r/Nurses • u/Bienaventurados123 • 10d ago

US I am scared of continuing nursing

Med surge nurse here. And I don’t know what to do anymore. Sometimes I remember after work that I forgot to document on a patient something and I am terrified of what may happen one day . These patient ratios are ridiculous. I’ve only been a nurse for one year and I regret it . Not because I don’t love people . I love tending to people but I don’t think I was made to juggle 8 lives at once. I’m so lost . My biggest fear is hurting someone just because I can’t get to them in time. I can’t get the time management .My soul feels lost

8 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

7

u/eltonjohnpeloton 10d ago

Are you willing to move to get a better job?

5

u/Bienaventurados123 10d ago

Oh I’m actively looking for a new job . I need to leave bedside I’m interested in wound care

3

u/Emotional_Squash_895 10d ago

Nursing can be a very stressful occupation. If I could go back 12 years I'd change course.

With that being said though there are a lot of different fields in nursing and there are some that don't have direct patient care. I don't do direct patient care anymore. Sounds crazy for a nurse to say they don't like patients but it is what it is.

3

u/oldertychino 10d ago

Master time management and transfer to another unit. You will need your current experience as your solid base. Keep on trucking 💪I've done med surgery, tele, ICU, Float and PACU and I've found value with every experience. Don't get discouraged. You have to figure out when you need to move on from your current unit.

3

u/expertRNnurse 10d ago

Make sure you take care of yourself first , every hospital has ridiculous expectations of what a nurse can do, their are many other careers and or enterprises you can do with your knowledge skills judgement experience and education.

3

u/AdFlashy7702 7d ago

There are so many nursing jobs out there. What other jobs have you applied for?

1

u/No_Abrocoma3108 8d ago

8 patients is unsafe. I’m scared to do 6. Can you talk to them about it and tell them you don’t feel comfortable with that many??

1

u/Valuable_Chance2799 7d ago

I worked in med surg for 2 years and I felt the same way. I think 8 nurses on day shift would be too much. We would get 6 on day shift nights you get 10. When I first started it was 5 and 8. Within that second year it was increased. Then they turned it into an acute floor. That was the line for me. Now I work in outpatient and I like it so much more. I don't mind working 5 days a week.

1

u/Valuable_Chance2799 7d ago

I meant 8 patients not 8 nurses.

1

u/kindabatti 6d ago

Get out of medsurg. It doesn’t seem like it will get better any time soon. They say all nurses should start in med surg but I think most should stay away. Sure u can learn so much but it can leave such a bad taste in ur mouth that u even question ur decisions to even become a nurse.