I have been a nurse for almost two years now. I spent the first year as a new grad on a medsurg/tele/oncology unit. That unit was wild. I learned something new almost every shift and almost every patient was a difficult case. My mind was always working. However, that job was physically, emotionally, and psychologically exhausting. I'd go home and cry for hours and sleep for 15 hours after a shift. I would have horrible anxiety before work and have panic attacks. At my one year, I quit after I accepted a pediatric nursing job. I THOUGHT it was my dream job. I used to be a preschool teacher and I absolutely love kids. However, it's been almost a year and I'm SO bored as a pediatric nurse. I see the same thing every shift and 9 times out of 10 I have nothing to do on shifts for a few hours. Now, this doesn't sound bad and I love my job so, so, so much. But, I truly thrive when my mind is working and I am in busy situations.
So, because I have felt bored, I have been picking up shifts on the progressive care units. However, I have this feeling like I need to keep doing more as a nurse. I want to go back to school. I want to work in the ER. I just keep wanting more. Does anyone else feel like they are missing something out of nursing? Should I just sit still for a little and enjoy the calm? I feel stuck! help!
I work at a hospital with just one peds floor. So we are super low acuity and just general med surg. I definitely I want to move to an all children’s hospital!
While there are some incredible learning opportunities available at larger referral peds centers, I would caution you that it can be far more emotionally and mentally exhausting. The downside of caring for super-sick kids is that you're caring for super-sick kids. A lot of these kids are slowly dying for no reason (or worse, because of the action/inaction of a caregivers); it's tough to be confronted by that harsh reality on a regular basis.
I personally left a NICU job that I really enjoyed (most of the kids got better and went home) to accept a very high-acuity pediatric cardiac ICU job at a large academic center. I learned more in that one year of peds cardiac than I did in my first several years of NICU nursing. However, within the first six months, I was feeling exhausted, frustrated, and heartbroken. I became attached to plenty of kids and watched them die drawn-out, horrendously painful, traumatic ICU deaths, and it made me want to quit nursing. I know more about hemodynamics than I ever could have imagined, but it came at an unexpectedly high cost.
You mention that you were feeling very burned out in your first adult job. Your current job isn't as mentally stimulating in part because the kids are less acute/complex, but the flip side is that most of them are probably going to be fine. It's possible that you could move to a larger center and learn more, but also feel more burned out in the process.
I don't want to dissuade you from pursuing a job with higher-acuity care. Just be aware that it might come at a cost you hadn't previously considered.
Specializes in Neurocritical and Cardiothoracic Critical Care.
Critical care was a good fit for me and it opened up a lot of opportunity. I did travel nursing in ICUs for 4 years after I got some base experience. It was an amazing adventure, plus the financial benefits were huge. I ended up finding my fit in a large comprehensive ICU in southern California. I think if you get into an ICU or ER it will open up a lot of doors for you too. It also looks great on the resume for grad school. Good luck!
I don’t think it’s at all anything negative to want to learn more and grow as a nurse. It just means you are motivated and eager to learn and need more growing opportunities.
That is the beauty of nursing. There is always more to learn and there are so many different types of nursing. I have been a nurse for 25 years. I started off in Med-Surg. Then I worked on an abdominal transplant unit. Next I moved to L&D, Nursery, NICU. Since 2012 I have been in Perioperative Services. I began in PACU, then entered leadership of PACU, ENDO, DSU, PAT, OR, SPD. I continue to work in Perioperative Services but have now added Education to my career.
I have been a nurse for almost two years now. I spent the first year as a new grad on a medsurg/tele/oncology unit. That unit was wild. I learned something new almost every shift and almost every patient was a difficult case. My mind was always working. However, that job was physically, emotionally, and psychologically exhausting. I'd go home and cry for hours and sleep for 15 hours after a shift. I would have horrible anxiety before work and have panic attacks. At my one year, I quit after I accepted a pediatric nursing job. I THOUGHT it was my dream job.
I’m currently in the same boat. I started working on an adult med/surg floor fresh out of nursing school and just passed my two year mark. I’m at the point that I can’t do it anymore because of it being so stressful and exhausting in so many ways like you mentioned. I’m trying to find a new position that I can be happy in and enjoy. It seems a lot harder than I thought. I’m interested in going to a clinic or a different route in the hospital setting - case management perhaps or infection control.
If you're not sure where you want to go, I think float pool is a good option. You can at least see everything that your hospital has going on, so you can make an informed decision about switching floors. In terms of checking out units you wouldn't be prepared to float to, can you shadow to get a feel for it?
If you're not sure where you want to go, I think float pool is a good option. You can at least see everything that your hospital has going on, so you can make an informed decision about switching floors. In terms of checking out units you wouldn't be prepared to float to, can you shadow to get a feel for it?
I actually am required to float to the med/surg floors and inpatient rehab unit when the floors are low on staff and it’s my turn that day. So I get the feel of the other floors. I don’t want to switch to another med surg floor, I am wanting something different.
I'm not trying to discourage the OP, but I'm a bit confused here...if the first job caused anxiety attacks, but was higher acuity, wouldn't the ER do the same?
Well, that's all in how you look at it, or how your hospital is, I suppose. I've never worked somewhere where the neuro floor was the same experience as the oncology floor which was the same as the cardiac tele floor, even if they are all in that MS/tele/stepdown level of care. But hey, you do you. If you keep bouncing around specialties you're never really going to be an expert in anything, but there's so many options in nursing, I can't see why you shouldn't move on if you're unhappy.
I'm not trying to discourage the OP, but I'm a bit confused here...if the first job caused anxiety attacks, but was higher acuity, wouldn't the ER do the same?
The old unit I was on was brutal. 14-15 hour shifts. 6 high acuity patients. No techs. It was just not a good unit
If you are really bored you could volunteer to teach pediatrics to new nurses if you enjoy teaching or being a preceptor. It will help hone your skills while you continue to practice at your current peds job. Just a thought.
adventure_rn, MSN, NP
1,598 Posts
While there are some incredible learning opportunities available at larger referral peds centers, I would caution you that it can be far more emotionally and mentally exhausting. The downside of caring for super-sick kids is that you're caring for super-sick kids. A lot of these kids are slowly dying for no reason (or worse, because of the action/inaction of a caregivers); it's tough to be confronted by that harsh reality on a regular basis.
I personally left a NICU job that I really enjoyed (most of the kids got better and went home) to accept a very high-acuity pediatric cardiac ICU job at a large academic center. I learned more in that one year of peds cardiac than I did in my first several years of NICU nursing. However, within the first six months, I was feeling exhausted, frustrated, and heartbroken. I became attached to plenty of kids and watched them die drawn-out, horrendously painful, traumatic ICU deaths, and it made me want to quit nursing. I know more about hemodynamics than I ever could have imagined, but it came at an unexpectedly high cost.
You mention that you were feeling very burned out in your first adult job. Your current job isn't as mentally stimulating in part because the kids are less acute/complex, but the flip side is that most of them are probably going to be fine. It's possible that you could move to a larger center and learn more, but also feel more burned out in the process.
I don't want to dissuade you from pursuing a job with higher-acuity care. Just be aware that it might come at a cost you hadn't previously considered.