Not Happy with Nursing~ Advice Please

[Delag5]

HI All

I have been a RN for 1 year now. I am so unhappy with my career choice and not sure which way to steer it to get the involvement or lack there of that I want. I currently work on a med/surg oncology unit. We are always short staffed, alot of the time we have a roaming huc that we share between 2 units and we are not allowed a cna unless our census is at least 8. I usually get 5-6 patients on my 12 hour shift with no recognition of acuity level.

My unhappiness with my degree is that I always knew I wanted to be in a very personalized type of nursing, meaning a very one on one personal care with the patient. I want to be in a clinic I think ! I have been a medical assistant in the past. I feel that I would love to be in a private practice and teach prevention, possibly pre-surgical or case management? I feel myself leaning more towards a case management or administrative field. I am not able to give my patients good quality care, I can not spend the tiem with them that they need. We have all brought this to the managers attention but things never change. Moral on the unit is everyone for themselves, assignments are often unfair and not weighted fair, no one wants to help each other, and all new staff coming on quickly find out that we are always short and they quickly decide they dont like it either.

I am not sure which way to turn in my career... I mean what should I be seeking as far as education in order to get to the kind of nursing I want. I am very unhappy that is all I know. Nursing is not at all the way I envisioned going to school working so hard, I am very disappointed. I have a second interview at the end of the month with an oncologist that needs an RN to manage his oncology patients. I have expressed in the first interview that I am still sort of a " new nurse" but they dont mind and have even asked me to interview with the new doc when he comes into town. I am hoping I get the position. I am also 39 and .... well my body hurts all over after 13 hours on my feet. UGHH so confused !!! I know some of you may have some strong feelings please be nice ..... LOL:nurse: but honest

[SRDAVIS]

Nurse friend we won't attack you many of us have been there. Maybe oncology nursing isn't for you. I float and I find the onc floor a tad bit much. But I think you are heading in the right direction at least you got that first year out the way. I hated nursing my first year as well. But year two was so much better. good luck with interview.

[mama_d, BSN, RN]

If you enjoy working with the oncology pts, but not the environment you're currently doing it in...have you thought about trying to find a role as a nurse navigator? Sounds like something you'd be interested in, although with the economy the way it is those positions can be hard to find.

Our hospice and palliative care nurses also get to spend a decent amount of one-on-one time with the patients.

It sounds to me more like you don't like your current job, not that you don't like nursing. You've toughed it out and gotten that experience, so if it's time to find greener pastures it is what it is. Best of luck with your upcoming interview.

[rninbloom]

I agree with others...sounds like you just need a change of environment.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

[nursetin]

Most nurses are not happy. You are not alone. You really need to love what you do because at the end of the day, your happiness is what will matter. Nursing is a very hard job that's why nurses quit after months of working. And with the economy, it is becoming a very unsafe environment for nurses to practice.

[missladyrn]

Op I am with you. I feel exactly the same way and it is refreshing to hear it from someone else. I hate spending an entire shift understaffed, running around with a full bladder, killing myself to get as much done as I can, and yet still leaving feeling as if I did a crappy job and did not take good care of my patients. Nursing does not suit my personality. I can't let the little things go and they take up a lot of time that we just don't have. I feel like we ru in, throw meds at the patient, then run off to the me t one. They barely even know our names.