Starting out as a brand-new nurse during a global pandemic was... a lot. Like many new grads, I took the first job that would hire me. It wasn’t in my dream specialty—pediatrics—but I knew I needed experience, and fast. So I jumped into the world of adult med-surg/telemetry nursing. It was a trial by fire, and I’m not going to sugarcoat it: it was hard.
I worked on an adult unit for seven months, and although I had about three months of training, nothing really prepares you like doing the job day in and day out. The learning curve was steep. I had 8 to 10 patients on any given shift, each with complex histories and what felt like 500 medications to give—on time, with accuracy, and often while dodging refusal, confusion, or sometimes just straight-up disrespect. Many of my patients didn’t want to take their meds, some were in pain or disoriented, and others... well, they weren’t exactly thrilled to have a new nurse. And when you’re new, it’s easy to feel alone—especially when everyone else is drowning in their own workload and can’t stop to help.
But here’s the thing: I learned so much. That chaos taught me time management, prioritization, and how to stand my ground. It showed me how to advocate, how to think quickly, and how to speak up when something didn’t feel right. As overwhelming as those months were, they shaped the nurse I am today. And when I finally got the call for my first pediatric nursing job, I walked in stronger, more confident, and more prepared—because of what I had already pushed through.
Getting your first nursing job isn’t easy. You’re expected to know a lot, but in reality, you’re learning something new every single shift. Some days you feel like you’re barely keeping your head above water. But if you’re in that place right now, keep going. Keep showing up. You’re growing—even if it doesn’t feel like it yet.
Looking back, I wouldn’t change the way I started. That rough beginning helped me build a solid foundation. And now, working in pediatrics, I’m exactly where I always wanted to be.
