Nurses Helping Nurses
allnurses Network: Central | Jobs | Books | Newsletter
allnurses: A Nursing Community for Nurses
Home General News Blogs Articles Students Region Specialty Degrees F.A.Q.
Nursing Career Advice /

Accepted a job in one area, but a new passion has developed



Did You Know?
allnurses is the largest community for nurses on the web. We now have over 388,523 members! Join today to network with other nurses, laugh, share, and much more.

Nov 13, 2008 10:00 AM

Accepted a job in one area, but a new passion has developed


Let me preface by saying that I realize how fortunate I am to have either the OR or ICU as an option for my first nursing job. Also, I'm valedictorian of my class, taught myself about critical care-hemodynamics, vents, EKGs, etc.-since our program has no critical care class, and have confidence in my ability to succeed in either of these disciplines with the proper mentoring. I probaby would've gone to med school if I had been a little more focused in college, but as my dilemma illustrates, focus is not one of my strengths.

The short version: my program has no OR or ICU clinical experience so I set up my own OR observations, watched surgeries, joined the AORN, read books and decided OR might be right for me. I was offered a job at the hospital affiliated with my nursing school in September (I graduate in December) and I verbally accepted in early October. Fast forward to our 200 hour senior synthesis when OR was not an option. I took a position in the surgical ICU figuring it would be relevant. 36 hours in, I am in love with the SICU and now seriously regretting my decision to work in the OR.

I originally picked OR because I like the specialty, like the organization and order, like the possibility of RNFA and thought it would make me marketable for travel nursing/medical missions.

I like the SICU because the cases are varied, I'm learning a ton of skills, there's a huge amount of autonomy and clinical decision-making, I like the possibility of working nights and I love the atmosphere. I'm not sure if I could get on at a place like Doctors Without Borders with ICU experience since most of the developing world doesn't have vents and LVADS. Also, I am planning down the line to get an acute care NP degree so either area would be relevant.

I feel like a made a commitment to the OR so I should stick with it, but I'm not sure if it is viewed as a commitment by HR since I haven't signed a contract. Plus, two years feels like such a long time (The ICU commitment is 1 year.) But as both opportunities are at the same (only) major teaching institute in town, I don't want to talk to an HR person to be told that it would be poor form to back out and then start my job with a negative impression of me...


Share

Search Tags
None
Top

 
Advertisement
Sponsored Links
 
Reply




Thread Tools


Who's Online
415 members
3,660 guests
4,075

0

Patient Evaluation of Retail Clinic Care

0

The hard to reach on-call doctor, and its effects on...

3

Woman charged with passing off prescription drug as...

8

Man in "Vegetative State" was conscious for 23...

2

Interesting article on ThedaCare's Collaborative Care Model

7

Possible breakthrough regarding MS

63

16th Philly area hospital to stop delivering babies: Mercy...

10

Really interesting article on Indian open hearts

10

High-Tech Pump Does What Her Heart Can't

6

Air Force RN Found Not Guilty






Currently Reading This Page: 1 (0 members & 1 guests)

Interested in the hottest topics of the week? Subscribe to the Nurse-zine Newsletter.
Enter email address: