Any other new RN's (2nd career) feel completely unsettled in choice?

[Kitty Hawk, ADN, RN]

I'm targeting the 2nd career set b/c I think there's that commonality but as always any perspective is great.

I never thought I'd be thinking this way. I thought I knew this is what I wanted. The more I do my job at LTC the more I see it's not for me. I have serious issues with the "pills I'm pushing" I knew I would, I didn't think it would surface this soon. I have other issues as well but it's pointless to go into all of them. I thought the "place" would be enough, it's not. But it must be for the near future at least.

I love the "idea" of integrative and CAM therapies, but it seems that's a pipedream. I don't see it much in my area. The alternative health places in my area don't seem to hire RN's just ND's so I have no idea how I could work with them.

I have an idea of going on for a FNP but really wonder how feasible (financially start up of a place etc...) plus do I really want that responsibility on me and how to even go into practice with another physician to do integrative medicine. It seems to ridiculous to plan out honestly.

I love research, and learning things(how and why things work the way they do). But I don't think research in the terms of putting together studies appeals to me in the least (using people as guinea pigs). But I do really love the knowledge of all of this and want to continue my education if I could find a schedule that's doable. Just what to do with it?

I'm reading about insurance company nursing and the research part involved in that sounds interesting, but how do I really know? I don't like hospital politics so would I feel the same about insurance or do you have more control esp if you get a master's in that?

What do you do when you know you don't like where you are, but have no idea where to go from there?

I really don't want hospital nursing when I get down to it, but must I in order to move on to insurance, NP, or whatever?

I've read even if you think you've made a mistake in nursing, stick it out there's many avenues, sure how do you figure it out?

I never thought I'd miss the simplicity of my old job. I didn't like feeling beaten down, but at least I had normal hours, saw my family (I really miss not seeing my son, my H tries to stay up and chat but it's getting old). I thought my life would be normal after school, I feel even more unsure now of everything...anyone else?

[HmarieD]

I went into nursing as a second career in my late twenties, after working in a bank for many years. The banking job was soul sucking and I thought nursing would allow me to connect with people in a meaningful and fulfilling way.

I took a job on a busy med-surg floor right after school, and stayed there for 3 years, doing day/night rotation (like, two days of day shift, three days of night shift, three of days, 1 night, on and on in a horrible unworkable pattern). I cried almost every day after work, lost sleep thinking about what I might have forgotten to do, or how something (or someone) almost went bad. I said a prayer every day on my way in to please not let me hurt anyone because there were too many patients, not enough staff, and bad things could easily happen.

I missed taking my daughter to her first day of school; Christmas and Easter mornings that I can never get back, etc etc. I looked back on my boring banker's hours and thought I must have been crazy to do this.

HOWEVER... I finally moved on to Home Health. HH is not for every one, and certainly has stressors like any other nursing job, but for me this is it. This is what I was meant to do. I love everything about it (OK, except maybe when I had to be on call). I've been in HH for about ten years now and will never EVER go back to the hospital.

I guess what I'm saying is, keep looking. There are so many different ways to practice nursing, you will find that perfect fit for you. Some places might let you shadow a nurse to get an idea if you might like their area. I know in HH we will let nurses do ride-alongs with us, with the pt's consent. Hang in there. Keep looking. I'm sending positive thoughts your way...

[Junebugfairy]

you are not simply 'pushing pills', you are caring for your residents/patients. many of the medications increase quality of life through pain control, improvement of cognitive functioning, improvement from the symptoms of parkinson's, reduction of blood pressure, etc.

many, many medications improve the lives, health, and well being of our patients, why should we not want to give patients their properly prescribed meds?

when you work in health care you do have to respect and acknowledge medicines helpful, curative, and life saving abilities.

[esunada]

I am a second career goer too although I'm just taking prereqs right now. I think you need to remind yourself why you went into nursing. The grass is always greener on the other side,so we have to be weary of that before we take a leap. While we can find jobs that better suit us, it is very rare to find one that meets all our expectations: a job is a job after all.

From the sounds of it you want certain things out of nursing, but you don't want the consequences that come with each choice: you want to be an FNP but you don't want to finance it, you want to be an RN but new grads don't get to be picky with hours, you don't like pushing pills in long term care but you like the pace of it, research but without the studies, searching for a clinic that does holistic care, without having to move from your area, taking risks without the uncertainty. I wish, but we can't have it all! At that point, it becomes a question of compromise and understanding what you value most! And then going from there.

Do you value family most? Then start looking for a day job in nursing. Or maybe you ultimately figured out nursing was the wrong choice then move forward and don't look back. Do you value paying the bills and having a stable income versus risking your finances for an FNP? Or did you talk to people about an FNP and willing to save and make sacrifices to get there? Yes, there are so many areas in nursing, and you can find out about them through shadowing, talking to individuals in that field, networking, researching, but I think the question that you need to ask first is why you are in nursing and where you can compromise. Perhaps you need to look at nursing with a different set of eyes as well.

For me, there are a lot of reasons why I went into nursing, and I hope to find a good fit as well, but my reasons for going to nursing will I hope sustain me during the tough times as well. I know I will need to make compromises. But I'm not a nurse, so honestly I have no idea what I'm in for, but what is life without uncertainty?

[roser13, ASN, RN]

I am a 2nd career nurse also. I can't say that I've found it easy but I also don't think that anyone really finds it easy or to their liking right away. I guess it's possible that as "older" nursing students, we have more of a mindset about what we do and do not want from our working environment/career.

I "suffered" through 3 years of floor Med-Surg and it was the best thing I ever did. It gave me a basis to move onto 3 other types of nursing positions in roughly 10 years. I now love what I'm doing and it's age-appropriate (I'm not killing my 50+ body). But it took me awhile to get here and it took me a few positions to figure out what was right for me. And of course, those serial positions enabled me to obtain and succeed in my current position.

I will say, though, as you ponder insurance nursing: I have been on both sides of the insurance company/workers comp company vs. patient equation. As a nurse who takes patient advocacy seriously, I would have an extremely hard time working for any type of insurance company.

[changeofpaceRN]

many, many medications improve the lives, health, and well being of our patients, why should we not want to give patients their properly prescribed meds?

when you work in health care you do have to respect and acknowledge medicines helpful, curative, and life saving abilities.

no you don't have to respect the medicine at all. you have to accept it but you don't have to like it.. hence the ethical problems many of us deal with. some medicine does work and others are over prescribed or just prescribed for the hell of it. poly-pharmacy (which is an issue for about 90% of my residents) is actually killing them through interactions.. how curative and life saving is that? there is a pill for everything and another pill to fight that pills side effects and so on and so forth...

to the op, i got out of the ltc setting because it was ridiculous and i did feel like i was a pill pusher. i went into another field and still use a lot of meds but not nearly as many. i found an area that works for me so there is hope... start exploring your options but don't give in. i have bankers hours now :-)

[Willow Moonsidhe]

We live in a world of future shock people. No matter what job you are in things move so much faster than they use to. Information is in your face daily at a rapid rate, always work faster and harder. It is not about what you know and can do well but how fast can you do it. As one who had to leave the field then return due to a compartment syndrome injury. I am feeling that shock really well. My knowledge is more from reading so much when I could not walk but the level and pace people expect you to work in any field has increased so much. Give your self some self paced meditation time, relaxation time and family time. Don't be all work and no play. It is much too busy a whole for that now. Let your brain just rest. :idea:

Love

~Willow

[elprup, BSN, RN]

Kittyhawk, I agree. This is so not what I expected when I graduated at age 39...and still looking for any nursing position that will train me. You might look at http://ce.nurse.com/RAllCourses.aspx You can look at and go through any of the continuing education courses for free (just choose what you want and hit start course, then read each page only have to pay if you want the CE units) and read about different types of nursing to get an idea what they are like. For example, I read Intro to Hospice and was really suprised at how the Hospice RN manages everything plus the pt, it really interested me.

Best wishes

[LeLeeFNP]

you are not simply 'pushing pills', you are caring for your residents/patients. many of the medications increase quality of life through pain control, improvement of cognitive functioning, improvement from the symptoms of parkinson's, reduction of blood pressure, etc.

many, many medications improve the lives, health, and well being of our patients, why should we not want to give patients their properly prescribed meds?

when you work in health care you do have to respect and acknowledge medicines helpful, curative, and life saving abilities.

i normally don't respond in this manner to anyone but this is quite comical. are you still a nursing student? because you sure sound like one with this statement. this is the crap they feed you in school. sure some medicine may save a patient's life temporarily, but overall it's all about continuing to feed the money hungry healthcare system. its about life dependency on physicians, insurance companies and pharmaceuticals rather that healing and curing the ill. especially in long term care. maybe you are just trying to see the glass as half full instead of half empty, but the op has every right to feel the way she feels.

[amparo]

Hi everyone, I am a new RN (if I may say), got my license last yr, a foreign graduate from asia. I too have the same problem, am currently working at a LTC facility as a treatment nurse, it is a better area I guess because it is less stressful than pushing a cart of pills. But the big concern is this field is not taking me anywhere. I have been applying to hospitals and had few interviews but they were always a failure because they want somebody with the experience (how can I get experience if they won't give me a chance, knowing that I am a medical doctor in my country, even that did'nt get me through the hospitals I was applying for). Anyway, it is hard when you don't like your job, I too am looking for other alternatives to practice nursing. You are not alone....sometimes I feel like disappearing in to oblivion and sometimes i would think that depression has won over me, it's hard, I gave up a lot for this? what a waste! I guess, we'll just have to wait and figure it out on our own, they are right, there are a lot of other avenues for nursing service.

[forthebirds]

duplicate post

[forthebirds]

I must admit the responses from some of those who are not actual nurses with hands on experience is frustrating. Its kind of like telling someone how to raise children with out ever having been a parent yourself. As another poster said, it must be a way for them to see the glass 'half full' versus contemplate that they themselves could face the same impasse as the OP. Consider this, if you are second career/degree likely you are a person who has already invested significantly in their own education and is also established in life (kids, house, etc.)--flip suggestions that the OP did not try hard enough or is unwilling to move or make further concessions in life fly in the face of the path they have already traveled.

To the OP I too am a 2nd degree/career nurse and have yet to find my niche. Been in a couple of areas so far, haven't found 'the one' and I'm not sure I ever will but I continue to search and look for new possibilities. One idea, have you ever considered some type of physical fitness (if that interests you) where you are working with people to prevent illness and improve physical health? You would need certification as a trainer, not a major financial investment to become a certified personal trainer (see http://www.acsm.org). The other post with the link to nursing CE credits seems like a great area to surf around too. It probably would help to know your true interests, have you ever considered the myers-briggs test (yea, I'm partial to the myers-briggs...)? Understanding your personality type may be helpful in guiding you further. I wish you the best in your search to find your niche in whatever area that turns out to be.