would you apply for this job??

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I have posted on here about similar topics but now it is crunch time.

I have been a nurse just shy of 2 years and have worked in oncology (bone marrow transplant) and a level III NICU during this time. My first job was simply a foot in the door at the teaching hospital I wanted to work for..the second job was what I *thought* was my dream job. After allowing myself about 6 months to get acclimated to each of these units I just don't feel happy. I don't enjoy bedside nursing and have almost left nursing altogether to go pursue a teaching degree. I like some things about my job...I like the people, the technology, medicine in general, and I truly desire to help people...I just don't want to be at the bedside anymore. I have considered clinic jobs or a desk job but I don't think either of those would challenge me in the ways I am looking for. I still like the blood, guts, and excitment of nursing and don't want to leave that behind.

That being said, someone threw out the idea to me that maybe I would like to work in an OR. I still get to be a nurse, still get to help people and get just enough patient interaction to satisfy me..but I am not running back and forth between patients. I love the idea of one patient. I love the idea of scrubbing into a surgery and being part of the action. I love the idea of knowing the surgery and anticipating the surgeons next move. I love the idea of shipping my patient off and getting in a fresh new case.

That being said, there is a job position...well several jobs open in my hospital for an OR internship. It is for new nurses and experieced nurses without OR experience and the orientation is 6 months long. In this time period they teach you some scrub nursing and all the duties of a circulator. It is in a large level 1 trauma hospital and you basically see a whole lot of everyting. In the 6 months you have to be open to working any shift, taking call, working weekends, holidays, etc. Which is fine..I am young, I live with my boyfriend, no children, no real reason I can't do that. Then when you finish you have to committ to 2 years working there either in the main OR, an outpatient surgery area or whatever. Your job after orientation will depend on your hours and schedule from then on out...but I have a nursing school friend who did this intersnhip and she said it can vary between 5 8's (7a-3p) or 4 10's or 3 12's. I am excited and nervous about this because with my lack of OR experience..just a few shadow days..I don't know what to expect and don't know if I will like it. I am grabbing at straws for job ideas though and would rather try this than quit nursing altogether after just 2 years. My boyfriend is only skeptical because it ties us to this area for 2 1/2 more years when we had discussed moving away when we are financially able to.

Would you take a leap of faith at a job you *might* like that involves a contract? Any input? I have really been thinking long and hard and I just want to be happy..whatever that takes.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Have you tried getting your "happy" outside of work? Expecting your career to give you the level of personal fulfillment you seem to desire is unlikely to happen in any field. This will be your third switch to a high pressure specialty in two years time. This is not going to make you any happier than you are now, because you will once again be starting all over with a knowledge base that has little crossover and you will once again be back to a two year period before you will even really be baseline competent. You have posted frequently about your discontentment.

I think you need to examine the other areas of your life, how you spend your time and what else you can do to find personal fulfillment. Your ideals are unrealistic and you are going to continue to butt heads with them until you recognize that. You like nursing from all you have said, but it just isn't what you expected it to be, so you are unhappy. Nobody, no job or specialty, no different career even can fix that for you. Only your mindset can change that.

Why Generation Y Yuppies Are Unhappy | Wait But Why

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Specializes in Pedi.

^ I love the cartoon Grandpa in the Huff Post article.

What is the verbiage in the contract? I wouldn't apply for this job but I have no interest in the OR but if it floats your boat, go for it.

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