care, management, etc. I have now left the field. Unfortunately, nursing school doesn’t teach( you how to balance a complete assignment and what comes with it.It’s very hard to find a nurse preceptor you click with and design your plan and development around your needs, strengths, and wants. It takes about 2 years to develop your nursing . I feel for you
What you do now
I was a bedside nurse for 6 years, and honestly, i did not feel okay till at least one year. I did precept 5 new grad nurses so I understand the feelings but it gets better!
I so appreciate you sharing about each person having their own place and that not every person needs to fit in where someone else does. Why do we do that to each other? I'm thinking that this psych unit is so blessed to have you, and I'm so thankful and relieved for you that you are enjoying it more. It was a testimony to me of you knowing what was not good for you, standing your ground despite what people may say or think and doing what you felt you needed to do. And the good that has come!
I quit after 7 months on a Neuro/tele. I thought I was a failure, but that job truly affecting my well-being. I knew it was toxic and manipulative the moment they said it's "normal" to cry and feel overwhelmed. Maybe they should figure out why that is? Burnout and mental health problems are one of the major problems in nursing. I don't think the newer generations of nurses tolerate this treatment. Healthcare systems can't run without nurses, so they better figure it out before it collapses 🤷. In the end it's never about the PTs, but the $$$ they get from them
🥺🥺🥺 I feel you. I’m also a new grad on a med surg floor and it’s so hard… I literally cried last Monday the whole shift because it was so hard. I didn’t even have time to really read my patients story. I had 6 patients. And we working short staff almost all the time… I’m on the edge of quitting too… I don’t think I can do bedside for long..I’m thinking about something else.. maybe a nursing home or something else.. seeing this video makes me feel so much better 🥺🥺 Any advice will be appreciated.
I feel you ! I quit my new grad nurse residency after 6 months recently! They took kept telling me the anxiety and crying was normal but i realized the fact my anxiety made me cry before shifts and made me realize it’s not normal to dread going in until the whole “ after 1 year “ it’ll get better is not soemthing i cared to go through ! The specialty and hospital was not for me . Changed to m/b postpartum and although it was a lot learning specialty experience was completely different! And my true calling . Plus the l&D hospital was very unstaff unsafe and a reason they made me sign a 3 year contract due to high turnovers my new residency and hospital came without having to sign a contract and much healthier learning process .
Glad you found a place that is much better for you
Oh wow , I quit too ! I am glad you stood up for yourself! I left after a month you and was drowning and getting yelled at too
I’m not a nurse but I do work in a hospital, 24 years now. You all deserve so much more. I know pay varies state to state. I was shocked when you said you made $35/hr. Pharmacy Techs at area hospitals where I live is starting at $25/hr. I see the tension and frustration on a lot of nurses, overworked and underpaid, it’s so unfair to y’all. Congratulations and good luck at your new work place.
Good for you! More money, a better schedule and less toxic👏🏾👏🏾
Yes!🙌🏾
you made a good decision. I agree it's about you and your needs physically and mentally. Sometimes I am surprised how much these hospitals get away with in nurse residency programs--and what's more surprising is that people tolerate the abuse...
It’s crazy how everyone says it’s normal it’s not a cakewalk I feel like nurses are becoming emotionless 😐 I worked on med surg / general surgery and girl it’s ruff. It’s definitely not for everyone. Everyone should have a chance to shadow before picking a unit to work on. I hope you find your happy place soon. Don’t beat yourself up about it trust me you will find a place that makes your heart happy and not anxious
Dang, my friend is an RT and she used to make $20 an hour and now she’s a travel RT due to Covid and she’s making $130 an hour as a respiratory therapist and she doesn’t do anything but sit around and wait to be called
Girllll…I totally feel you! This is true stuff!!!
I started as an LPN with home care experience and only skilled home care. I applied to the hospital where I had clinicals for my RN program. Thought I liked it during my clinicals, my favorite instructor worked it and I said let’s apply. Got in. Was getting paid $27/hr doing midnights with 7-8 patients on an ortho/plastics unit with snooty ass nurses that were super cliquey. Had major anxiety going into work and was not even loving nursing anymore like how I loved it before. I was unhappy, underpaid, not feeling it and I said after 5 months I am done. I cannot continue doing this any longer. The peace it has brought me is amazing. But, I did just apply to an ER job at a different hospital. We shall see how this goes! But good for you! I am proud of you. Stand up for what feels right!
"i was stressing myself out when there was something better out there" SAY IT LOUDER. i need to start living life to this quote truly
Thanks for sharing. I am going to start nursing school soon , hopefully, if I get accepted. I have felt like you in home care aid jobs, and I’m glad you spoke up because it took me so long to speak up due to being scared that I would be seen as weak. Especially when people say “oh it’s normal” and act like it’s no big deal and dismiss your feelings & make you feel like you are wrong for having those emotions. You have helped me feel less alone.
What I get from these experiences is the hope that there is always so much more out there and that you can always always always pivot! Hats off to you for standing up for yourself and doing what’s best for you! I would LOVE to see a DITL/come to work with me at the psych hospital! I’m interested in psych nursing. Wishing you alllll the best!
I just got done doing a temp gig at a psych hospital. Its was great. My colleagues were so much more down to Earth and it was pure comedy and adrenaline.
@@rusty315 love to hear it! Thank you!
I stumbled on your post and thank you for posting this. I’m 7 months into a full time residency and I’ve been thinking about quitting for a while now. I took a position I knew I didn’t want from the beginning just to get into this hospital and I knew right away it wasn’t for me. I asked management to let me train for a different unit but I’ve been told I can’t for over a year. I also work per Diem at a psych hospital as of the last 2 months and I’m considering quitting the residency and just staying in psych. It’s way more manageable and I don’t have the same anxiety going to work. Thank you for your post cuz I’ve been praying for god to help me know what I should do. 😢
Also my residency pays well. Most ppl I know in my area started at 51-53 per hour as new grads. With night differentials we make about 59. So it’s not about the pay. I make a less at the psych hospital but idk… I honestly don’t care. I don’t want to feel this way every week!
I have been a nurse for 15 years. I have felt the anxiety and shed the same tears as you and let me tell you it’s not normal! Once you start feeling that way it’s your sole telling you this is not for you…and that’s ok! I will never allow myself to feel that kind of anxiety again. There are sooo many things you can do as a nurse just keep looking and trying out different things until you find what you like! I do outpatient oncology (part time!)and most days love it but nothing is perfect. I will never go back to the floor…I will quit nursing all together first before I do! I have recently started school for esthetician which is my passion and will see where that takes me. Hope this helps! You did what was best for you and that will always be the right decision❤️. Best wishes to you.
I worked at a top 20 hospital on a cardiac stepdown unit. In addition to serving as charge (rotating) I had 10 patients at nights, and there were usually 2 codes/ night as the ICU liked to use us as their dumping ground. A horrific hospital, with horrific nurse managers, and scumbag hospital administrators. I quit 15 years ago, and would live on the streets before I would ever go back. It's just pathetic listening to the health care criminal ring continue to complain that we need to train more nurses, which working to grind the ones they have into the ground.
I quit my new grad residency last year and I’ve been traveling and getting paid almost 4x as much as I was at my hospital 🙌🏾 I’m in Corrections now and I love it. Very low stress.
That's what I'm talking about...can you drop some infos (Im' in Miami too)
Do most of your travel salary go towards housing?
@@rae7269 no. I net $3900 per week and I pay $600 a week in housing.
@@AA-td1yw I’ve worked with Maxim and Aya and had a good experience with both.
@@MiamiPush2theLimit GOD BLESS YOU:)
Stockholm Syndrome is how I would describe the emotional dysfunction of nursing on my unit. I'm happy you did what was best for you!
OMG thank you so so much for this video. I was debating if I should apply for nursing school. I watched so much videos and I finally decided to not go through it. It made me a little sad but relief too. I'm just a bit too old for going through stresses. Thank you!
You made the right decision! It will shorten your life span. No joke
@@tofugirl8299 thanks. In the back of my head, I still think I should at least try...idk 😕
@@trullieyeah2687 have you been a CNA? That’s the place to start.. it will ‘make you or break you’ as my instruction told me many years ago..
@@Jkaye13 have not as a CNA but saw and worked with CNAs before when I was working as a medical record clerk. I saw the work and didn't wanna be a CNA
I can relate 100%. Feelings do get brushed off as its normal to feel that way. But when u see experienced nurse still feeling that way, thats a red flag. I'm still in my nurse new grad program. I am now off orientation and working on my own. The anxiety is definitely there and the excitement I had finally being able to do my dream job has gone out the window. Don't get me wrong. I still love nursing but the situation I'm in being a new nurse with a 6:1 ratio when my unit suppose to be at 4:1 is hell. Everything is rushed and overwhelming. I want to quit almost everyday for the sake of my mental and physical health. I pray everyday that it gets better. 😞
OMG it’s so true. Everyday I remind myself how much I wanted this job! everyday I try to find an excuse to not quit
I graduate with my BSN in December and work on a tele floor as a PCA and they are trying to convince me to stay on that floor. I’ve always wanted to do L&D because I just love everything about it! Everyone tells me I might not be able to start out that way but I keep telling everyone that you can do anything that you want. It might me hard to get in but I am gonna get that position! I don’t want to be stuck on tele or med/surg for two years! Thanks for the extra motivation!🙌🏼
As someone who just had a baby I will beg you to please be attentive and patient with your patients. If they have PRN pain meds, offer to bring them on a schedule anyway, new moms can’t keep track of time. Talk to the patient before she starts pushing about her goals for birth. Is she gung-ho about a vaginal birth or is she ok with a c-section if things aren’t progressing? (I pushed for 3 hours because my nurse thought I’d be upset with a c-section…I was fine with a c-section!)
There’s so much more…but my L&D nurses made or broke my “shift” each day and night based on how attentive and proactive they were. Please be that nurse for your vulnerable, emotional patients!
Follow your heart. Go for it.
People told me the same thing when I said I wanted to go straight into the OR. But I was able to secure an interview and I used that interview to show the ways I’d done my research about that care area. I was lucky enough to get hired and after I felt I was ready to move on after a few years, I was hired in an ICU. It is simply not true that you have to work Med-Surg if you don’t want to.
Do not let that discourage you at all. I Also am a new grad and I remember as at February, March when my friends were getting jobs, I kept applying to the postpartum unit. I kept getting declined. Everyone told me you have to start medsurg and I’m like I don’t need that. I was so discouraged. I can tell you that now I have the job I wanted and the pay is better than all the positions my friend said to try.
I just started my nurse residency and it is a 2 year commitment. I'm praying I don't have to go through this and they're not just "all talk". I'm on a women's services med/surg floor. Everyone is nice now but we'll see after a month. So glad you stood up for yourself!
This is how I felt being a nurse for 7 years and going from TELE to ED. The feeling lasted a good 3-4 months, and now I'm still working in the ED it's been 8 months. At 6 months I was going to quit, but I just kept going. But you gotta do what is best for you. So be proud of your decision and I'm glad you're in a better mental environment. Tele is not for the faint forreal I do not know how I did it for 6+ years.
Im not a nurse, what is tele?
Thinking about quitting my residency program as well. I'm 9 months in. The anxiety, the inability to eat/pee when I want to is driving me insane. They rusb these patients out and immediately send more up when we arent even caught up on our other patients. I work on a kidney med surg unit but it feels like we do more than med-surg stuff at times. These patients are so critical, yet they want to give us 7-8 pts as the norm. So many times I'm overwhelmed and frustrated. I've been wanting to leave since I was in orientation but I didnt want to be a failure and I chose to stuck it out.
That’s right baby these people try to guilt you into staying some place you don’t wanna be. Congrats on the courage ❤️ it ain’t normal to be anxious to go to work.
I love how they’ve normalized feeling anxious and overwhelmed. Incredible. I’m glad you did what was best for you! Nursing has so many options.
Omg no but seriously!? Why are we lowkey anxious and all before going into work. Our bodies are literally rejecting the experience, but we are telling ourselves no…uhhhh?
I have been a nurse for many years. I think this is excellent advice. One thing I would tell nursing students is you don't have to go to Med/Surg and Tele these are not easy areas very complex patients and heavy patient/nursing ratios. I agree don't be afraid to leave those terrible areas. The contract information is very important don't get stuck and have to pay. One more thing is the manager is working the patient care areas for a reason they got tired of it too; check most of their work history and you will find only a few spent 2-3 years in nursing care areas. I pray you will be happy in the physiatric area.
I teach A&P and 90% of our students are future nurses and I think they are lured in by the idea of big money. I try to warn them that it's very hard, stressful, and nothing like they think it will be. When I see them in the hospital they are so broken down. 💔 I feel for you!
Others ways of making big money you don’t have to be a nurse. I was one of those naive students
@@kind2423 I hope you found a career that you like.
I don’t blame you sis I left my residency after a year and 8 months lol. I tried to transfer with the hospital I worked for but my manger blocked me . Then had the audacity to ask me why I turned in my resignation lol 😂. Now I work in a clinic less stressful and worth it .
Please please please keep us updated about psych nursing. I am also interested in that field!
a systemic change will come as long as we continue to stand up for ourselves and are willing to leave our jobs.
I wish I found this video after graduating nursing school. I stumbled upon this video b/c I’m going through something very similar. I received my RN license in March this year and worked on an intercare/telemetry floor in a local hospital. It was not my first choice (as I wanted to specialize in a different patient population), but it was the “best” choice at the time for this specific hospital. I was miserable, and I knew I didn’t like this floor within the first 2 weeks of working. As time went on, I got more “comfortable” working there, but I still didn’t enjoy working there and dreading going to work every shift. The fire and passion for nursing that I had prior to nursing school started going out as months went on. I started losing a sense of who I was/who I wanted to be as a nurse. Ultimately, I ended up leaving the hospital and never finished residency program. Unfortunately, for many inpatient positions, they require you to have 1 year experience (i.e. I have to start my residency all over again). So yes, what everyone’s saying about settling is correct! Don’t do it! Even if that means you won’t find a job for 3 months! Sign the contract for a job you know you’ll love. Don’t settle!!
Girl don’t feel bad… I left a residency as well. These hospital employees only care about themselves and their “role”. They don’t have our best interest in heart.. I’m so glad that solidified it for you. I as an LPN was hired into the hospital setting on a medsurg/ oncology floor.. and really I just didn’t feel comfortable with everything.. when I left I felt like a failure.. but as stated.. I’m an LPN.. and if BSN RN’s dont feel comfortable.. then my gosh.. what about the LPN
Yeah I understand, I was an LPN for 3 years and never did bedside because I heard of the horror stories. I thought going into the residency with a BSN would be a smoother transition but I was wrong
I was a LPN on a med surg urology ward working nights back in 1990 did it for 3 years. Was hard but we did team nursing Lpns on the floor and Rn behind the desk doing all the paperwork besides nursing notes. Was stressful but manageable. Had about 10 to 15 patients at night. So much crazy shit happened but lucky for me no non dnr patient died on me in those three years, lol so felt pretty successful. Then I moved and started working on a med surg neuro/ortho floor on evenings. It was primary care. I had between 9 and 12 patients every evening. All very sick all in need for a lot of care. The stress was off the charts. I COULD NOT deliver the care those patients required. Patients suffered, mostly the neuro patients with fresh strokes that where basicly unresponsive. I worked as fast and as hard as I could, but no amount of effort could enable me to provide care to all those patients. I worked as hard as I could yet every night I went home feeling like crap because I knew my patients did not get the care they required even though I ran like a mad man for 8 hours strait. I went 2 times the 6 months I worked there and talked directly to the DON. LOL like he gave a crap. Just wanted to talk about how many patients he had 20 years prior to that. That was my last hospital job. Now I work home care. Pay sucks. Benefits don't exist even paid time off, sick days, holidays nothing. But i'm not stressed and my patients get good care. As I understand it, prior to covid anyway. Nurse to patient ratios are better then when I worked med surg. But med surg is such a tough job. All the glory and prestige goes to ICUs and ER but I can guarantee med surg is much harder and more stressful then either of those.
I have only been in my residency for 2 weeks and I am over it already. The unit has consistent 6 pt ratio but when I interviewed they said 4-5 and occasional 6! LIES!!! I told my preceptor that I am a flight risk and I am over it already!
Thank you for being so honest sis! This helps a lot, especially for people that are planning on pursuing
Glad you left and you’re happy where you are. I had a contract and I left after a year and a month. Very toxic and that health system as a whole didn’t care much about their employees. I don’t plan on paying them a dime Chile. I’ll be getting a lawyer
It’s crazy because I never wanted to do Med surg I went in with the thought that okay, I can do this for a year then transfer over to labor and delivery where I wanted to be. They were so toxic they’ll block you from even trying to move on. You wouldn’t believe after I tried applying to a different unit, the next day they wrote me up for attendance. If you get written up you can’t transfer for another 6 mos. So I said okay watch this I’m leaving either way. Put in my two weeks notice and didn’t even work the entire two weeks ✌🏽
That’s crazy that they offered you a $10 an hr raise after only 1.5 years! Still, hospitals often don’t pay very well. The raises tend to be more generous in the hospital (and your testimony proves this), but jobs outside of the hospital tend to offer higher starting wages (in the case of your job as an LPN). I’m also a BSN prepared nurse, currently working in home health. I did skilled nursing for 3 years and psych for 8 months, home health pays $45 an hr, skilled nursing was $40-$43 an hr and the psych job tried to start me at $34 (I negotiated it up to $38) and other hospital jobs in different specialties have offered similar pay, because my skilled nursing experience isn’t considered applicable, so I’m basically a new grad in their eyes. 😓
It baffles me how hospitals try to low ball you on pay and they wonder why people are leaving. 🙄
I needed to hear this. I’m currently in this situation. Thank you for sharing your story! ❤️
I was all excited about being a new grad, but nothing prepared me for toxicity. I wish I was prepared to the level of toxicity that hit me hard, I had to bail out of my new grad RN program too.
Thank you for your information, I had been there and I got fired, and i am happy now. Svetlana from Denmark
I hated tele, 😭 same situation ended up on a floor I did not want to work on: I tried to push through, but it got worse and worse. Plus I didn’t have a proper preceptor
Thank you for being so transparent in this video! I start the NJCU ABSN in September and been watching your videos for guidance! You’re awesome!!
Thank you and good luck at NJCU!
I quit my new grad residency after 3 months so you're not alone! I think it's just bedside not nursing altogether.. there's so many options out there!
Nursing is very tough and not for the faint of heart ,very ,very stressful emotionally ,physically ,mentally. I have worked 5 twelve hours back to back shifts and I am drained .I have a lot of responsibilities and two kids in college . I have been a Nurse a long time and with the patient load ,working short ,working with combative patients that hit ,spit at you while you are giving them care \ med \tx .. it is not easy and unlike any other job you will have. It is also rewarding because you are helping people but at the end of the day who is helping you? I have been crying really easy from burnout \stress ...Good luck Nurses ...Take care of your health...
I’m so glad I came across your video. I’m considering going into nursing and so many people have such a bad perspective about nursing.
Don’t go please🙏🏼 choose something else…pharmacy, medical laboratory science,physiotherapy just anything but nursing
Nursing is not what people think it is. Hospital and Nursing Facility are very different worlds. More responsibility and stress not as much pay,or gratitude.Tele is very serious. I used to encourage now I say think about it Nursing is not the sisterhood it used to be.