I need to vent :(

1 Hi all... Well here it goes
So I graduated Aug 2014, began working in my local NICU Nov 2014. Ive wanted to work in NICU all throughout nursing school and I was beyond happy to get this position, especially as a new grad. However I am so bummed that this is NOTHING how I imagined nursing to be. I feel under appreciated. The doctors talk to me so crappy. I feel like I dont know anything since I have no experience in NICU and didnt exactly cover ill newborns in nursing school. I dread going to work some days and even on my off days all I can think about is how I dont want to go back to work. I feel such a negativity energy at my place of work and I cant handle that! I feel like your coworkers/work environment can make or break job satisfactory. Its just really overwhelming most times. I feel so frustrated that I went to school 5yrs to become a bsn rn and this is the pay off? To have my bubble bursted and not enjoy this dream job that I thought I would so much is such a downer for me. However it isnt all bad. The one aspect of my job I do enjoy is educating the parents on how to care for their little one. LOVE it! I am considering job areas that would allow me to focus on educating new moms on care of their infant such as safe sleep, nutrition/breastfeeding, immunizations, etc. Is there a position specifically tailored to this? Although this is still new Im extremely frustrated and want something different.. Any thoughts? Advice? I know that was a lot but Im so frustrated and dont want to vent to family and have them dissapointed in me for feeling like a failure.
Post partum unit? Public health?

Carpediem thanks for responding I would love to work in an outpatient setting that provides care/education for new moms and infants. It would be nice to have time to discuss these things one on one with my patients mom/dad without being pulled to another one of my kids during the education. I've been looking for these clinics and settings in my area but Im not even sure if they exist around here.

Quote from RN.amourCarpediem thanks for responding I would love to work in an outpatient setting that provides care/education for new moms and infants. It would be nice to have time to discuss these things one on one with my patients mom/dad without being pulled to another one of my kids during the education. I've been looking for these clinics and settings in my area but Im not even sure if they exist around here.

Thanks for the advice VAnurse. I have considered that. I have even considered becoming a primary care PNP to be able to give myself more opportunities to do something more along the lines of those interest. Although it may limit me to those kinds of jobs or that area I dont think that would such a bad thing if thats something I enjoy. I'd take that over feeling stuck in something Im not enjoying, because it really sucks right now. Thanks for your advice.

What about home health specific to breastfeeding support (become a lactation consultant) and well baby checks/new mom education and support? Also, to be part of post partum/OB unit to teach childbirth ed and parenting classes?You can also get involved in the Le Leche League, early intervention for your state--there's lots of things that you could do. Even to work at an OB's office as part of the patient teaching/education aspect.Best wishes!

Jadelpn these are all great suggestions!!! Im going to look into these. I wanted to wait at least a yr before switching to another area (postpartum) but I definitely can look into the teaching classes now. This gives me hope that I can find my niche and be happy as a nurse

Post-partum home health visits sound like they'd be right up your alley. That or working in a pediatrician's office. You probably need more experience before you can do either, though. Jade also has a good point that Early Interventions employ RNs in case coordinator capacities.

I think you've described a really common experience for many new nurses who don't have prior experience with health care, either has a patient or an ancillary worker. You've also shone a light on preconceived notions. So many new nurses haven't been exposed to enough of the real world to know what to expect of their first job and lots of people have an idea of what kind of nursing they want to do only to find that it really isn't what they thought it would be. NICU is often one of the areas that provoke that kind of reaction. New grads in critical care areas are definitely at a disadvantage because of lack of experience, lack of specialized knowledge and lack of those spidey senses that come with both. The learning curve is very steep and of course you're going to feel overwhelmed and unappreciated. The part you like about your job actually does have a place in the health care continuum. It's a part of the public health nurse role. Where I live there's a program called Healthy Beginnings that is 100% what you would be happy doing. Nurses with Healthy Beginnings make home visits to new moms and do well-baby checks, monitoring for jaundice and feeding issues, teaching about immunizations and that kind of thing. Maybe you could start looking for something along that line.

Google "Nurse Family Partnership"

Or work through a WIC clinic?

Maybe you could try maternal-child, so you'd still be working with babies but maybe not at NICU level right now. So you could work with the feeders and growers and PP women.

I'm surprised no one has said this yet, but you've only been an RN for 3-3.5 months. If you didn't feel overwhelmed, I would be shocked. Your feeling of not knowing anything is completely normal, especially in a critical care environment like the NICU. With most doctors, you have to prove yourself to earn their respect and trust. While they should not be condescending, such personalities exist within all professions. If you feel like a doctor (or any coworker) has been particularly rude towards you, you should bring it to their attention and find out what the reason could be for it. It could have nothing to do with you, and everything to do with the stress they are feeling. This doesn't excuse poor behavior, but it gives you insight.It would behoove you to independently read about disease processes and situations you encounter at work that you don't feel confident about. We new nurses are so lucky to live in a time where anything we could possibly want to know is at our fingertips with the Internet. If you didn't fully understand how a baby's pertussis made his health deteriorate so quickly, for example, you could read all about the pathophysiology of the disease after work. Is time management your problem? Do you constantly feel behind? Well, it isn't exactly something they teach in nursing school. "Brain sheets" are often mentioned in threads such as these. They are forms that can help you organize your shift and priorities so you stay on task, and they can help prevent you from falling behind. Seek them out! There are many posted throughout these forums. A key question to ask is, do you enjoy what you do? You said you enjoyed the teaching aspect of your job. Do you enjoy actually caring for the babies? It can take time for people to warm up to the 'new guy' on the crew. Each unit really does have its own culture, and though you didn't specify if your nursing coworkers were receptive of you or not, I feel like you would have mentioned if they were nasty towards you.My opinion? Stick out the NICU job for at least a year and you will be amazed at what you learn. If you still aren't sold on it after that 1 year, you'll at least have it on your resume and it could be your key to landing a lactation consultant job or something similar.