Experienced in the ER vs. Opportunity to gain experience in OR

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Hello all.

This email is going to be painfully honest so if you can't handle honesty, read no further.

I am planning to be a travel nurse. I have almost 3 years experience as a nurse, 2 of which are in the ER. I have BLS, ACLS, PALS, and TNCC. I don't really like the ER but I guess I can tolerate it. I have the option to transfer to an OR internship program which would mean I would have to sign a 2 year contract with the hospital, delaying my plans to travel. I don't have a great interest in the OR, I just am really getting burnt out in the ER. My husband is also a nurse but only has 6 months experience on a cardiac step down unit. He will either wait it out another year and a half or try to get into ICU and get 2 years experience in that before he travels. Therefore, if I stick with ER I will start traveling before him.

Here comes the bad part. I don't really want to be a nurse at all. I am only continuing so I can pay for the extravagant amount of debt I racked up becoming a nurse. It is making me sick, tired, stressed and I feel myself aging.

I love to travel and used to work in the travel industry which I hope to re enter. Unfortunately I must be responsible and pay my debt first.

What should I do?

Tolerate the ED and travel in it for a few years until I am more financially stable or transfer to the OR, learn a whole new specialty, and wait for my husband.

If you are going to criticize then I don't need a response from you. I am just an honest person looking for an honest answer.

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Specializes in ER.

Why not incur a bit more debt and go back to school for what you really want to do? If it can pay as good as or better than nursing? Be honest, how many entry level jobs without experience pay $30/hr or so right out of the gate?

If you don't like nursing, than why stick in this field? It is rigorous and those that stay (coming from the ER point of view) who hate it, everyone knows it. Your patients know it by your demeanor, your visitors know it by your attitude, and worst of all your coworkers know it because you hate it and it will eventually trickle out into everything you do and poison your surroundings. We ALL work with people who you just know hate nursing. I believe those are the nurses who end up "eating their young." I feel bad for those that do, as our jobs are hard and if you're not really "in it" then it must be terrible.

When you are all in, it can be daunting and just terrible and that is coming from someone who KNOWS they have a calling and are meant to do this.

Do yourself, and us, a favor and move along sooner than later. No one likes to be around someone who hates what they do. You'll be less apt to help others because you hate it, and then you are a team member that is not helping and now you're not an effective team member. No good.

Good luck in however you choose to tackle this.

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Since you have to wait for your husband either way, why not do the OR internship? OR is very different from other kinds of nursing and you may actually like it. OR is also more valuable traveling than ER although one downside is lower availability of 12 hour shifts. One huge benefit is no night shift.

Secondarily, if you bail midway, that hospital contract is really not enforceable.

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Why do you hate it so much? Once you answer that question, then maybe we can give better advice.

It just may be the ER...it just may be the hospital at which you work...it may just be the patient population.

There are so many different avenues in nursing for you to explore before you just throw away an expensive education that you have to pay for out of pocket!

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Do you think you would be happier working in the OR? It's not really a place for someone whose heart is not in it, and it would be unfair to yourself and those you would work with in the OR if you are stuck there for 2 years and miserable.

If you truly do not want to be a nurse, the best thing you can do is to leave nursing. Yes, there may be financial difficulties, but the benefits to your health (no more sick, tired, stressed, and aging) may be worthwhile.

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Why not incur a bit more debt and go back to school for what you really want to do? If it can pay as good as or better than nursing? Be honest, how many entry level jobs without experience pay $30/hr or so right out of the gate?

If you don't like nursing, than why stick in this field? It is rigorous and those that stay (coming from the ER point of view) who hate it, everyone knows it. Your patients know it by your demeanor, your visitors know it by your attitude, and worst of all your coworkers know it because you hate it and it will eventually trickle out into everything you do and poison your surroundings. We ALL work with people who you just know hate nursing. I believe those are the nurses who end up "eating their young." I feel bad for those that do, as our jobs are hard and if you're not really "in it" then it must be terrible.

When you are all in, it can be daunting and just terrible and that is coming from someone who KNOWS they have a calling and are meant to do this.

Do yourself, and us, a favor and move along sooner than later. No one likes to be around someone who hates what they do. You'll be less apt to help others because you hate it, and then you are a team member that is not helping and now you're not an effective team member. No good.

Good luck in however you choose to tackle this.

This is so far from the truth. Just because you don't like nursing does not mean it shows in your professionalism.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

This is so far from the truth. Just because you don't like nursing does not mean it shows in your professionalism.

Unfortunately, the people I know who hate nursing, it SHOWS....I have not found one in the 13 years of healthcare who didn't like nursing or could "tolerate" nursing continue to be "professional," it eventually got to them...if one is unhappy, it get's to a point where EVERYONE knows; some people kid themselves when they think they are being "professional", even she they are sinking and doing the "bare minimum", at least in my experience.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Hello all.

This email is going to be painfully honest so if you can't handle honesty, read no further.

I am planning to be a travel nurse. I have almost 3 years experience as a nurse, 2 of which are in the ER. I have BLS, ACLS, PALS, and TNCC. I don't really like the ER but I guess I can tolerate it. I have the option to transfer to an OR internship program which would mean I would have to sign a 2 year contract with the hospital, delaying my plans to travel. I don't have a great interest in the OR, I just am really getting burnt out in the ER. My husband is also a nurse but only has 6 months experience on a cardiac step down unit. He will either wait it out another year and a half or try to get into ICU and get 2 years experience in that before he travels. Therefore, if I stick with ER I will start traveling before him.

Here comes the bad part. I don't really want to be a nurse at all. I am only continuing so I can pay for the extravagant amount of debt I racked up becoming a nurse. It is making me sick, tired, stressed and I feel myself aging.

I love to travel and used to work in the travel industry which I hope to re enter. Unfortunately I must be responsible and pay my debt first.

What should I do?

Tolerate the ED and travel in it for a few years until I am more financially stable or transfer to the OR, learn a whole new specialty, and wait for my husband.

If you are going to criticize then I don't need a response from you. I am just an honest person looking for an honest answer.

Is there a reason for you not to return to the travel industry and do it part time?

I am aware of a way to do this.

If I were you, I would ease up on the nursing and transition into doing traveling again.

Feel free to PM me for support. :)

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LadyFree28,

I tried to PM but it says you are full. Here is what I sent you.

I just wanted to thank you for your input re: my post about my dislike of nursing and wishing to return to the travel industry. I know that a "travel agent" is a dying breed which is one of the reasons I entered nursing. In fact, I was going to work as an agent through nursing school but the agency went out of business 1 week before I started nursing school. I had to sit down and think "When was I truly happy at work" and every example I came up with went back to my travel career. I love sharing my expertise of destinations with people and I truly feel good about myself when I can help someone have the trip of a lifetime. I feel more satisfied doing this then "healing" someone in my nursing career. I know that sounds terrible but it is true. I had an idea of either doing travel nursing or per diem nursing so I can focus back on the travel stuff. This is my current goal. Any ideas or advice? I have felt alot better since I have come up with a plan.

Thanks again for listening.

Lisa

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
LadyFree28,

I tried to PM but it says you are full. Here is what I sent you.

I just wanted to thank you for your input re: my post about my dislike of nursing and wishing to return to the travel industry. I know that a "travel agent" is a dying breed which is one of the reasons I entered nursing. In fact, I was going to work as an agent through nursing school but the agency went out of business 1 week before I started nursing school. I had to sit down and think "When was I truly happy at work" and every example I came up with went back to my travel career. I love sharing my expertise of destinations with people and I truly feel good about myself when I can help someone have the trip of a lifetime. I feel more satisfied doing this then "healing" someone in my nursing career. I know that sounds terrible but it is true. I had an idea of either doing travel nursing or per diem nursing so I can focus back on the travel stuff. This is my current goal. Any ideas or advice? I have felt alot better since I have come up with a plan.

Thanks again for listening.

Lisa

Thanks. I cleared my messages. I will PM you. :)

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Experience with destinations may make you a good agency recruiter. The average recruiter makes less than the average nurse, but there is potential for good earnings if you are good at it. Actual experience as a nurse should help you relate better to travelers, at least if you can put yourself in the shoes of nurses who like their work as well as the "its just a job" crowd.

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Unfortunately, the people I know who hate nursing, it SHOWS....I have not found one in the 13 years of healthcare who didn't like nursing or could "tolerate" nursing continue to be "professional," it eventually got to them...if one is unhappy, it get's to a point where EVERYONE knows; some people kid themselves when they think they are being "professional", even she they are sinking and doing the "bare minimum", at least in my experience.

Some people kid themselves into knowing the inner hearts of all workers. I've been told several times that the nurse before me must do this for the money but I can sense your compassion and that can not be taught. And I'm thinking to myself, let me shut up and just take the compliment. Had I been offered one dollar less, I wouldn't be here lady. Lol!

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