Changing jobs in under a year. Help/advice please?

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Hi, so I have been a nurse since January and my career feels like it’s been a roller coaster so far. 
 

I started off on a busy medsurg/telemetry floor but ended up leaving after 6 months. I was dealing with a nurses eating their young situation and I was already burnt out, so I ended up leaving. 
 

After I left medsurg, I ended up taking a job as a psych nurse since I believed that Psych NP was my goal. At first, I absolutely loved psych. It was such a relief from my previous job. But I have now been here 2 months and my feelings have changed. I miss the medical side of nursing and having a challenge. At my current job I’m able to sit and watch Netflix for most of the night. I know some people might find that a dream job, but I like being busy and having things to do. I’m also not using or learning many nursing skills other than passing meds, and I miss that. 
 

I am now thinking I want to try peds. That was what I wanted to do from the beginning, but I didn’t follow my heart. The children’s hospital in my area offered me a job out of nursing school but my dumbass passed it up. 
 

What should I do? I don’t want to be a job hopper and make myself look bad. But I want to do something I know I will enjoy that will also challenge me. I need advice please. 

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Specializes in Dialysis, long term care.

I know this is from August,  but maybe is still relevant to you or someone else. I would try to stay atleast 6 months.

Since it isn't soul crushingly stressful, even 1 year. The hospital will be there when you're ready. No rush.

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Specializes in NICU.
On 8/30/2021 at 3:08 AM, Jess Dunaway said:

Hi, so I have been a nurse since January and my career feels like it’s been a roller coaster so far. 
 

I started off on a busy medsurg/telemetry floor but ended up leaving after 6 months. I was dealing with a nurses eating their young situation and I was already burnt out, so I ended up leaving. 
 

After I left medsurg, I ended up taking a job as a psych nurse since I believed that Psych NP was my goal. At first, I absolutely loved psych. It was such a relief from my previous job. But I have now been here 2 months and my feelings have changed. I miss the medical side of nursing and having a challenge. At my current job I’m able to sit and watch Netflix for most of the night. I know some people might find that a dream job, but I like being busy and having things to do. I’m also not using or learning many nursing skills other than passing meds, and I miss that. 
 

I am now thinking I want to try peds. That was what I wanted to do from the beginning, but I didn’t follow my heart. The children’s hospital in my area offered me a job out of nursing school but my dumbass passed it up. 
 

What should I do? I don’t want to be a job hopper and make myself look bad. But I want to do something I know I will enjoy that will also challenge me. I need advice please. 

I’m kinda in the same situation…. Started at a cardiac doctor office straight out of school…. Wasn’t getting or using ANY nursing skills at all because the nurses there were more so administrators, calling patients to explain there test results, so I left after 2 weeks. Went to a busy urgent care and absolutely loved it! But then I seen a ad for a NICU job (which is the specialty I went to nursing school for) applied and got hired! Left the urgent care after 5 months ?…. Been working at the hospital in the NICU since November 2021, a level 4 NICU at a hospital that NICU was ranked #1 in the nation called me (I applied in October along with the other NICU job) and I got a interview and was offered a position! I will start there in April, meaning I would have only worked at my current job for 5 months after I leave ?…. I say all that to say you gotta do what’s right for you! The great thing about nursing is the fact that you have so many options!! I often think about how bad it looks at me that the longest nursing job I had was only 5 months! But whatever! I went up and upgraded with every job after 

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Specializes in Hospice.

It's definitely not a deal-breaker, but be prepared to have to answer those job interview questions when they come up. That will probably be one of the first things they ask. I would recommend coming up with one concise phrase, practice saying it confidently in front of a mirror, and then in the real interview, move the conversation forward about the job you are currently seeking.  I took five years away from nursing, two different times in my career.  That was the Very First thing everyone honed in on. The elephant in the room.  My first time away, I got pregnant and my husband was offered a job overseas, and then the second gap was taking some time away to care for my mother who had Alzheimer's and I needed time to get myself mentally/emotionally back together.  Over my career, the longest I ever stayed at one job was seven years.  I had a couple of one or two year runs as well and as long as I was prepared with reasonable explanations, I don't think it stalled out my career by trying out new/different positions.  If you have management or even loftier goals, you might want to consider staying put for a while after you've found a good "fit", which would be at least 2-3 years in the same position.  Best of luck to you and may you find your passion in your next position!  Hugs from Denver

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Specializes in Dialysis, long term care.
On 2/6/2022 at 10:48 PM, Voiceofbeauty said:

I’m kinda in the same situation…. Started at a cardiac doctor office straight out of school…. Wasn’t getting or using ANY nursing skills at all because the nurses there were more so administrators, calling patients to explain there test results, so I left after 2 weeks. Went to a busy urgent care and absolutely loved it! But then I seen a ad for a NICU job (which is the specialty I went to nursing school for) applied and got hired! Left the urgent care after 5 months ?…. Been working at the hospital in the NICU since November 2021, a level 4 NICU at a hospital that NICU was ranked #1 in the nation called me (I applied in October along with the other NICU job) and I got a interview and was offered a position! I will start there in April, meaning I would have only worked at my current job for 5 months after I leave ?…. I say all that to say you gotta do what’s right for you! The great thing about nursing is the fact that you have so many options!! I often think about how bad it looks at me that the longest nursing job I had was only 5 months! But whatever! I went up and upgraded with every job after 

Same here, I've had 3 jobs In a year and a half.  Approximately 6 months per job. I'm on to my fourth job next week. Just thought I'd comment since hearing of other people hopping til they find their niche or get where they wanna be too makes me feel less anxious. I detest the short staffing, but I'm loving the freedom it is giving us to explore.

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Specializes in NICU.
6 hours ago, Casshawhol said:

Same here, I've had 3 jobs In a year and a half.  Approximately 6 months per job. I'm on to my fourth job next week. Just thought I'd comment since hearing of other people hopping til they find their niche or get where they wanna be too makes me feel less anxious. I detest the short staffing, but I'm loving the freedom it is giving us to explore.

Yesss!! I just keep leveling up… until I find where I need to be. I’ll be OK my 4th job starting April 18, but I do hope to stay and make this my temporary home before NP school

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