Happy RN jobs

[NightNerd, MSN, RN]

I've been a hospice nurse for about a year now, actually worked in hospice before and became a nurse to do this specifically. I love my job and have had some wonderful moments with patients and families. BUT. I can definitely feel the sadness getting to me a lot more than it used to.

I'm pretty good about self care, so I'm not too concerned about myself at this point. I have thought about where I'd like to take my nursing career in the future, and a few directions come to mind; overall, though, I do want to try something other than hospice someday.

I have always had a fascination with forensic nursing and am hopefully getting my SAFE certification this spring so I can get an on call position for that. I can see myself getting further into that specialty as time goes by and I gain more experience. However, given that I already know the effect hospice is having on me, I anticipate that this field will present similar challenges. So I'm trying to think about alternatives.

So I'm curious: what's your specialty? Would you consider it "happy"? What are some of the positive experiences and moments you've taken from your work?

[Farawyn]

I would LOVE to do forensics.

And hospice.

Right now I'm a School Nurse. High School. Tons of happy, little bits of tragedy.

The money is TERRIBLE, so I also work HH. That's pretty happy, because, for the most part, the patients are so grateful and you are truly providing a needed service. If you get the paperwork "down" it is well paying.

[nutella, MSN, RN]

I am a certified palliative and hospice nurse, worked in hospice and now palliative care. It is definitely an area that is gratifying with a lot of room for professional and personal growth - I would say it is a happy job for me.

But I also found that acute dialysis was a happy job and ICU/Critical Care as well.

In different stages of my life I found different areas and work modalities to be "happy" .

I do not think that my current job is the last one I will have until I retire, something else "happy" will come along one day...

[Davey Do]

One reason why you're good at "self care" is probably because you have the gift of planning ahead, CLoGreenEyes!

So I'm curious: what's your specialty? Would you consider it "happy"? What are some of the positive experiences and moments you've taken from your work?

As my signature states, I specialize in Psych. But I've done time in ER, OR, CD, HH, Med-Surg and Administration. I've been extremely happy in some positions and miserable in others.

The one common denominator that I've found in happy workplaces was not only the patient population served, but the coworkers involved. When a group of employees works in one accord, is focused on a consensual goal, and has positive attitude about that goal, it makes for a happy workplace.

I have been in my current position for 13 years and am relatively happy with it, on a large part due to my coworkers.