Dead end job

[silentRN]

Is it just me or does nursing seem like it's becoming a dead end job? I really like what I do, because I love working in Critical Care, but I'm getting really frustrated that it feels like there is no room to grow anymore. I feel like I'm stuck in this town because the job market hasn't recovered. I'm sure most of you are feeling the same way. I just wanted to vent about it. I've had my heart on moving for awhile now but there just isn't any opportunity out there. I really hope that some day the market starts to open up again and the corporate side of hospitals stop sticking it to us nurses.

-David

[morphed]

Does your hospital pay for you to advance in your field? Maybe they would pay for you to go back to school and get a BSN. Idk if your hospital requires charge nurses to be BSNs, but if it does then it would open up another door for you. If it doesn't, a BSN would at least give you a better chance of getting other jobs if you wanted to move. However, by the time you finish your BSN the job market will probably have improved. It still might be worth it though if your job pays for it. It'll even open the door for a masters.

Or maybe it's your coworkers? I know they can have a huge impact on how a person feels about their job.

To be honest though, I think nursing is one of the only fields where you can get in a the lower end up the spectrum and work yourself all the way up. In many other fields you really can't do that. Many people start off ASN then go to to BSN then to MSN, all while working full time and with a full family schedule. I would think nursing would be the best possible job to get entry level because the possibilities are really limitless. And once you reach the graduate level, you don't even have to work clinically, you could be in academia.

It sounds like your problem is that you're in a small town though. If you want to move, I'd first see if they would pay for a BSN. At least you'll have something interesting to do and you won't feel like you're stuck in the same spot because you will be working towards another goal. And once you complete that you can do many other things.

Hope it all works out.

[marilynmom, LPN, NP]

What about going back to school? Thats what I am doing. I have my BSN but am going back for my masters in Janurary. I do NOT want to be a staff/floor RN forever, I never have. I actually like the job I have now and enjoy it overall, so I feel very blessed with that, but its not what I want to be doing forever. I'm going for psychNP so I can have that option, can teach, etc.

I know I dont want to be in the same position I am in now when Im 40-50 years old (I'm 36 yrs old now). So I'm doing something about it and that makes me feel good :)

[j621d]

I have never felt nursing to be a dead-end job. There are so many opportunities, you just have to find them. I find I change about every 6 - 8 years: hours, position in the hospital, and currently I'm in school working towards my masters (graduate in Dec 2010). There are positions outside the hospital, and not just LTC facilities.

If you believe that critical care nursing in the hospital is all you can (or will) do, then, that's all you will achieve. My suggestion is to return to school for more education (BSN if you don't have it). You don't have to get a masters in nursing - you could get another bachelor's (business, marketing, etc.) or you can get an MBA or go to law school. It's all about what you want to make of your situation.

Currently I'm in a job that is a deadend (non-clinical), but when I finish school, I am confident I will get another job in the same facility doing something I will enjoy.

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

like i said...I don't hate nursing...I just hate the fact that you can't just pick up and leave anymore...it really does suck...to feel like you're stuck.

I think I kind of know what you mean. It's not that you can get certifications, go back to school, etc, but it's more if you want to apply for jobs in another field, go from bedside to outpatient, etc, those changes seem to be much harder to make. As someone who has always done peds and wanted a change, I found so many employers wanted to hire people who already had experience in whatever area I was looking at, even though I am an experienced RN.

[TDCHIM]

Try being a print journalist if you want to experience a real dead-end job! The entire profession is dying, roughly 35% of the total workforce has been cut in the last 10 years, and there's no end to the cuts in sight. Nearly everyone working in the profession is trying to get out - all at the same time - so jobs in somewhat similar fields, like marketing, corporate communications, etc., are filled from application pools that often include more than a thousand applicants per position. Moving up is virtually impossible, because those in upper positions are hanging on to their jobs with teeth and toenails. Many of those high-end jobs, such as positions covering pro teams or Washington, have been eliminated and the coverage farmed out to other entities, like the Associated Press. Unless all the news organizations start charging for online content en masse, those jobs are gone for good.

OP, I know you're frustrated right now, but you aren't alone. There are a lot of people trapped in their current positions by the economy at the moment. Try to hang on - the economy will turn around and health care organizations will start hiring again. Once the bigger picture changes, you'll have more opportunities to find a position that suits you as a person and a nursing professional. Keep the faith! I'm pulling for you.

[jmking]

I understand if you feel like you are in a dead end job. I think a majority of nurses feel this way. The economy is bleak and not many openings for nurses to chose. I would like to move on but hey it pays the bills. I have plenty of years left for more exciting future endevors.

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

Have you gotten your CCRN yet? That's something to work towards as an ICU nurse.

Have you noticed if you go through a pattern of feeling this way in the past?

[morphed]

What about travel nursing? You might get a nice change by doing that.

[oramar]

I personal do not know if there are jobs in Atlanta. But if I had nine years experience and had specific ideas about where I wanted to work and what position I wanted, I would apply anyway. My guess that thee are positions opening up in those institutions that are not listed in the help wanted ads. Not a lot but here and there there just have to be positions opening up. Make up a really good resume and send it around to the institutions that interest you. It might cross someones desk at just the right moment. They are most likely reluctant to post a help wanted ad because they would be swamped and your experience would get you a look.

[scoochy]

It is sad that at the age of 28 you feel this way. You stated that you have had your heart set on moving; have you looked at the job market for experienced nurses in different areas of the country? I live in the New England area; I frequently get advertisements in the mail from area hospitals ISO experienced ICU nurses. Put your feelers out; be proactive!

[SuzieL]

Hey Indigo not a plantinum memeber cant reply one to one but there is plenty of work out here for LPN's you can search on Craig's List or Indeed, type in the area where you are relocating too and they will ist it.

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

Hi David

Well I have just got home from have a c**p shift, and I know exactly how you feel. I felt like I was just a pill pusher tonight, (worked in psych unit) & hardly had time to talk to or connect with my patients, something which is very important in psych when patients feel suicidal, etc. I felt like I wasn't making a difference to anyone's lives (even though my patients thanked me for helping them). I think it is time to get out of this soul destroying job, and do or study something where I can actually have a social life, and feel satisfied when I come home. At the moment, I feel like I give my life to this job, and I just get nothing back for it.