career advice

Nurses Career Support

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Hello,

I visit this set often and this is my first posting. I need career advice. I am an RN with 10 yrs nursing experience. I am currently a primary care nurse working at a desk job for the past 4 yrs. I deal with incoming calls and most of my day spent dealing with a variety of issues. Some nursing triage. I work M-F, no weekends/holidays. There is more work than can be done in an 8 hr day. Very common in any nursing postion. Problem is I am very bored with the position. Not learning much. No option to move to any other position. Work not very challenging other than try like hell to get as much done as possible in an 8 hr day. I have used my stethescope a handful of times in the 4 yrs in this position.

I am an older nurse. Got my BSN at age 40. I also have experience in med/tele, peds rehab, med/surg, community health. I am tired of the M-F, want flex schedule. I find M-F so confining. The biggest change I am looking for right now is a flexible schedule, want my life back. I would love to try home care nursing. I don't feel I have the nursing skills to do so right now. I do not care for bedside nursing but feel I need to do that for 1-2 yrs to regain nursing skill. I feel so out of touch with nursing skill and knowledge that I have enrolled in an online RN Refresher course. I will earn CEUs so not so bad. If online agrees with me will consider masters courses.

Big question: Will I be as marketable if I contine in Primary Care with an advanced degree or is going back to bedside nursing a better avenue.

I'm not looking forward to bedside nursing as I remember what it was like. Don't think I'd get a job in home care without the experience though. I'd love to get my advanced degree to work more one-on-one patient education. Home care is a great way to do this.

Any advice from more experienced nurses in the field would be greatly appreciated. Please consider my age as well. I'm in excellent health.

Thank you in advance.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatric, Behavioral Health.

Due to the nature of your post, I am moving it to the Career Advice forum.

Welcome.

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I'm also looking for career advice. I have been an OR nurse for 32 years.I was burnt out in it after the first 10 years, but felt trapped to stay because it was all I knew. I'm now 56 years old and due to a disability am no longer able to work in surgery (what a relief that is!). I need to find a different area of nursing that I would be capable of with only having experience in surgery. I think that a job like yours sounds ideal for me! Can you share more information about what the job entails, if you need specific education, or certificates? Also, how would one go about finding a job like this- do you work for a hospital, an insurance company, or what? Are you considered an advice nurse, or is what you're describing more specialized than advice nursing?

Sorry for all the questions, but I'll tell you whatever you need to know about working in surgery...:icon_roll

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