Career Change Question

[Cmailes]

I am only about 6 months into my new nursing career and started straight in the ICU. I initially started my journey 4 years ago switching careers and going back to school to eventually be a CRNA (which was a 2 yr program at the time). After being an ICU nurse for 6 months, I know that I don’t want to do this or bedside nursing forever and I’ve also decided CRNA is probably not the right path for me for several reasons but mostly due to my age, the debt, and the time it will pull me away from my family. So now I’ve decided that I can see myself becoming an IR nurse but I’m not sure when the right time to apply would be. I have a 2 yr contract and I’m in a nurse residency program. Part of me wants to apply now since there is an opening but another part of me says I should wait at least a year to gain more experience. Im not sure what I should do and when the right time is to make that shift. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

Sounds like maybe you should finish out your contract and your residency. That would put you in a stronger position as a candidate for other positions and it would have the added benefit of not burning a bridge with your current employer.

[LovingLife123]

Not sure if cath lab will hire you with only 6 months experience.  I’d stay in the ICU a bit longer.  Cath lab is no joke.  Lots of codes.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Six months is not  enough time to make any decision. Appreciate your residency.. learn as much as you can. When your 2 years is done, you will be much wiser. And ready to make a better move.

 

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

On 1/30/2022 at 11:34 AM, Cmailes said:

After being an ICU nurse for 6 months, I know that I don’t want to do this or bedside nursing forever

You don't sound like you're currently miserable or in a job you can't stand, so I would highly recommend you stay for either the duration of your contract, or at least for one year of experience. If you leave before your contract is complete, you may run up against a do not hire that could come back to bite you- especially as hospital systems are constantly merging. I think that IR also sounds like a pretty cool place, I've accompanied patients twice to watch procedures when they needed the nurse to stay. While I'm not sure how much the skills you will gain in ICU will translate to IR, I think that having ICU experience will make you a stronger candidate. 

[RNperdiem, RN]

IR can be a great place to work. ICU is a good foundation for IR work. You will need skills to monitor patients, handle conscious sedation and intervene when trouble strikes. 

That said, finish your ICU contract, learn all you can and apply as an internal candidate. Internal candidates are more likely to get the job. Also, look at what kind of schedule you will have. Sometimes IR has on-call requirements and the time you leave work is when the last patient for the day is done, so you can run late sometimes.