Finding my niche

Nurses New Nurse

Published

Specializes in FNP- Urgent Care.

Hi all....

Background- BSN grad about 7 months ago. I work nights in the float pool which is what I did as an aide (first and only new grad hired in this small pool). I won't start PCU or ICU until another 6 months. Anyway, I accepted it, knowing I needed to get some basic experience. In school, I was all about trauma and ICU and when I got to practicum, I wasn't as excited about it anymore.... Part of that could have been my awful preceptor and the overall poor atmosphere.

Now, half of me just doesn't feel happy. I feel like nights make me moody, I am sleeping 4-6 hours when I work and 12 (!!) on my days off. I am recently married so I do flip flop my days and nights, otherwise Id have no life.

But I DO like the 25% diff and the ability to slow down, learn, and think about what I am doing (I know I wouldn't get this experience on days). I also like choosing my own schedule which is a perk of this float pool.

Bottom line, I am just never looking forward to coming into work. I feel blah. I went through a phase of applying for clinic RN jobs and case management positions. I did get calls but decided I needed to be rational about my next move and actually figure out what my passion is. I even applied for a surgery job and got an interview and now I'm second guessing everything- what if I HATE sugery?

Did it take you a while to find out which area of nursing is right for you? Maybe I am also struggling with the thought of leaving bedside after I get my one year in :(

-Confused RN

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

What do you want to do???

I totally understand the "blah" moments; For the past year I felt as though I was floating on a life raft, trying to figure out how my career was going to go, until I thought about what would work best in my favor for my career.

Look at the plus and minuses of your current situation; and then look at the pluses and minuses of the opportunity presented towards you.

Sometimes we have to have a "come to Jesus" moment about what we want to do to with career-life balances, especially when we may have interests that would help us be happier.

Best wishes.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Completely hear you. Just wondering which area of the country you are located in? It's great that you are getting call backs still being a new nurse.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in FNP- Urgent Care.

I live in Colorado!

LadyFree... I don't know what I want to do. I'm feeling the stress, responsibility, and overall overwhelming nature of nursing right now. I don't even think I'm in the right mind frame to figure out what I want because at this point, I would do anything besides float to med surg. ugh

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

LadyFree... I don't know what I want to do. I'm feeling the stress, responsibility, and overall overwhelming nature of nursing right now. I don't even think I'm in the right mind frame to figure out what I want because at this point, I would do anything besides float to med surg. ugh

At least you know that you may not be able to make the best decision, and that's OK too.

I always refer this book to students as well as new nurses; I even read this book from time to time to sharpen my critical thinking skills: Critical Thinking and Nursing Judgement, by Rosalind Alfaro-LeFevre, available on Amazon.

Understanding the WHY to build up on your practice as well as understanding what is needed from you as a novice nurse to advance to beginner and to the expert role are a few of the highlights of the book.

You going to also have to self study; it's going to take about 2-3 years of understanding your role as a nurse and must empower yourself to build your nursing practice and nursing judgement; see the autonomy by thinking critically and understand and be COMFORTABLE in knowing that you are new, and that you are not going to know everything, but build a conscious effort to continue to find out and think "like a nurse"; those will be key issues in helping you understand your practice, regardless of what nursing niche you get into; let your practice transcend the position that you are in.

Best wishes.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am going through the same thing !

As a new grad I was offered a position in the neuro icu at a top hospital because I was an aide there. I loved all the interesting things I learned but the stress level triggered my autoimmune illness to make its first appearance, nights was not my thing at all and I felt like my boss was extremely unprofessional. The whole situation went bad when I started as a GN there. I moved to psych and it is much better in that I work 8 hour day shifts, I get holiday pay and alot of additional education opportunities and my management appreciates me. I get upset when people tell me I am not a real nurse because I don't do skills at work, my skill is communication and therapy as a psych nurse. I am in a psych NP program and know when I am done I will for sure have a job with a hefty paycheck but alot of times I feel lost. I trying to trust God that I am where I am suppose to be.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm going through a similar situation so I can't offer too much advice but only encouragement that you're not alone.

I just graduated in August and felt fortunate to have two jobs to choose from - one in a doctors office as a glorified medical assistant or in a hospital on a fast paced telemetry observation floor. I took the hospital job thinking it was the "right" thing to do for my career path, however it turns out to be everything I swore during nursing school that I didn't want to be...a nurse who just had enough time to pass meds and do quick assessments and never gets to spend time with patients. Now I've only been there a couple of months so of course I'll tough it out a bit longer but in my mind I know this isn't where I want to be.

All I can say to you is the same thing I have told myself, that sometimes knowing where you DON'T want to be goes a long way towards finding where you do want to be. Hopefully with time the answer will become clear for you (and me and the countless other new grads who I'm sure are in the same predicament). Best of luck to you!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in FNP- Urgent Care.

Thanks for that! I am glad to know I am not alone! I decided to stick this out for another 6 months- get my full year in, and then decide where I want to go from there. Maybe the OR- maybe a clinic? Who knows!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment