Do I need to give this more time?

[ORNerd, BSN, RN]

Hi all. This is something I've been struggling with lately and I would like some opinions on the matter. I graduated with my ADN in December 2012 and started in the PICU. I was let go from there after four months due to "not being the right fit". It was a blessing in disguise because then I started on an adult orthopaedics unit in the same hospital and found it to be much more enjoyable. I like ortho, I like my coworkers, and most of the time I like my patients. I don't like the 50/50 day/night rotation and I don't like it when I get difficult patients (flat-out nasty people, people withdrawing from alcohol, etc.) I also experience all of the anxiety, worry, and second-guessing that is all too common among new nurses. Tonight I go in for night one of three night shifts and the dread is so intense I could literally puke if I thought about it too much.

I shadowed in the OR a month or so before I graduated. I liked it, but I didn't feel like it was a place I should work as a new grad. Now, after a few difficult shifts at my current job, I've been thinking about it again, especially since the OR at my hospital is hiring. I just don't know if I'm giving up too soon since I've only been on my unit for short while. On the other hand, I don't know if I should force myself to stay at a job that I'm starting to dread. Honestly, I just feel sort of lost Any advice is appreciated, thank you.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

My opinion, for what it is worth (and I am a stranger on the Internet, so should not be worth a whole heck of a lot) is that you NEED to stay where you are. You have a LOT going for you in your current position. You like your co-workers. You have "normal" new grad angst. Those are blessings. For where you are in your growth as a new nurse, you sound right on track. You know enough to be anxious but not enough to be confident. I can promise you, it will feel completely different in a few more months in your current environment, which sounds pleasant and supportive.

Nobody likes difficult patients with unpleasant conditions. Nobody likes difficult personalities. They just come with the job and as you get better experience under your belt you get better at not letting them get to you.

The OR is a completely different animal with a completely different list of things that will make life difficult as you are learning it. The difficult person will be a physician or PA or first assist or another nurse or a surgical tech. And you will work with him/her/them over and over and over. It may not have some of the things that make life difficult where you are now, but without a doubt it will have its own version of hell as well. Every job does.

Since you describe a work environment that is pleasant and supportive with occasional patients that are difficult, I think you are set up well to succeed. The difficulties are there no matter what. The supportive environment is not. Stay where you are for now. If in another year you want to make the switch, do it then. But give yourself a chance to get your feet under you.

[Ilobekeme, ASN, RN]

I support what the first speaker said. Give yourself more time to adjust to this new place. However, if you like OR, you can request a PRN position there to see if you would like it before moving there. Also, if you don't like nights where you are now, you can talk to your supervisor about this. Good luck!

[ORNerd, BSN, RN]

Thank you both for responding. I feel like I should be staying, but hearing it from others is good confirmation. Thanks :)

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Consider this as well: You were let go from PICU but were able to stay employed at the same hospital. That is uncommon and you could have been just let go period. The fact that you were given another chance was a gift. Never look a gift horse in the mouth.

And, despite what the AP says, you will not be able to get a prn OR position. OR is a completely different animal and requires MONTHS of full-time training to develop proficiency.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Yeah, OR is a very lengthy process of learning. The internship for it was three times the amount of time as I did for mine in ICU Stepdown.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Sure. And that unpleasant git in 403a will be discharged in a few days, but the nasty PA or cranky surgeon will be scrubbing in every day for years and years and years....