Advice needed please!

I've done telemetry for 3 years now, did a year of nights first. I definitely feel like you learn so much time management actually working that you would be fine on days now. Yes, it is more chaotic, but it's a controlled chaos and I feel like I get more help during busy times. I definitely think you should let your manager know what's going on before they hear it from someone else, staff talks. Especially a close staff. I've also done travel nursing for about 6 months now, and I've yet to work at a hospital where I didn't love the staff. Of course you can always find bad apples, but for the most part, the staff you work with become your second family fairly quickly because you spend so much time together. My advice to you is to talk with your manager about your career goals, they will understand. Remember, before they were your manager they were once a staff nurse just like you.

Your loyalty should be to your patients and yourself. If you can't be the best nurse you can by working telemetry, you owe it to yourself to find your niche. You owe it to your current patients to help them receive the best care possible, and you owe it to your future patients in the area where you can excel. Not every nurse is suited for every department, and certainly the first department you work on should be a "test the waters" sort of endeavor, not a lifelong commitment from the start. Talk to your supervisor, let her know you applied for another department and why. Ask for her help in finding your strengths and applying it in the area where you can do the most good. If you must, remind her that you are remaining loyal to your hospital, to your community, and to your profession. She may inadvertantly (or intentionally) guilt you that "these patients need you"; I hear that a lot myself when I verbalize a concern. All patients need good nurses. All patients deserve motivated caretakers. All nurses need a place where they can feel they are doing the best job. That doesn't just go for the patients on your tele floor, but for every floor in every hospital. If you feel you can do better elsewhere, go elsewhere.

I came from psych before I was nurse to oncology where I am an RN now. My past experience makes my current floor better. My current experience will make my future department better. In general learning as much as you can about nursing will make your hospital better for as long as you work there, and for wherever you go in the future. Nursing is a field for growth and potential. Remember that what you learned in tele can be valuable in other areas. And don't beat yourself up for recognizing your limitations - it's a sign of a professional.

And if your new job isn't as close-knit as your current floor, do what you can to improve that once you get there.