Advice on which direction to take

lauraelise · Oct 10, 2019

Hi All,

I graduated with my BScN in 2017. I wrote my NCLEX and my first nursing job was working at a children's camp in Alberta. I absolutely loved it and the kids. When I came home to Ontario I worked adult medicine and it was one of the most uncomfortable experiences of my life, for many reasons (dangerous nurse to patient ratios, first year working after getting licensed, poor work environment). So I quit medicine and went back to camp nursing for another summer and loved it again. This time I stayed in Calgary and got hired on L&D. This was a better fit for the OPPOSITE reasons (better nurse to patient ratios, was not a new grad hitting the unit, great team environment) but I by no means have a passion for obstetrics. I have been on the unit for 1 year and gave it my honest shot. I wrote out many lists of likes and dislikes and it really isn't a good fit for me for reasons I have self identified.

I can stay afloat working shift but I feel as nurses we have the odds stacked against us when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. My body feels the effect of working 12-14 hour days, and switching every 2 weeks between days and nights, etc. No job or opportunity is perfect, and I understand that these could be uncomfortable growing pains I might need to experience to lead me closer to a better fitting career. But I would at least like to be heading in the right direction. To be a bit more intentional. I really would love to try out adolescent mental health nursing or even start in adult mental health to get my feet wet, and have applied to the 4 largest hospitals in the city for both inpatient and outpatient but haven't been able to land an interview. I've tried following up with managers for feedback for future applications and they have not replied. I have applied to Seattle Children's Hospital, The Children's Hospital of Colorado, and Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland as I am quite mobile (no spouse or children, no house). I am hesitant to move to another city quite so soon as I have only been in Calgary for a year and restarting your life is very stimulating.

I guess I'm just looking for a bit of guidance right now. Questions I should be asking myself. Places I haven't looked or opportunities I haven't considered. Open to all honest answers. Thanks in advance.