Advice needed

[smiletoday]

I am in a bit of a dilemma. After being a LPN for three years in a ltc and TCU, I graduated as an RN last spring. My experience thus far has been geriatrics, med/surge, and currently working PP. So what is the question? Well I am leaving my pp position. I have two job offers at this time. One is in the float pool (day and evenings) and the other is in L@D (Day/night)at another hospital. I don't know which job to take. I decided that I don't like working in the PP. When I first took the job it was with intent that I would train into Labor and Delivery. Now I don't know if I don't like it because I am not busy enough or because the management that I work for is not very supportive. I do find PP to be boring and and not as challanging. Not to offend anyone but, I personally, feel that I lost alot of my nursing skills. I learned new skills as well, but I lost alot of other skills that I have and no longer feel as confident that I once felt. So the advice that I need from my fellow nurses is. First is there large down time in L and D. I don't like to sit around. Will I really be passing up a once in a life time oppurtunity by declining the L and D position. I don't like nights, therefore, would the day/evening position be enough to help determine which position to take. Part of me feels that I should take the float position to solidify my nursing skills while I am exposed to many different areas in the hospital, allowing me to to experience different areas so that in the future I can make a very knowledgeable decision. Just a little more info about me. I always wanted to go into the NICU, I love the babies, the moms. OH??. I would consider the ER or the ICU. I love high anxiety. I can think on my feet better than when I sit and over analyze things. I'm not scare of blood or vomit. Poop I don't like. I also love the technical skills of nursing. OHHHH what am I to do. Any advice would help. I need to make a decision by tomorrow. I tried to make a decision on my own the last few days and have gotten nowhere...

[NeosynephRN]

Well I am in ICU...if you do not like poop...I would steer clear. I feel like I spend some of my days up to my elbows in poop. Love primary care. I would not consider L&D a once in a lifetime opportunity..why could you not apply for another L&D job after "refining" your nursing skills. I mean you are young into your career and in nursing you can go so many places. I would think the float pool would be attracive to you since you say you like to be on the move and doing stuff. Well likely they will float you to the busier floors! Good Luck with your choice.

Personally I would choose L&D...that is because floating does not really interest me, I like to have a home base..know where all my stuff is and such...guess I am anal that way. LOL!!

[smiletoday]

Thank you for your response.

Sometimes I think that the ICU would be the place for me in a couple of years. As a float pool nurse in one year you are ICU trained. Big benefit. I don't mind the poop. I have cleaned my share of poop. I have actually worked with rectal foleys in the past. Cleaned the foleys and extracted samples for testing. Don't mind this at all. However, you do have a point regarding the home base. I most likely will miss that. The trade off I hear is that in the float pool you don't have to deal with office politics. I know that I speak more favorably towards the float pool. I just don't know if I am leaning towards that because it is more familiar to me and if I am preventing myself from trying new things. I wish I had a clear understading that Labor and delivery is not my niche or am I not giving it a chance because of a negative experience. I guess I just don't want to be thinking years later that I wish I should have.

[jhhrn68]

I would say, why not ask if you can shadow a L&D nurse for a shift or two and see what it is like. L&D can be very fast paced and stressful. We haven't had many slow periods at our hosptal lately. But, there are times when there is no one in the L&D suite. At my home hospital, we all are crsoo-trained in PP, nursey and L&D. I always liked L&D the best but sometimes PP is a nice break. I, too, like having a home base and would not like floating.

[RNBelle]

L&D can be busy or slow. just depends on how many inductions and how many random people in labor walk through the door. days where i work tend to be busier than nights but there are plenty of nights with 5 L&D patients and 2 nurses. as with nursing there will always be opportunites. just do a little extra soul searching to figure out where you want to be working now in your life. i am not a float kind of girl - i am all scattered when they pull me to work in a different unit. but if you are good with change, go for it.