Im a nurse and most nurses seem to agree 2 years is the mark when you become proficient.
I passed the nclex but there are so many things you only learn by doing and living it, not reading it on a book or on a lecture by a nurse who stopped working with patients 20 years ago.
This sucks because until then your coworkers are not going to fully trust you and, in my case, they want me to do things their way, because otherwise it’s wrong. Add 6 nurses to the mix that feel entitled to this and you’ll understand why Im burning out: every one of them feels entitled to correct me, but the way one works contradicts how the next one does.
I wonder if this is a rite of passage across industries and workplaces and if in some industries it takes way less than 2 years to be proficient.
If this is how life is, how do I survive till year 2?
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You guys get proficient at your jobs?
I’ve been working in my role in network security for over a decade and I still feel like I don’t know anything sometimes. The thing I did learn though, was to recognize when I needed to improve my skills and when it was just imposter syndrome.
In your case, I would do it the way you are asked, rather than the textbook way. Then after things are sorted out, speak with them to figure out why they do it that way instead(be careful with your tone so you sound inquisitive rather than critical). If they’re worth working with, they will give you an answer beyond “because I said so”.
I’m a Principal Engineer at a multi-billion dollar company and I can confirm, I don’t know shit.
The younger programmers always get surprised when I say: I don’t know! But we’ll figure it out!
You never stop learning. There will never be a day when you can stand up and say, “ok, I know everything now”.
And if you do know everything, leave. You’ve maxed out.
This is how work is. I detox in the evening by forgetting work. Meet friends, play video games, etc. There have been good books on managing stress, and they all tell you to detox during the private time.
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career: are you paying for my certifications and the financial penalty I’d take? it’s a 3 year minimum for any bachelor.
workplace: how do you know the new place is going to be better?
That’s the neat part! You don’t.
I know people who quit medical jobs, like nurse in a big hospital, to do another job that’s equally shitty. Quitting by itself makes sense, as most of them won’t be promoted to a manager, statistically speaking.
I think, what they really should consider is to find a better hospital (instead of becoming a massager or a cashier).
Maybe smaller hospitals have less stress. The way I change my job is to contact friends and gather information about their workplaces.
You can learn on your own time. Books are cheap or free to read and there’s lots of ways to get free hands-on experience. Get off social media and into your local library!
Spoken like someone who hasn’t tried applying to degree-mandatory industries
No, that sounds like a real pain. Much easier to just have a career where I can advance the way I want. Degrees are pretty portable though.
Then you should know that you can’t just get a degree from reading books at the library, right? You can teach yourself everything, but that doesn’t mean society will recognize it unless you build your own business from the ground up and earn an “honorary” degree.
And if you can afford to do that, you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth.
You don’t need a degree for tons of careers, even well paying ones. There’s also tons of people who get a degree and then do the bare minimum of learning afterwards.
Nurse here. Yep it took about 2 years until it all clicked, but always learning. What’s your unit? It sounds like your coworkers are also burned out if they are bullying you. Do you have a nurse educator? Maybe they could guide you on things you are unsure about or need more practice with. Is there a way you can transfer to another unit that may be a better fit? If you are not stuck at that hospital under contract, look into travel nursing when you get a year under your belt. Sometimes there are local opportunities. Some hospitals have New Grad positions where they try to ensure their new nurses are mentored properly to build confidence.
If you are stuck at that unit/hospital, try to keep pushing through. Build that thick skin. Regarding confidence: fake it til you make it, but always ask questions and make sure patient safety is your top priority. Try not to think of your coworkers ask trying to push you to do things their way as a bad thing. IMO, everyone has a different way of doing things. Observe coworkers techniques and adapt to whatever works best for you. I go by the old “kill them with kindness” technique. Pleasantly thank them for showing you their way of doing things, but in the end you do you as long as you keep your patients safe.
Can you switch shifts? If so, perhaps give that a try. When I was burned out on days, I switched to nights and the tempo and personalities were different.
It is hard. And the only ones who understand are those who have gone through it. In the end, if it is truly wrecking your soul, it is not worth it. Try to stick it out if you can, but not at the expense of your mental, physical, or emotional well being.
I wish you the best. Feel free to DM me if you want to chat any further on this topic.
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