Depressed

[LouisVRN, RN]

I am starting to become depressed about my job. I really love nursing and enjoy going to work most days. I have worked 2 years on the same unit and genuinely like the vast majority of the people i work with. I involved in numerous committees and have started several projects on our unit and throughout the hospital that has improved patient safety. I am asked to occasionally fill in the clinical charge position when our regularly scheduled charge nurses are unavailable. I do a lot of precepting of new hires on our unit and am continually told by peers, supervisors and patients that I excel at my job yet I really want something more. I would love to be a charge nurse but I feel that the opportunity for a FT position will NEVER come up but at the same time I feel that moving to a different unit would burn all the bridges I have built and that I would basically have to start from the bottom up again with no guarantee for a quicker advancement.

I wonder how much longer i can enjoy doing what I'm doing while so desperately wanting something more. Does anyone have any advice? Should I just stick it out here and hope a position comes up or at least wait until I am miserable to move on, or should I move on and hope that a new challenge will be fulfilling enough that i won't worry as much about my career advancement.

[JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP]

I'm not sure I understand the scenario. You're working FT now at the bedside, but you'd like to move to a FT charge position?

It sounds to me that you're in an enviable spot, career-wise. You're successful on your unit, are looked up to and respected, have initiated projects that turned out well -- right now everything is going your way. I feel strongly that the advancement you seek will come just by continuing with what you're doing, performing as well as you are now or better. Sooner or later the opportunity will come. Just don't let the angst you have about not moving up fast enough hurt your performance.

[LouisVRN, RN]

I'm not sure I understand the scenario. You're working FT now at the bedside, but you'd like to move to a FT charge position?

It sounds to me that you're in an enviable spot, career-wise. You're successful on your unit, are looked up to and respected, have initiated projects that turned out well -- right now everything is going your way. I feel strongly that the advancement you seek will come just by continuing with what you're doing, performing as well as you are now or better. Sooner or later the opportunity will come. Just don't let the angst you have about not moving up fast enough hurt your performance.

I know. This is pretty much what my husband tells me all time before *jokingly* calling me a spoiled brat. I know it sounds spoiled and whiney but I really feel like I could do so much more with the additional responsibility of being a charge nurse. But I know I should be happy having a job I enjoy, am passionate about, and successful at.

[dizzybee, BSN]

Have you thought about going back to school?

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I agree with dizzybee. Returning to school might give you the challenge you seek and would definitely make you more flexible in the management arena. Likewise, consider certifications in your area. No education is ever wasted. If nothing else, you might be able to network with new acquaintances and learn about new opportunities.

[j621d]

The beauty of nursing is the numerous opportunities to grow and learn. If you are feeling stagnant in your position then it is time to changes things up. As others have suggested, school is always a good option. Don't feel you need to remain on your current unit until "death do you part." There are other units that can challenge you.

I don't see how leaving your unit to go to a more challenging area would be "burning bridges," rather, I would view it as building more bridges. Don't look at it from a negative perspective. See how you can make positive changes.