Am I wasting my skills?

[CallingNurseNena]

Let me start by saying. I absolutely LOVE my job. I'm a private duty nurse in pediatric home health. I couldn't have asked for a better opportunity to work with kids.

My dilemma is, being a new grad was this the best decision for me as far as getting experience and using my skills? My train of thought in the beginning was this will be a great way to get experience and learn to work independently. Most of the little kiddos I take care of have trachs and vents. So I'm getting experience in that aspect, but something tells me I'm missing out. On what I'm not sure.

I'm not one of those nurses who's dying to work in the hospital. I've done that as a tech for a while and I've seen the level of stress it can cause nurses. With that being said I'm not totally against it either. I just want to be able to work in the nicu or picu when I do decide to get back into that setting.

I guess I'm just sorta venting to you guys and just want to hear what some of you have to say about this situation. I'm very happy with what I'm doing. I'm just afraid of wasting my skills so early in my career.

[llg, PhD, RN]

If you are happy ... be happy ... enjoy it ... consider yourself lucky. You are definitely more fortunate than most people, so just enjoy it for a while.

If you feel the need for some other type of experience, figure out a way to get it while you keep the job that makes you happy and provides you with a level of income that satisfies you. For example, perhaps you can volunteer with a medical mission group for a couple of weeks per year. Or get a very part time job that gives you whatever it is that you think you need. Or perhaps you take a few classes ... that maybe lead to something down the road.

But I wouldn't throw your happiness away to pursue a career path that your heart doesn't call out for. Life is too short to make yourself unhappy pursuing someone else's dream. If you get your own dream of something else ... pursue it. But until then, wait and enjoy where you are.