Feeling stuck

You sound totally confused. Have you considered some counseling to help you figure out what you want to do? Just remember the hospital is not the end all be all for nursing.

I have a counselor and I see her regularly but I am seeking input from members on this site. What have others on here done when feeling confused in their career?

It sounds like you are very proud of the work you do but are either falling short in self-care or are burnt out on the environment. I have enormous respect for what you do, because you're right: working with inmates and patch patients can feel very helpless, like you can't help them move forward in life. It's understandable that you may feel you need a change of pace.

I agree with the above poster that some cater counseling or talking to a nursing mentor might help you decide your next steps. It couldn't hurt to apply to some PRN hospital jobs and do a share day to see if you'd like to try something new.

You are not less of a nurse because you do not work in a hospital. However, if you decide on a hospital you might try ER. I imagine that your skills and quick thinking might transfer well. Also, at least in my ER, there are very few bed alarms. :)

It sounds like you are very proud of the work you do but are either falling short in self-care or are burnt out on the environment. I have enormous respect for what you do, because you're right: working with inmates and patch patients can feel very helpless, like you can't help them move forward in life. It's understandable that you may feel you need a change of pace.

I agree with the above poster that some cater counseling or talking to a nursing mentor might help you decide your next steps. It couldn't hurt to apply to some PRN hospital jobs and do a share day to see if you'd like to try something new.

I have a counselor like an LMFT, but not a nursing mentor. That is why I came here! My counselor helps to guide me and she relates to me sometimes about burnout. I do sometimes fall short in self care. I have worked 6 out of the last 7 nights and I just go home and sleep, eat and get up again for work. I sometimes feel like I don't have energy to do things that help like walking my dogs or taking them swimming.

One thing I learned about myself when I worked LTC was I like to see people get better. I loved to see my rehab patients be able to walk/eat again, and to see them go home to their wonderful lives. I also loved the chronic wounds that would eventually heal after revising the care plan multiple times. It was very rewarding and I felt closure. I DO NOT get that here. These kids/adults stabilize on psych meds, get cleared by mental health, get released on parole/probation, can't afford their meds/do not pick them up and they come right back around to intake for battery/drug abuse/home invasions/violation of parole because they can't make their court dates and anything else. I have worked consistently with the juveniles this schedule and I am being moved to adult intake next schedule so it might help to have change.

I left because I became interested in corrections and accepted a full time job at the jail. I would go back to a rehab job though!

First of all, hats off to you. Corrections is always tough, but I would never work the juvenile facility because those kids are completely off the chain--impulsive, obnoxious, hyperactive, hypersexual, always doing completely crazy stuff just to get a rise out of people. Ugh.

I worked night shift at a prison for several years, but that isn't the same as a jail. We don't get intakes in the middle of the night. But I sympathize with the ridiculous volume of work in corrections, especially the meds--I didn't mind passing the meds but pulling them was awful--I got bad tendonitis in both thumbs from popping hundreds of pills out of bubble packs every night; over a year has passed since my last day in corrections and my thumbs still aren't right.

To me, it mostly sounds like your facility is woefully understaffed; unfortunately there isn't much you can do about that. As far as the rewards you get out of corrections nursing, there are several: you have autonomy, endless variety--everything from psychosis to stabbings, plenty of opportunity to learn as well as teach, and the added interest of working within a fascinating parallel society. You can learn an awful lot about human nature from being around criminals--and not all of it is bad, oddly enough; some of it is incredibly inspiring. They can and do change, and it's an amazing (if rare) thing when it happens.

You would probably feel most at home in ER, but your corrections skills will transfer well to almost any med-surg type area. You are versatile, you can think on your feet, you can handle high volume and emergencies, and you obviously have great organizational skills. Whatever you decide to do, I'm sure you'll be successful.

And, by the way, there are people who look down on corrections nursing, because they just don't know what it's really like. Believe me, you're every bit as good as any hospital nurse. If you choose to move on, be sure to highlight your skills and be prepared with a couple of stories that showcase your amazing abilities. Best wishes.