Finding my "nitch" as a nurse.

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after 14 years of nursing i am changing jobs again. i began my medical career as an adrenaline junkie (paramedic), attended a community college for my adn and my first nursing job was in med/surg then moved on to icu then flight team within 4 years. also i tried travel nurse in ccu, neuro and trauma. now after 5 years of geriatrics as clinical coordinator and bedside nurse i am back to the hospital on a telemetry unit. does anyone else change jobs as their interests wander? i just love the new challenges and new faces i encounter each time i move along my winding path.

One of the things that I love about nursing is that it is so diversified. As a person who gets bored easily I have worked in many different fields, rehab, pediatrics, critical care, med surg, clinics, home health, addictions, and psych.

I think that i have found my niche(for right now) in psych. I also just took a position as a "patient care coordinator"(glorified name for shift supervisor) and have found that i enjoy supervising.

I had a DON who said that no matter where you go "nursing is nursing" that is true while the specifics and the actual things you do vary in the amount of technology etc.. the basics are the basics (ie nursing process, care of the "whole" person, advocacy)

I am fortunate to be in a profession where i can explore and find the right setting for me and if it doesn't "fit" there are always other options

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I too, love the variety that Nursing has to offer. I'm in my second semester and started out thinking I would end up in L&D, but now I have become VERY interested in SANE and Forensic Nursing. Who knows, whatever I do I want to make a difference, whether big or small.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, , Home health, Education.

I've been around the block in my years nursing as well, pediatrics, chemical dependency, med-surg, home health and now education and discharge planning. I think it keeps me from burning out and keeps a fresh perspective. Great to hear there are so many others interested in the varieties you can and should experience.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

It's "niche", and not "nitch"! :p

I just had to have a little fun pointing that one out...

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I'll be graduating this year with an ADN. I'm 33 and have been in the Air Force on a flight crew traveling all over the world, then came back home and became a flight medic with the Air National Guard. Worked as an EMT while attending college, not really knowing what I was going to do but I just loved the excitement in EMS I wanted to find something that paid well in that field. Nursing seemed to fit in somehow and here I am trying to finish up nursing school. I intending on going into the ER then thought of the NICU and maybe some day i'd be able to be a CRNA. Well, every clinical rotation I am faced with new decisions. I think to myself, "Gee, this is pretty cool! I could do this for a living" Then the next clinical rotation comes up and it's completly different than the previous rotation and I think to myself again, "this is a cool job"

Oh my goodness! Nursing is the best degree in the world for trying new things out. It's so versitile and that's what I love about it! I'm so excited about starting but I feel that I am back at square one with trying to find "MY NITCH AS A NURSE" I mean "NICHE". There are so many awesome jobs that we can do. I heard on the radio the other day that nurses have the number one job burn out rate in America. How can that be true when their are so many different things to do as a nurse?

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Specializes in ICU, ED, Transport, Home Care, Mgmnt.

Diversity is one of the best things about Nursing. I have tried a few areas, ICU, CCU, ED, Management-Supervisor, Nurse Manager, DON, Home Health, Med/Surg, Critical Care Transport(my absolute love), OB, Peds and Travel Nursing. I've also had the priviledge of working in large(1100 beds) and medium(500 beds) sized teaching hospitals, small hospital (35-100 beds) and once an Indian Health Hospital in the Alaska Bush. I've worked in the big city-Houston (too hot), San Francisco (great weather), Small towns in Texas, California and Colorado, as well as Bush Alaska(wonderful, beautiful). I have learned so much from each different experience. No regrets, except leaving Alaska:lol2: You can pack a lot into your career, if you are flexible and have a willingness to give new things a try. I was rarely bored for long and am a bit of an adrenalin junkie. Now I work as a Supervisor and I get to go to all the good stuff. Not much room for boredom here though I do miss patient care, I get to do some but not enough. Can't have everything, or can I???

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Specializes in telemetry, cardiopulmonary stepdown, LTC. Hospice.

Oh my goodness! Nursing is the best degree in the world for trying new things out. It's so versitile and that's what I love about it! I'm so excited about starting but I feel that I am back at square one with trying to find "MY NITCH AS A NURSE" I mean "NICHE". There are so many awesome jobs that we can do. I heard on the radio the other day that nurses have the number one job burn out rate in America. How can that be true when their are so many different things to do as a nurse?

It's so great to be reading the positive side for a change. I know we all have to vent, but sometimes I think I'm making a mistake going into nursing, with all the discussion about how evil everyone treats one another. I try to keep it in perspective, but as the focus goes, so develops the attitude...as they say.

From the nurses I have talked to personally who are really down about their nursing career, most of them haven't tried many things at all. They stay in the same path, work everytime someone calls them (just say NO!)because they feel they will get a guilt trip, and have really lost all interest in anything but the money. I'm not coming down on them, I'm just saying that maybe keeping as positive as you can, changing jobs to keep things fresh and interesting, and learning to say NO to extra shifts would have helped keep burn out at bay? It can't hurt!

I'm starting RN school this fall, and I hope to learn lessons from the stories on here of the bad, AND the good...I love this board!

Cara

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.
I'm starting RN school this fall, and I hope to learn lessons from the stories on here of the bad, AND the good...I love this board!

I love reading this. Another strong nurse in the making.!!

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I am a very excited soon-to-be-nursing-student and one of the aspects of the profession that appealed to me was its variety. There are so many paths a nurse can walk! I can't wait to get started in my program this fall...

So many have read my mind! LOL

I am pre nursing and I LOVE trying new things and meeting new people, so it's good to see I'm in the right place!

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Gr8ful C,

You will have many years to work in nursing---

your interests will change and you will want to challenge yourself.

Once in a while a job will end ( ex.)-due to hospital closure or a private

firm taking over State jobs.

The more specialties you have, the more interesting you will be

as a job applicant.

Have fun on your nursing journey!

Jahra

Psychiatric crisis intervention, family practice, and pediatric nurse:balloons:

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Oh thank goodness, i thought i was alone. Yes when i feel i have learned all there is in a place, i too tend to seek other avenues in nursing. Sometimes it does not look good on a resume but i would be bored stiff. I am considering going back to school to broadened my skills and brain. Thanks for the thread guys.:nurse:

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That Is So Awesome That You Are Willing To Try New Areas Of Nursing, After All, There Is A Lot To Offer With This Career. I Believe Many Nurses Who Stay At The Same Profession For Decades And Decades Become Stagnant, And How Do You Grow If You Don't Challenge Yourself, Easier Said Than Done Though, So Hats Off To You. I Myself Just Found A Few Days Ago That I Passed My Nclex-rn, And Just Started Working On The General Pediatric Unit, Let's See Where This Life Will Take Me. God Bless!!

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