Bored after 3 months?

[saradista]

So here's my situation. I worked on a med surg unit at a big city hospital for six months and hated it. I loved the work and patient population, but the environment was quite literally traumatizing. So I left and took the first job I could find. Now I'm at a rehab hospital and I absolutely love my coworkers and patients, but I'm bored out of my mind. I've just had my 90 day review with my CNO and she said I'm on track to become a supervisor by August, and has just asked me to start precepting new RNs on the floor. I feel I'm really excelling here and have been set up for success (unlike the support I had at my old job, or lack thereof). I'm part of the nursing practice council, fall prevention committee, and have taken on a new roll as an interim admissions RN. But I just don't feel like I'm learning anything new. A year out of school, I really shouldn't feel like I'm trapped. There are definitely places to move up with this organization, but why put all that work toward something that doesn't excite me? I think it's clear that this isn't my niche... I'm just concerned that it's going to be difficult getting a more challenging job in the future. I mean, my dream job is a flight nurse. That requires a whole different world of experience that rehab won't necessarily help me out with. Can someone ease my worries and tell me that this isn't a step in the wrong direction for what my goals are?

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

So here's my situation. I worked on a med surg unit at a big city hospital for six months and hated it. I loved the work and patient population, but the environment was quite literally traumatizing.

In general, acute care is the same no matter what floor you work; acute care is fast paced and the expectations are high. There is always going to be some aspect that you will not like and may even hate. It is not to say that some environments are not toxic, but toxic work environments usually have a high turnover rate of experience nurses and/or new nurses to the unit... Was that your former work environment? If not, I think you will run into many of the challenges you hated in your former M/S job in the ICU, ED, Cardiac Step Down, etc..

Also, as others have already written, you should stick out this job for a year, which you do not hate (bored is different than hate) before you start applying for acute care positions again to be taken seriously by employers. Whatever you find in acute care you need to stick that position out for at least 2-3 years even if it is not an ICU or ED. Only time working as a nurse in acute care (no matter the setting) will tell you the truth about yourself so you can make clear career choices based upon your personal work experience.

[Tenebrae, BSN, RN]

I get where you're coming from, being bored and not using critical thinking skills. That's how I felt when I've worked on med/surg and tele floors. I loved my co workers but the work was boring and mind numbing.

.

FYI critical thinking is not the exclusive domain of the ICU/critical care nurse

Any half decent nurse should always be utilising their critical thinking skills regardless of their speciality

[saradista, BSN, RN]

I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I had intended on staying at my med/surg job for a minimum of two years. The reason I left was because I was threatened by a coworker and HR/management did a poor job of investigating. But obviously on a resume it looks like I just peaced out after a few months. I also see how one may think my goals are all over the place. Pediatrics is an old passion of mine, that developed my first year of school. Flight training is another passion that developed through many discussions with my mentor at school. In some ways they don't seem related, but in others they are very related. Having that added pediatric experience isn't a requirement, but is an undeniable bonus. So that's where my thought process leads. I love my job and coming to work every day is great, I just feel I've aready exhausted all of my options when it comes to building myself into a better RN. I can take on all the extra roles, join all the committees, but if I feel like I'm not challenging myself, then that can't be a good sign. It's just not my niche is all. The point of me asking this question is because I need feedback from other RNs who have maybe been in my position or can offer their advice. I'm the only person in my family working in this field, all my close friends are just as new to nursing as I am, and I don't want to ask more experienced coworkers because I don't want word to get out I'm already looking to jump ship (which right now I'm not, but you can understand how things get flipped around from one conversation to the next).

My boyfriend (also an RN) brought up a great idea of applying for that peds position and staying on in my rehab job as PRN. My CNO and I have a great relationship, I've worked with her not only at my current job but also at the hospital I worked at as a PCT. So it's not all that ridiculous to follow her to the hospital she's moving to. I wouldn't plan on applying earlier than September since by then I'll have six months at my rehab position. At least that doesn't look as bad as quitting after only 3 months? Any thoughts?

Also, I love all the feedback I've gotten. Everything's been mostly positive and constructive. That makes it a lot easier to accept outside opinions haha

[saradista, BSN, RN]

FYI critical thinking is not the exclusive domain of the ICU/critical care nurse

Any half decent nurse should always be utilising their critical thinking skills regardless of their speciality

I don't think that's what amzyRN meant, and I think you know that too. She was just trying to be empathetic to my situation. Please, let's keep the posts polite.

[Tenebrae, BSN, RN]

I don't think that's what amzyRN meant, and I think you know that too. She was just trying to be empathetic to my situation. Please, let's keep the posts polite.

I deal with a-lot of nurses who assume that critical thinking could not possibly occur outside of the acute environment.

So please dont tell me what I know or dont know, especially when its coming from personal experience.

Was that polite enough for you?

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Please note - sometimes online communication is misinterpreted. Without the nonverbal cues and facial expressions, its easy to be misunderstood.

[Magnolia11]

Hi,  I don't mean to be unkind and I agree with most of the comments to you that have been made here, except that I don't know that job hopping is as frowned upon as it used to be.  But are you sure you really know what you want to do?  If you are a rock star nurse, as another commenter put it, then I suggest you have handled your career trajectory really badly.  You haven't researched what  experience is required for flight nursing and certainly haven't made the career moves to get you where you want to go.  Other commenters have laid out the path well, put yourself on it, go back to a big hospital, excel at med-surg or if you feel up to it try for an ICU/CCU postion with a great orientation program.   It also might be helpful to shadow a flight nurse, if that is even an option, or at least find one and have some long conversations.   I work with a former flight nurse and it is an extremely demanding profession, both mentally and physically!   She works with me in rehab now.

[K. Everly, BSN, RN]

As a new RN completing phase 1 of my residency on med-surg and entering phase 2 on my permanent unit (rehab), I honestly don't know how you can be bored. Like, I legitimately don't understand. 

I get that rehabilitation is a far cry from emergency medicine, but as a new nurse, we are learning so much about effective time management, systems, and complexities of nursing. It might not be your niche but to say you are bored by it is.. confusing. Makes me wonder if you are seeing puzzle pieces but not the actual puzzle coming together as a whole. 

Either way, I think to leave before you have a year here would be a mistake - even if that means staying PRN or part-time. It won't look great on a resume and it won't be very kind to the team that has invested a lot in your success and believed in you. I agree with the person above who said maybe you really are a rock star and that's why you're bored, but if that's true, it's confusing why you moved down in pt acuity rather than up if your end goal is flight nursing.