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Have I screwed myself over???



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Jun 22, 2009 12:21 PM

Have I screwed myself over???


I'm coming up on my one year anniversary of RN licensure. It's been a fullfilling, fun, and surprising year of starting out in the profession. I was hired by a fantastic organization a week before my graduation and have been there for the last year working as a part time RN in a residential group home with the MRDD population. I love my job. I don't, however, love the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that keeps repeating to me that I have somehow sold myself short by not working in a hospital, or not pursuing a nursing job where my skills will be more fine tuned. I can't get over feeling like I have cornered myself into a specialty that I may not want to continue with for the rest of my nursing career. Every nursing mentor I had during school told me "aim high" "don't settle" "do 2 years of med-surg first" etc. Would it have been more wise to listen to them? I am happy where I am now, but if 2 or 3 years from now I want to break away and do something different (I went to nursing school anticipating that I would become a labor and delivery nurse) I am concerned I will be ill-equipped because of the decision I made to start off with a less challenging (but really awesome) job. Any advice? Encouragement? Kick in the pants? Thanks

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8 Comments
No. 1
from Jolie
Old Jun 22, 2009, 12:30 PM

Default Re: Have I screwed myself over???
You have a job you love, and you would consider giving it up in favor of working nights on a badly-staffed, ill-equipped med-surg unit in order to meet some one else's expectations of what your nursing practice should be? If you decide to do that, please let me know the name of your employer so I can apply for your vacancy.

Gee, I hope that wasn't too harsh

Your current job is hardly "less challenging" than anyone else's. There are plenty of very capable med-surg nurses who would turn tail and run when faced with the challenges you overcome every day at work. Your job requires a different set of skills and a different knowledge base which is no less important and no less valid than those of the best adult health nurses in the world.

Don't sell yourself short!
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No. 2
from naturenurse
Old Jun 22, 2009, 12:39 PM

Default Re: Have I screwed myself over???
nah, not harsh at all. thanks for your words. I fully embrace a swift kick to the rear.
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No. 3
from NC Girl RN
Old Jun 22, 2009, 01:47 PM

Default Re: Have I screwed myself over???
You can't listen to what everyone says. I was also told that working in LTC would keep me from getting a hospital job. I worked in LTC for almost 2 years and had no problem getting a job in a hospital. I have no desire to work med-surg. I am working on a neuroscience floor and I am getting alot of medsurg expereince but I get to focus on a set population. Go with your gut. I think you will be fine getting a job in a hospital down the line. Take care and try not to stress yourself.
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No. 4
from marilynmom
Old Jun 22, 2009, 03:53 PM

Default Re: Have I screwed myself over???
No your not.

Do you know how many miserable nurses are out there who HATE their jobs? Stay where you are happy!!

I had to get over the "am I screwing myself over" feeling as well. IN nursing school all I thought I wanted was to be where the action was....ICU or ER.....ughhh btdt, don't plan on going back.

I worked for a year as an RN is a large ICU. I hated it, the stress is overwhelming, and I couldn't take anymore. Now I work in psych (night so most of my shift my patients are sleeping for the most part but I do see them before bed for about an hour and in the morning when we wake them up for about an hour), I do a lot of paperwork (which I like, didn't think I would but I do) and I have a great time at work! Me and the 1 other RN I work with get along great as do the tech's I work with. I'm getting paid more than when I was in the hospital. I am perfectly happy, I know a lot of RNs would kill for my laid back job.

Stay where your happy, because in nursing "good" jobs are few and far between
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No. 5
from SRRIII
Old Jun 22, 2009, 04:04 PM

Default Re: Have I screwed myself over???
I do Disease Management and love my job. I decided I needed to go back to med/surg and get my hands on, so that I would not forget my skill. Now I have a part time job in a hospital 1 day every other weekend.
After each shift in med/surg I thank God for my full time job . I would not leave my full time job to go back to the hospital .
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No. 6
from xj3nnerz
Old Jun 27, 2009, 05:22 PM

Default Re: Have I screwed myself over???
I wanted to Labor and delivery, but with the way the economy is right now I decided to go into Med-Surg. I am starting my new grad career in Med-Surg. Not all excited about it, but at least I am working in a hospital and learning my skills. Maybe later down the line I will go back in L&D and peds, but first I want to survive my first year of nursing before thinking of going into speciclity.
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No. 7
from MBARN08
Old Jun 27, 2009, 11:14 PM

Default Re: Have I screwed myself over???
If you are happy with your job, there is nothing wrong with what you are doing. It does not matter that you did not start in the hospital. You could have started in the hospital and left for a number of years to find out that you will have to return to acute care in order to expand your options. I know of two nurses who worked in acute care, left for home health and school nursing respectively, but wished to expand their options and found out that they have to return to acute care (specifically Medical Surgical Nursing) in order to become traveling nurses or to work in something else that is acute care related (like a cath lab). They are being trained as if they are new to nursing because things have changed since they left the floors a number of years ago. On the other hand, if this really concerns you then do as another poster did and get a PRN or PT job in acute care in order to grow other nursing skills.
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No. 8
from caliotter3
Old Jun 27, 2009, 11:23 PM

Default Re: Have I screwed myself over???
If you are happy where you are now, then be happy where you are now. You can't have your entire career at one time. When the time comes to change jobs, specialties, or location, you will know it and you will be ready then. Meanwhile enjoy what you have now and also spend time on your personal life and outside activities. If you want a challenge, consider doing an online program for your next degree. Remember, there are lots of people who are miserable in their jobs and would love to be as happy at work as you are.
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