Nursing

So I graduated…what’s next? I just wanted to take a deep breath and enjoy my new found freedom. How’s the saying go…You can wish in one hand and shit in the other. I had another big feat I needed to accomplish…the NCLEX…cue the doom inducing music. I also needed to be looking into jobs, and there was only one I had in mind. I spent my senior practicum at the same hospital I worked at for years in float pool, and I loved it. The unit was fast paced, had critically sick patients, and all of the new knowledge in the world to learn, I was hooked. When applying for the new grad program at this hospital I was strategic, I wanted to give myself a summer off before starting at this new role, so I intentionally scheduled my NCLEX for late July, which would mean I couldn’t start until August. For studying I just did 100o’s of practice questions, and I passed in 77 questions. Why I was so nervous for that exam I don’t know, it wasn’t at all what I expected. But I suppose my whole life depends on whether I pass or not.

Like I said before I won’t tell you exactly what unit I’m working in, I’ll leave you to figure that out on your own. What I will tell you is it’s my dream job, I was ecstatic when I received the phone call and email from HR. I was to start August 22nd 2021. Unfortunately all they had to offer was a night shift position, but I was not going to turn it down. I enjoyed my summer and when August 22nd came around I showed up to day one of New grad orientation. Since I was already a previous employee with the company I didn’t need to go to some of the orientation, I was able to go straight to my new unit to begin my dreaded Healthstreams. Oh joy! My orientation was supposed to be 16 weeks, the first 6 on day shift, and then I would transition to night shift for the remaining 10 weeks. Well we were in a current pandemic so how much do you think I actually got?

My management pushed me hard to come off orientation ASAP. A month before me, 2 other new grads started in my department, but both of them were not previously experienced in healthcare. I got 12 weeks of orientation, and I came off 2 weeks before both of the other new grads who started before me. While you might think I’m bragging, I’m not. I was not happy that I was being pushed, but everyone, including my manager assured me they thought I was ready, that I “will never feel ready.” I succumbed to my fate.