Advice for psych RN w/ new clinic job interested in ED

[ivyleaf]

I have been working in psych nursing for the last 8 years, the last 1.5 in a hospital setting. I never intended to go into psych, but was interested in psychology and kinda fell into it through connections.

This spring/summer, I decided I really didn't want to do straight psych/substance abuse any longer (I have been considering a move for years). I had applied to ED and some med surg positions over the past few years with no luck.

So, I applied to a glut of med surg, ltac, Ed, and primary care/clinic positions. The latter because I am also interested in that (although less than ED), and have had such little luck w med surg and ED jobs in the past-- and this would at least be a change from psych.

Unfortunately, the time I was applying coincided with the time our hospital's ltac was closing, so (totally understandably) these nurses were given priority for all med surg, ED, and other ltac jobs within our hospital system. I also hated med/surg clinical in nursing school (I've loved shadowing and volunteering in the ED) and am scared of if (in a different way than the ED)-- esp reading so many posts about new med surg nurses running around w poor ratios giving pills and completing task after task without much time for critical thinking (I'm talking new, not experienced med surg nurses, and those who don't necessarily want to stay there).

My only offers ended up being in primary care/family/internal medicine clinics (2 FT, 1 per diem). The most interesting was one that floated between different clinic sites, including specialties, OB, and urgent care. I thought the urgent care exp would be great and like the idea of floating for variety (I get bored w routine). Plus it's in my hospital system and very local.

I agonized over applying to more med surg jobs (I got an interview at a local ED in our system and didn't get the job but the recruiter told me I'd have a better shot at the new med surg opening they just got)-- but I had to make a decision and couldn't guarantee I'd get that job or any other m/s job (based on my track record), although I had recently made a contact in our ED who knew someone on a m/s floor (although there were no openings for more than 20hr/wk). but I had been waiting to hear back from the ED interview (which I got w her help) and by the time I heard back, I had to make a decision about the floating clinic job. Plus I found out yesterday she hated working on that floor anyways...and itbis known within our hospital to be a dumping ground shitshow

So I ended up taking the clinic job-- new, (non acute) medical exp for me, floating to urgent care, great schedule, less stress than med surg... But a few weeks later now I'm regretting it... One of my friends at the psych place I still work at (I have 4 wks left) does geri medical psych and was talking about an exciting code situation she had at work and is now applying to med surg jobs. A bunch of new opening s just popped up at our hospital and sister hospital. I feel like I've been putting off Medsurg (and by proxy, ED), for years now, and I should just suck it up and do it while I'm going. But, I've already accepted this position (which is at the outpatient arm of our hospital group), don't want to burn bridges/get a bad rap at the system (its small-- the ED recruiter knew the clinic job recruiter), and may not get any of those med surg jobs anyways (sometimes they're postings that they've basically already filled via techs graduating from nursing school or internal transfers) that they're obligated to post.

Sorry for the length of this post.

Thoughts??

[Dragonnurse1, ASN, RN]

I am not sure what you are asking but with that said if you want to go to the ED focus on the ED and leave Med Surg alone. Your friend was excited about something that is not in the norm and may find herself disappointed. Continue your new choice but keep asking/applying for the ED. Let your recruiter know that you really want the ED and keep in touch with her. Remember the squeaky wheel gets the grease.