Thinking of leaving management to return to bedside nursing

Nurses General Nursing

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I have been a nurse for 20+ years. Since 2004 I have been either a charge nurse or a Clinical Supervisor. One year ago I completed my BSN. During the time that I worked on my BSN I started to miss bedside nursing. Currently I am very unhappy in my job as a Clinical Supervisor of a small department. To make a long story a little shorter... lately the desire to return to the bedside has been consuming me. I have not been able to sleep, I am always thinking about it. I have interviewed with a floor I used to work on as a Charge Nurse, the job is mine if I want it. The new Manager seems great, he is willing to give me whatever orientation I feel is needed, even 3 months or more. I think I would have great support from some of the co-workers that are still on the unit - I have been gone about five years. The money is less... I would be working night shift to make up some of the difference since I have a son in college and another to start in three years.

I am interested in Management but feel like I have lost clinical skills. I want to be able to do the job that I am the Manager of. My plan is to get my Master's degree while working at this job. My current job is five days a week and this would be three 12 hour shifts.

I am very nervous about the decision I need to make. I have been on numerous websites doing refreshers on such things as Ventilators, medications, ABG's and such.

Is this a wrong decision? Would it be looked at as taking a step backwards in my career? My husband who is a Nurse Practicioner seems to think this is a step backwards.

Has anyone done this that can give me some advice?

What makes you think this is a step BACKWARD?

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Specializes in MSP, Informatics.

the pressure and bs was just too much.

i know bedside nsg has its own set of pressure, but it can't be compared with trying to placate upper mgmt and staff employees.

I agree 100%

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Specializes in Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health.

Your career doesn't necessarily have to be a linear trajectory of onwards and upwards. You do what interests you and makes you happy. I've taken sidesteps and downgrades and never regretted my decisions to do what I wanted. I've been a charge nurse and a clinical nurse specialist and enjoyed those positions for the time I was in them. I am now a bedside nurse again and loving every minute of it.

As the wonderful Millie Jackson once said: "Do what makes you satisfied"

Good luck.

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Hello All and thank you for sharing. Its nice to know that I am not the only one feeling the desire to return to bedside nursing. I have been a nurse for 14 years, last 6 to 8 have been in case management, but the problem I am having is everyone who calls me is either calling for travel nursing or more case management. I am not comfortable with the travel nursing and want to do bedside to become more confident, but most places are asking for 1-2 years of recent bedside nursing experience. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can land a position or how to make myself more marketable? Every place has new graduate programs but maybe some of these facilities should consider having some kind of a refresher program for those returning to the bedside who are already nurses.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
On 12/3/2011 at 1:48 PM, bboopRN4 said:

I have been a nurse for 20+ years. Since 2004 I have been either a charge nurse or a Clinical Supervisor. One year ago I completed my BSN. During the time that I worked on my BSN I started to miss bedside nursing. Currently I am very unhappy in my job as a Clinical Supervisor of a small department. To make a long story a little shorter... lately the desire to return to the bedside has been consuming me. I have not been able to sleep, I am always thinking about it. I have interviewed with a floor I used to work on as a Charge Nurse, the job is mine if I want it. The new Manager seems great, he is willing to give me whatever orientation I feel is needed, even 3 months or more. I think I would have great support from some of the co-workers that are still on the unit - I have been gone about five years. The money is less... I would be working night shift to make up some of the difference since I have a son in college and another to start in three years.

I am interested in Management but feel like I have lost clinical skills. I want to be able to do the job that I am the Manager of. My plan is to get my Master's degree while working at this job. My current job is five days a week and this would be three 12 hour shifts.

I am very nervous about the decision I need to make. I have been on numerous websites doing refreshers on such things as Ventilators, medications, ABG's and such.

Is this a wrong decision? Would it be looked at as taking a step backwards in my career? My husband who is a Nurse Practicioner seems to think this is a step backwards.

Has anyone done this that can give me some advice?

Management is a different skill set from bedside, and they are both valuable skill sets. I'm trying not to be offended at the idea that stepping back to the bedside is a step backwards in the career. Bedside nursing is an interesting and challenging career, and if your heart is set on doing it, more power to you. I've known a few managers who have done it, and all profess themselves to be glad they did.

One thing I'm sure you're thinking about is overtime pay, which you don't get as a manager. I worked a lot of it when the child was in college.

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