easy street - where is it?

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Hi all. Please don't bash me for my way of thinking. I really need advice and help. I'm more than ready to leave nursing, but I can't for 2.5 more years because of a contract I signed. My husband wants to experience travel nursing, and I think this will be a nice change until I leave the profession. I'm just trying to get by with something "easy" until that point, so my question is...what is the absolute easiest travel nurse position? Call me lazy, call me crazy...but I'm serious. And seriously over nursing. I want to do as little as possible. Please suggest positions that come to mind.

The problem with asking for recommendations about "easy" is that one person's anecdote about "easy" might not be your experience when you get there. Instead of asking for easy why not think specifically about what you don't like about your job now and what you'd be happy with in a different job. Then when you know exactly what you want you'll be in a much better position to ask for recommendations.

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I've worked nights in Rehab both for OT and as a floater. And that is by far the easiest nursing job I've ever done. It's been down right boring at time. I'm sure not all Rehab units are like that but it's certainly what I'd call 'easy street' as far as nursing is concerned.

This is what I'm looking for!! Easy, to me, is boring/sit-on-your-butt kinda stuff. See, I'm more of a thinker-type person...not a doer. Give me something to sit and think about for 12 hours, and I'm happy, but give me physical tasks, and I'm not so happy.

"Maybe try CDU (clinical decision unit). Its a 23 hr observation unit where patients stay to determine if they need further hospitalization or can be discharged. Also a lot of blood transfusions and cath lab patients. I only floated there a few times and found the patients to be lower acuity. It can get pretty busy when the ED is slammed, but nothing like a regular floor. I spoke with a traveler who is currently working there and he said one night he only had one patient and there was a nurse aide as well. Pretty sweet if you ask me!

I think OR might also be a good option for you but there is the possibility that you might have to take call. "

Does every hosiptal/group (with many hospitals under it) offer a CDU? Is it called anything else other than CDU? I can sit and observe all day long...or all night long. People travel to the CDU?!!! Hmmm...this might be just the thing! :) Thanks! I'm still hanging onto that OR thought, though. Oh, one question about OR nursing...I did my nursing management class in the OR, and certain nurses only worked certain cases (ortho had a specific nurse, neuro had a specific nurse, etc.). Is this generally how it works?

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Specializes in ER,ICU,L+D,OR.

I must say that I can not in any way at all understand wanting an easy job. Or wanting it boring. Or not wanting to do anything physical. Nursing to me is fun and challenging. I love being busy. I love working hard physically and mentally. I love being challenged.

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This won't help you at all, but I'm jealous. I would love to be in your position because I would be a nurse. Can I maybe buy your degree off you?:chuckle

I'm sorry you are feeling so discouraged. I hope you are able to find you path soon!

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What about working in a clinic or a doctor's office? The hours would be good and you would work little or no weekends and no holidays. Also the patient's wouldn't be as acute. just my 2 cents. :D

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I must say that I can not in any way at all understand wanting an easy job. Or wanting it boring. Or not wanting to do anything physical. Nursing to me is fun and challenging. I love being busy. I love working hard physically and mentally. I love being challenged.

I can respect that. Everyone is different. A job to me is just a necessary evil...something I've gotta do (until the hubby makes enough so I can quit). It's just a pay check to me, and I want to do the bare minimum to get it. My life is so far apart from work, and it's one of my last prorities. A year or so ago, I would tear into someone who looked at nursing as I do now, but my heart isn't in it, and I have another passion in life that I want to pursue once I work off this darn contract. I'm just trying to get by for the time left on this committment - that's why I want boring and easy...if I'm going to be doing something I don't like, I may as well make it as good on myself as possible.

ToxicShock, I would gladly sell my degree to you! :) I'm all for somebody taking this space I'm filling whose heart is in it and who loves nursing. I went through so much garbage to get it, though, so the price would reflect that...plus the rest of this sign-on I'm working off. :chuckle

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

Have you thought about just transferring units? Maybe something else will spark more interest for you? (If that is available within your contract)

Tait

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Specializes in ER,ICU,L+D,OR.
I can respect that. Everyone is different. A job to me is just a necessary evil...something I've gotta do (until the hubby makes enough so I can quit). It's just a pay check to me, and I want to do the bare minimum to get it. My life is so far apart from work, and it's one of my last prorities. A year or so ago, I would tear into someone who looked at nursing as I do now, but my heart isn't in it, and I have another passion in life that I want to pursue once I work off this darn contract. I'm just trying to get by for the time left on this committment - that's why I want boring and easy...if I'm going to be doing something I don't like, I may as well make it as good on myself as possible.

ToxicShock, I would gladly sell my degree to you! :) I'm all for somebody taking this space I'm filling whose heart is in it and who loves nursing. I went through so much garbage to get it, though, so the price would reflect that...plus the rest of this sign-on I'm working off. :chuckle

Sorry things are so bad for you. I hope things get better for you.

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Specializes in Gyn Onc, OB, L&D, HH/Hospice/Palliative.
What about working in a clinic or a doctor's office? The hours would be good and you would work little or no weekends and no holidays. Also the patient's wouldn't be as acute. just my 2 cents. :D

MD office, maybe, but usually BIG pay cut, clinic, forget it, from my experience, you run your butt off :twocents:

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Specializes in CVICU-ICU.

I really dont mean to sound cruel and like I said in my previous post I can't fault you for not liking nursing however I have to say from what I've read I would not want you to be my nurse in the OR, MD's office, CDU or any other area you might work in just so you can collect your paycheck and work out the contract. Nursing is not a job you can just show up for and sit for 12 hours. If that is truly how you feel then you are not providing your patients with the care they deserve or expect.

I suspect that no matter where you find to work at it will not be "easy street" for you and if there is any way possible for you to shorten your contract you owe it to yourself and esp your patients and co-workers to do just that.

Unless you go into some area of nursing that involves chart review with no patient care then I expect you will not be happy. Maybe that is something to consider...working in utilization review....I do not know what UR involves however I think alot of it is more thinking than physical labor.

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I'd finish out the contract if you can't afford to pay the money back. I'd see what units have openings and then talk to nurses in those areas to get some feedback.

You could also ask and see if there are any job opportunities available that fall more into an administrative type task i.e. chart review. I'm not sure what your contract stipulations are but that might be a nice option for you.

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I really dont mean to sound cruel and like I said in my previous post I can't fault you for not liking nursing however I have to say from what I've read I would not want you to be my nurse in the OR, MD's office, CDU or any other area you might work in just so you can collect your paycheck and work out the contract. Nursing is not a job you can just show up for and sit for 12 hours. If that is truly how you feel then you are not providing your patients with the care they deserve or expect.

I suspect that no matter where you find to work at it will not be "easy street" for you and if there is any way possible for you to shorten your contract you owe it to yourself and esp your patients and co-workers to do just that.

Unless you go into some area of nursing that involves chart review with no patient care then I expect you will not be happy. Maybe that is something to consider...working in utilization review....I do not know what UR involves however I think alot of it is more thinking than physical labor.

Kymmi - no offense taken. I totally agree with you...it isn't fair to anyone involved, although I did put myself in this position. And it's so strange because as much as I come across as the nurse nobody wants and as much complaining as I do, I'm one of the nurses the patients and their families like. A mom told me the other day that she's never met a sweeter nurse, and a dad of another patient sang my praises (literally like, "God bless her. Thank you, Jesus.) when I got an IV started on his "impossible to stick" baby...in the dark. And another mom thanked me for all the compassion I showed her and all the care I gave. So, yes I do want a different job, but above all else, I am a Christian and I give 110% of myself while working. I'm beginning to think I'm giving the wrong impression of myself. :) I do a good job, but it's not the job I want.:loveya:

I appreciate your suggestion (and I'd LOVE to be able to shorten my contract, trust me!), and I will look into utilization review. Not sure I've heard of that one. Btw, getting out of my contract would require me to cough up $10,000 in ten days.:no: I keep talking about this contract, and I figured you all were curious about it.

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