If you've left a mega hospital for a smaller company...

[Kitty Hawk]

How did you fare?

I mentioned I'm toying around with the idea of maybe leaving the mega hospital system I work for to maybe transition to a imaging center that is a national chain.

I've only been with the hospital about 8mos. Always knew floor nursing isn't "it" for me but want a respectable resume to move on.

So far I passed the phone interview and will proceed to the next step. Who knows what sort of shot I really have but I like to be prepared.

I was surprised to learn that this position makes "significantly more" than my curreny position. I make a little above starting but always figured clinics and whatnot paid less. My health benefits are really good too, especially I don't have to make a huge contribution so that's important as well.

Even in best case if I'd have the opportunity to take this job, I'm nervous to leave a mega hospital that pretty much rules everything in this area including many of the out patient clinics for an "unknown" especially since that unknown is based in another state across the country!

Any thoughts appreciated.

[Kitty Hawk, ADN, RN]

Go for it, check 'em out and if they are OK, then go for it. There is much more opportunity outside of nursing. You will see (forget if you came from a corporate background or not). None of this slave stuff goes on. I think you will thrive.

Thank you. I guess there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to this stuff. I've read here there are people who stayed in the hospital for a short time before moving on and they're successful. I guess it's confusing for me b/c I don't have an exact goal of what I want to do other than eventually be on the side of wellness promotion. I just don't want to be faced with an opportunity down the line of being told "oh if you only stayed at the hopsital for 2 more years..." but if my goal is wellness, then I guess that doesn't make sense. And yes, I did come from a corp background. Prob why I want more "normal" hours

MBARNBSN: Technically I should have a full year before qualifying to other units. Apparantly you can move after 6mos but that's with manager's blessing and she doesn't like to let anyone go. Besides that, I'm not really interested in any other unit on the hospital except maybe the pain clinic as right now I'm basically working with "well patients". So far they're not hiring and positions there are few and far between.

However I feel myself fast burning out at this pace. I don't mind the 7a-7p so much but the night shift wipes me out, my body doesn't adjust too well in that direction, so I can't imagine doing this another couple years. Hoever as interesting as this place sounds, it also sounds limiting as far as skills. I'm not sure what kind of doors it could open for the future or if it would look like a step back instead of gaining more experience in a hospital setting.

This may all be moot. I may interview and they too are looking for more experience but are interviewing for the heck of it. I do know from the phone interview there would be 3 RN's. I guess all I can do is proceed on and see where it goes.

I was hoping to hear from nurses who may have made the jump to an office or clinic in limited speciality then on to something else without needing a ton of hospital background. I remember asking a version of this last year and reading other's threads on the topic and the consensus many have is that you need a good solid 2 or more years in the hospital to make you most marketable. Then again, maybe I just overthink too many things!

[netglow, ASN, RN]

I'm having strong intuition that if you get out and back in corporate you will be the early bird who gets the worm. I just feel that nursing is going in the toilet, it just is.

[Kitty Hawk, ADN, RN]

I'm having strong intuition that if you get out and back in corporate you will be the early bird who gets the worm. I just feel that nursing is going in the toilet, it just is.

Interesting, but I won't go back to what I did. For one thing, it's corporate travel and that's fast moving in the direction of the dinosaurs since clients can investigate their own air fares to be able to argue with you better about why should they pay the ridiculous amt set by their corporate contract No, thanks even on my worst day in the hospital, I'm still treated with more respect than on my best day in travel. Probably had something to do with people can take their frustrations out over the phone.

Overall there's only one doctor that we avoid b/c of his arrogance. However since daylight he has a team of his nurses that are on staff there, we don't deal with him. At night, the resident covers his, among other MD's pts. So really, people wise I'm not complaining. The nurses I work with are pretty much really great, every once in awhile one will tick me off, but it's rare and that's going to happen anywhere.

It's the constant physical stress on my body that I can't take long term I'm really a lightweight for this kind of nursing that somewhat frustrates me too, but I'm not about to destroy my joints I try to use good body mechanics but that only goes so far. That's why I always knew I'd only put in the time I needed to make a good resume, if I can get out sooner and thrive that'd be great.

[Mulan]

I think the local HCA system has that same policy, if you leave they won't hire you back.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Oh, didn't mean going back to what you used to be doing, I guess I meant mixing your business abilities in somehow. You've got business skills that others lack. If it's some kind of case management position, etc. That, would be a good way to get connected to more opportunity than direct bedside or the like.

[Kitty Hawk, ADN, RN]

Oh, didn't mean going back to what you used to be doing, I guess I meant mixing your business abilities in somehow. You've got business skills that others lack. If it's some kind of case management position, etc. That, would be a good way to get connected to more opportunity than direct bedside or the like.

Oh I see! You know I've often wondered if my previous background would help me get a non traditional RN role. I dabbled with different things including setting up groups and it some ways it was a bit of a sales background. I never thought case management would even consider me b/c I don't have the 2+ years but you may be on to something! Cool!, thank you!