Advice for outpatient OB to inpatient

[DaniDP]

Hello all,

I am hoping you all can give me some advice.

Background:

Out of nursing school, I worked PRN days & nights on a Med/Surg floor for 1 year and 3 months. My heart has always been in Women's Health.

I currently work in an outpatient OB/GYN clinic that serves underserved patients. I love the population that I work with and many of my co-workers. When I began, I started as a clinical nurse I, after 2 years in this position, the clinical supervisor abruptly left. I was asked to be the clinical supervisor. I said NO several times because I saw how stressful it could be with all the constraints from upper management. However, I was told that since I was the team lead, I would have to train whoever the new person would be anyway so I would be doing the job without the pay. I've never been moved by a title and pay, more so my love for what I do. (After taxes I'm only making $137 more than before) Therefore, against my better judgment, I went ahead and accepted the position. 6 months in and I really dislike it. I reaaaaallly miss my patients and building my relationships with them like I did when I first came. We are currently short staff, so I take every chance I get to help on the floor. My team loves it and so do I. However, my practice manager has forewarned me that once we are adequately staffed, I will have to be on the floor only in a supervising role! I really hate to leave my team because they always tell me about the positive changes that have been made since I took the position and I really love them. But, at this point, I really want to transfer back to the hospital and get back to patient care.

My major concern is that I have lost many of my skills working outpatient (IVs, assessments, other skills I can't think of). Also, I don't want to be stuck in this type of work, should I need to move.

I have researched and come across these positions at different hospitals within our very large system: PT (3-12s and 2-12s per pay period) & FT LDRP position, PRN & PT High-risk OB, PRN nights High Risk postpartum, and FT nights L&D at our larger hospital

I'm wondering what I should do? What areas should I apply for?

I feel like I'm going through a mid-life crisis right now. On top of all of that, my husband and I are trying to conceive for the first time and stress isn't helping.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!!

[BSNbeauty, BSN, RN]

Is there anyway you can keep your job you have now and just pick up an impatient PRN shift once a month ?

[DaniDP]

I work for a large healthcare system, so if I wanted to stay in the system I could NOT because my current position is salary and they don't allow salary to do PRN within the system. I could, however, apply for PRN in another system in this area.

[jenrninmi, MSN, RN]

I don't know about where you work, but everywhere I've been you can't get a prn position if you don't have any experience in that particular job. Such as, if you're looking to get a prn position in l&d, you have to have experience in that position first. I'd say at least a year. I would just get a part-time or full-time position and leave the job you hate.

[blackribbon]

Just apply for the positions you are interested in. Our training is full time regardless of the status of the position so you will likely have to either take a leave of absence from your current job or quit. Training is fairly thorough and larger hospitals teach everything because they want you to follow their policies and not just use older techniques. My hospital would hire you in a minute because you do have experience even if you need more job specific training. I just cross trained from gyn/med/surg to postpartum at our hospital as a group of nurses from both units being trained to cross units to meet census and staffing needs. Be honest in your interview about your skills and what you feel rusty on, and just be enthusiastic about being willing to learn. Good luck and have confidence. The people working under you obviously do.