Changing jobs the first year

NurseNayin07 · Mar 22, 2008

Has anyone else changed jobs within the first year? I am currently working in sub-acute rehab and I am miserable for a variety of reasons. I wanted to go into med/surg since I graduated and was assured that rehab would get me my experience. Yes, I have gained some good experience without a doubt, but I know this is NOT what I want to be doing in the long run. I had an interview last week for a position on a medical floor. The nurse manager seemed wonderful and the other nurses all seemed very nice and supportive. I would still be entitled to their new grad orientation, and I know I will get a lot of good experience. Not to mention that since it is in an acute facility, there are many more professional opportunities than their are in rehab. Honestly, I think I will take the position if it is offered to me. But I am so nervous to make a change and would feel horribly guilty for leaving my current job so soon. I guess I just need a little encouragement and I would love to hear from others who have been in similar situations.

I left my job this past week after only 8 months being an RN. It was a med-surg floor, day position...extremely short staffed, nurses and aides. I'm thankful for the experience I had on the unit... I learned time management and organizational skills, but I was tired of a lot of things, especially dealing with the same kind of patient population day after day. I wanted some cardiac experience too so I took a job on PCCU at another hospital (I start at the end of the month!). I put in a 2 week notice, everyone was nice about it, and I didn't feel guilty or have any regrets. Don't be nervous about quitting if you find another job. Change is a good thing and nursing is great like that because there are so many areas of opportunity. Don't stay in one place and be miserable, life is too short! If you get the job definitely take it.. no regrets!

xoemmylouox, ASN, RN · Mar 23, 2008

Do not feel bad about moving on. You can't let guilt stop you from finding another place that will make you happy.

Lilnurse0803, RN · Mar 23, 2008

Hello All,

I too am switching jobs within the first year of nursing (11 months later) because I am not happy doing what I do.

This time last year, I was ecstatic to be starting on a labor and delivery unit. I thought this was my dream job and was crawling up the wall with excitement. Fast forward to today and I can tell you all that I completely dislike L&D. While I am very grateful for the opportunity the hospital gave a new graduate like me, I can sincerely say that L&D bores me to tears :bluecry1:and is not all the fun that people think it is.

The population I work with is quite ill and at times, extremely young, and its very disheartening to deal with the issues we face on a unit like this with extreme short staffing, low morale, and poor management. While my complete dislike for this specialty may have something to do with the environmental issues, I can say that I definitely do not want to work in L&D anymore. I don't like the work either, it's just not interesting to me anymore.

So, I have resigned from my current position as a night shift nurse on an L&D unit and am taking a 2nd shift position in a hemodialysis clinic four blocks from home. Oh, did I mention having to commute over an hour plus each way to get to work on nights when I work? That hurts too!

While I cannot say that the grass will be greener, because it isn't always the case, I am looking forward to a change of environment and a change in the patient population. I am going into this new job with a new set of eyes :bugeyes:and an open mind. Who knows, this may be where I am meant to be instead of in L&D. In my heart:redbeathe I just know its time for a change.

Best of luck to all and please know that nursing provides many options; never settle or feel like you don't have options.

StudentToo · Mar 23, 2008

MelitaRN,

THANK YOU! I am in the same position as you, except I've only been in my position for 3 1/2 months. I just know that it's not for me. I'm trying to stick it out for 6 months, but i don't know if I can.

lveroflife · Mar 23, 2008

uhh me 2. i have not had a good experience... been there for a little over 4 months... sucks to be in the situation but i look at it as I'd rather be sure i am in a place where i can ask questions and deliever safe patient care, and be happy where i am... I think we learn from these experiences and things will get better once we make the choice to take action...

good luck

SoundofMusic · Mar 24, 2008

Yeah, I pulled away from a job in a CCU to go to a more med-surg type job. Turns out ICU was a bit too much for me as a new grad. My hospital was fine about it and I'm feeling a lot better about where I am. They want you to be happy and they don't want to lose nurses, so usually they should be accomodating. Good luck and don't be afraid to find someplace you can live with.

mark3274 · Mar 25, 2008

I am looking for a new job too I do not like leaving so soon but

the hour long drive is a killer.

plus I got hired for straight nights and I have learned I just can not do a striaght night shift. I have to much trouble sleeping during the day.

sleepyjane · Mar 25, 2008

Thank you everyone. I got a call yesterday with a job offer for the med/surg floor I interviewed with last week and I am going to accept it. The position is 40 hrs, 8hr shifts, and days! There is a 3 month orientation as opposed to the six weeks I got fresh out of school at my current job. The hardest part is going to be telling my nurse manager. She is not the most approachable person and I have seen her treat other nurses badly if she has any kind of issue with them. I will be giving 4 weeks notice, and I don't want my last 4 weeks to be hell. But I guess if its the price I pay to hopefully be happier in my carreer, then it will be worth it. Life is to short to stay in position that makes me miserable, especially when there is something that can be done about it. Thats one of the great things about nursing...there are so many options!

Good luck to everyone else in similar situations and thanks for your support.

sofaraway04 · Mar 25, 2008

i know I'm a bit late and you've already decided but I thought I'd share my expereince. my first job after graduating was in rehab and although i enjoyed my job and it was a good start i felt that there wasn't the ooportunities and challenge that I needed. i left after 8 months and started working on a acute medical ward in a large hospital. I found the pace very difficult and even though i wasn't brand new to nursing I felt like it, i only had around a week before I was on my own. I felt really lost and scared for weeks, and now i've been there almost 4 months and have finally found my feet and don't feel completley overwhelmed. I foudn it more difficult than i anticipated.

I hope that talking to your current manager goes well. i was dreading telling mine that i was leaving and scarred that she wouldn't give me a good reference (although there was no reason she should have). she was very fierce on the ward and people were generally a bit frightened of her. in her office though with the door cloed she was fine about it and told me that It would be good for me to move before I got stuck in rehab and couldn't move on. So it went better than expected.

Nurseismade RN · Mar 25, 2008

In the US Rehab in a long term acute care hospital is challenging......I just started working in one...this is my second job...graduated in june 07...passed the boards July... my first job was not challenging. I love this one......its rehab with med surg and some telemetry. I get at the most 6 patients but 5 is the norm....and our patients stay at least 2 weeks....

Here is a great description of what you will encounter as a nurse in a LTAC:-

LTAC stands for "long-term acute care" hospital. LTAC hospitals treat critically ill, medically complex patients who suffer from multiple organ system failures - active disorders of many parts of the body. These conditions include cardiopulmonary disorders, wounds, kidney diseases, complex infections, and neurological disorders such as head and spinal cord injury and stroke. Because they are medically complex, our patients often are dependent on technology, such as mechanical ventilators, total parenteral nutrition, respiratory or cardiac monitors and dialysis machines for continued life support. At our hospitals, we strive to help our patients recover through a carefully orchestrated multidisciplinary team approach.

First, to correct some common misperceptions:

LTAC is not chronic care.

LTACs are not skilled nursing facilities.

LTACs are not rehabilitation facilities.

LTACs are not short-term acute hospitals.

SoundofMusic · Mar 26, 2008

The hardest part is going to be telling my nurse manager. She is not the most approachable person and I have seen her treat other nurses badly if she has any kind of issue with them.

Yet another reason to leave this job . . .