I am a nurse on a cardiovascular stepdown unit and I have been there for about 2.5 years. I am very involved on the unit and have tried to come up with other things to help me be more satisfied with my job. I am a charge nurse, active on unit committees and involved in new nurse education. I'm feeling stuck because I don't know if there is anything that will make me happier and more challenged.
I've never really had an interest in going to the ICU. I just don't see myself caring for 1-2 patients at a time, even when they are much sicker. I think it would still end up being boring after a little while.
Basically if anyone can help, I feel like I've stagnated and I don't know what to do. I don't want to be one of those people who switches to a new job every two years, but this may be what I have to do for myself to be happy with work.
I am likely starting school in the fall for my FNP, but I am thinking that maybe I should go for the ACNP route, just to prevent myself from becoming bored as quickly.
If any of this makes any sense, and if anyone has any ideas for improvement, please let me know. I just applied to an ED job, and while I think I would like that, I don't know if it's the right solution.
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
I have news for anyone listening: You will never be happy or satisfied with the job you do to earn a living. It's not possible, and you're better off figuring out how to deal with it than trying to avoid it or improve it.
I wholeheartedly disagree with this. I've always been quite satisfied and fulfilled by my career. If I wasn't, I moved on to a position where I could find that fulfillment. Life is WAY too short to have a job you dislike, or don't find satisfying or fulfilling in some way.
I have news for anyone listening: You will never be happy or satisfied with the job you do to earn a living. It's not possible, and you're better off figuring out how to deal with it than trying to avoid it or improve it. You won't be happy as an FNP, and you won't be happy in the ER. You won't be happy working at Walmart either. We have a very sick society these days where everyone feels entitled to happiness. And yet, happiness is not something people typically ever find. And if they do, and they're whistling in the car on the way to work--the next phone call may be that a horrible tragedy has just entered their lives.
Now, enough of the pretty words.
The fact is, we work to earn a living. There may be a higher calling we are serving, especially as a nurse, and it may be that we don't want to do anything else for a living as a result of that calling, but we are still going to work to labor for our living.
Don't expect so much happiness out of your job. You're never going to find it, but you could end up going into massive debt or making unnecessary risky moves in an effort to do so. It's not worth it. If you're competent and respected where you are, then stay there. The only reason to move from there is if you need to make more money.
That's my opinion, anyway.
I completely disagree with the notion that you can never be happy with the job you're doing to earn a living. I've seen people who put their whole hearts into their career and are proud and excited of what they do and what they accomplish. I have teachers who talk about how they genuinely love teaching and I see it every time I come into class. I also think Steve Jobs had something other than "trying to make a living" to drive his ambition.
Are there times where people get upset or question their job? Sure, but that's like with relationships, as well. Sometimes I get annoyed about something, but I love waking up everyday next to my best friend and I believe he's the only reason I'm here now.
If you're not crazy about the career you're in, you can try to find things about it to make you happy. At my last job, I generally enjoyed the people I worked with and I found pride in self-improvement and learning as much as I could, and also in continuously trying to work hard.
I don't know how old you are, either, but I often hear about people going back to school for something else. In fact, a lot of nurses on this forum have switched from other careers to nursing in pursuit of something better-suited to their tastes. I would only advise that before you rush off to a new career, you take some time to learn more about yourself to understand your strengths and weaknesses, and to figure out what you find yourself enjoying, even if it's something small. If you don't have a huge passion driving you to a certain career, then maybe you will have to learn how to find happiness in something that simply pays the bills. But there are definitely places that can make you more unhappy, and vice versa.
OP, how about if you tell us some of the aspects of your job that you enjoy and find the most satisfying? It sounds like you already have considered trying out the ICU and decided that didn't sound like it would be your niche. There are TONS of avenues to pursue in nursing (grad school or not).
So, what do you like most about what you do now? Maybe that better help us be able to think about what would help your situation.
Or OP could be a genius... I don't think I would be bored but prison and mental health entertain me with new experiences daily! Just had my first patient with Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada disease...Like I said new every day...plus great coffee and never boring :)
I love being a Psych Nurse! I'm in home care at that..I get to walk into my Patients homes on a daily basis and sometimes leave thinking...seriously who would even believe me if I told the stories I encounter everyday lol I also work in education for my company and left the full time educator position to go back to being a full time field Nurse. I wouldn't change my position for anything! Give it a try if you're looking for excitement :)
I worked with a nurse who after a year would mope around and say "I'm not being challengedddd..." and my favorite, "I am not living up to my full potential!" All the while we work the same exact position, and she expected a sympathic ear.
Point being... choose your words wisely on this. It can easily be interpreted as derogatory towards the specialty area and in general, can be seen as a bit whiney.
Now, my advice to you is sometimes a change of scenery is necessary in nursing. However, if you're expecting to feel the newness and steep learning curve of a new job constantly, you will end up job hopping and unhappy. Which category you fall into is not discernable by internet. Best wishes!
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Farawyn
12,646 Posts
Me too, all of my jobs as a nurse except one.