Seeking advice from other nurses

[danielleRN76]

I have been a nurse for 9 years total. LPN for 7.5, RN 2.5, I have worked the last 3 yrs on a telemetry medical floor. I always liked it here, but I knew from the beginning that my goal was to gain experience and leave for Emergency or ICU nursing. Well, I have advanced quite rapidly at my current job, I'm a charge nurse, a preceptor, ACLS certified, Tele certified and stuff like that. Lately I am quite bored with my tele unit. My nurse manager and I have become good friends, my best friend in the whole world is a nurse there with me and I like the hospital in general. It's a mid sized suburban hospital. Well, I applied a few times for a transfer to their ER, but decided at the last minute to stay with my floor, mostly out of guilt. Well, things have really gone down hill fast the last 5 months or so with staffing, morale and everything. I have a job offer at a HUGE ER in the nearby city. The pay is a little better, but not as much as I thought. Here's the dilemma, I'm nervous about the big city ER as my first, yet excited too. I'm afraid of going from one of the top nurses in my med/surg to being a nobody in the big hospital. I feel guilty turning my back on my friends at the current place, but I long to grow as a nurse as well. What would you do?? I know it's hard to advise someone when you don't really know the situation, but all the nurses around me are bias in their opinions. Thanks everyone!

[zozzy777]

I would encourage you to further your nursing career and go for it. It's always hard to leave your friends where you are working, but they may not stay either and then you are left there without them anyways. You will learn so much in a big city ER. Of course it will be scary, but use that to motivate yourself to ask lots of questions and learn as much as you can. If you stay in a job that does not challenge you mentally, I find it makes you complacent and stagnant at your work. The sky is the limit where nursing is concerned, to take the plunge!! You will never know unless you try!! Good luck!!

[nathuladula]

do u know any schools in new york for lpn? please reply

[nathuladula]

does any one know any good school for lpn in new york or even new jersey that is not as competetive as cuny schools?

[biker nurse]

Danielle, Your real friends will support you!! AS you would them. Advance your career stagnent can start to smell after a while.

DULA, I got my LPN in Bellport at a BOCES.. try the tech schools. Good Luck to you both

[Altra, BSN, RN]

DanielleRN, you have several issues to work through to make your decision.

1. leaving a comfortable/familiar environment

2. the switch to a larger hospital

3. leaving floor nursing for the ER

I began my nursing career in an urban Level I trauma center ER. The learning curve was steep, I was unfamiliar with the environment of a teaching hospital, and I was somewhat unprepared for the differences between an urban patient population vs. the suburban patient population where I had had most of my nursing school clinical experiences. But I have thrived, I believe, on my own strengths and an excellent structured orientation program.

The positives you mention at your current hospital - recognition, close friendships, etc. - may well be duplicated at the other hospital, but it will probably take 3-5 years.

Good luck to you - let us know what you decide. :)

[purplemania, BSN, RN]

I left my friends for another job. Still have both. Also have more income and confidence. I recommend you broaden your horizons. Also, you will make more friends so you broaden that area of your life too!

[CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN]

Danielle, you are bright and resting in tedium. Now, I on the other hand find Tele a challenge, however you. You are bored with the entire TELE gig. Get real, go for that ER job challenge, if you fail so be it, you'll only regret that you never gave it a go go. Give two weeks notice, you can always return to your friends on the Telemetry ;-) floor!!!

However, in my opinionTELE rocks! Take it from this Tele nurse.

[Halinja, BSN, RN]

I'd opt for growth. comfort can turn into stagnation. And your friends where you are will still be your friends even if you aren't right there on the job.

[SueBell]

Follow your heart and your dream......:loveya:

[fronkey bean]

After 13 years of thinking things would get better I finally understand the insanity of staying where I am unhappy waiting for it to change for me. Let your unhappiness w/ your current situation be the motivation you need to seek out a place where you will enjoy your work. I'm taking my new found backbone and heading off to school and (Lord willing) an advanced practice degree

[Pattiecake]

Move on and broaden your horizons. Your tele unit sounds like a comfortable old shoe. Think of how it feels to have something new in your wardrobe. Think of this new ER job as that.