ADON and hate it

[aprilrn2010]

Hi, everyone! I'm starting to think that nursing isn't for me. I graduated ADN in 2010 and BSN in 2014. I worked as a CNA for 8 years before I became a nurse. My goal was always to become DON (which I have done). I have been an RN for 6 years now and I have worked long term care, subacute/rehab, behavioral health, med surg, and ER all as bedside. Administration-wise, I have done careplan/mds (5 months), DON (10 months), and now ADON (11 months). I decided after about three years that bedside nursing wasn't for me, so I moved into administration. I left careplans because the team wasn't a good fit for me there. I actually loved my DON position, but the company was making major changes that I did not morally/ethically agree with and myself and almost all of the administration resigned. I had a wonderful team, though. Now I am working as ADON with a different company. I can't stand the administrator and the DON views me as her subordinate. We are not a team. I feel like I am not working up to my full potential, but I know I have had a ton of jobs in the last few years and I don't know what to do. As a single parent, I can't give up my very good income and go back to the floor. I don't want to move to a different job only to not like it either. I am currently in school for my FNP, but rethinking it. Will I be happy with that?

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Honestly, if you didn't care for direct patient care, a NP role doesn't seem to be the best route for you. There are other career directions in graduate education such as Quality/Patient Safety, (very hot in my part of the country), Risk Management, informatics, etc.

I can certainly understand your frustration. I have never wanted to be in nursing administration, and those roles are more difficult than ever.