Help me reach the top of the mountain before I'm over the hill!

[LanceEA]

I could really use some career advice. Since I became an RN 8 years ago I have wanted to work in an acute care setting. To describe my current experience. I worked with Med/Surg patients for three years at a VA hospital. I left there 3 years ago. I moved to a hospital that is supposed to have better career opportunities as it's a teaching hospital. So now I have 3 years experience on a psychiatric unit which seems to preclude me from gaining any position in acute care or even something on the ladder towards that. I am beginning my second semester in a BSN program at the end of August.

What can I do to make nurse managers look at me without chuckling?

[firstinfamily, RN]

You can become Psych certified!! Do not feel down, this is most likely going to become a very demanding area for nurses. Have you thought about working for a psychiatrist or psychologist? You could be in demand for out patient type services, hospice services etc. With a lot of elderly diagnosed with dementia/altzheimers and the baby boomers who abused their bodies with drugs more than any other generation, you could almost practice psych nursing with a private office. Just because you may not have the med-surg experience does not mean you are not marketable. Psych nursing should be used in all the Home Health Agencies, maybe try to see if there are any opportunities in that area of nursing. It all depends on what you want to do. Don't let any of the managers intimidate you!!!