I currently work nights in a great hospital and just dont know if the environment is for me anymore there has been so many lay offs, budget cuts and displacements I just dont feel secure in my job anymore. Im currently in school for my bachelors but have a few years before i am scheduled to graduate. Im also on nights and have been for since i started and Think im ready for a different pace of nursing. Is this crazy should i stay where im at? Im so nervous about change but yet so done with where im at. open to any thoughts. I know job market is hard and I think that scares me even more.

Go with your gut feeling. Since you have been there so long, you are probably picking up on 'vibes' that are not apparent to your co-workers. Based on my experience, the issues you have described are signals that the hospital may be in serious financial trouble. If the worst happens and it has to shut down some services or close completely (lots of that happening lately), EVERYBODY will be out there looking for jobs. So you may as well make the move while you have more options available. Since you have been there longer than 5 years, any pension benefits will be fully vested and you will take them with you.

Best of luck to you - on your job search & continuing your education.

Agreed...go with your intuition.

That being said, NO job is really "secure." You are secure as long as you are perceived as an asset to the organization. If a business decision is made, however, to downsize or exit a certain market (whether that be home care, rehab, or whatever), your job is not secure even if you are an excellent performer. The best you could hope for in that case would to be offered a lateral (or downward) transfer.

Your 8 years of service probably don't make you much more secure. Since you are probably paid more than a newbie, you may very well be a bigger target for cutbacks.

It's far better to look for a new job when you don't really need it. By this, I mean you are more able to take your time and look for the job (& employer) that really calls to you.

Good luck!