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.
Specializes in ICU, CCU, Trauma, neuro, Geriatrics.

I am glad to see I am not alone. Now after a year and a half in telemetry I interviewed for an ER position. The interview went well but the nurse manager was not sure how many full time nurses she was going to be able to hire. Guess I have to wait until the dust settles after the new budgets are approved. The facility is also building a new ER 40 beds with 4 trauma bays so the future looks good.

TheCommuter, thanks for the spell check, I shoulda looked that one up.

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Specializes in Cardiac/Tele, Med Surg, Home Health.

i am the same way. i haven't been nursing that long but i had been in cardiac/tele, med surg, mommy/baby, and home health. i do believe in being flexable. i would really love to be in the or or er. maybe one day i will get there.

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How did you nurses first get out of you comfort zone? I've been a nurse for over 2yrs and always worked on cardiac-step down or cardiac short stay. I'm excited to try something new, but nervous to be a newbie again. Any suggestions?

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Specializes in L/D, and now Occupational Health.

Momma,

This thread was started in 3/06, I'm not sure if these ladies are still following it but I am sure many others are now that it is active again.

I have been working in the same area(s) for all of my 10 + years. I am a Labor and Delivery nurse, thats all there is to it. I found my passion for it in nursing school when we did the OB rotation, I set my sites on it, did what I could to gain experience in it before graduation, and then hounded the heck out of the L/D manager at graduation time until she gave me a chance. Sometimes it is hard to get a job in a "specialty" are with no experience, but how do you get the experience ?? !!

I love Labor and Delivery, I could never see myself doing anyother type of nursing in a hospital than that. BUT that is the beauty of nursing !!! If you want a change you can do it, just set you goals, do what you can to get educated on the area and GO FOR IT !!!

After all of these years, I have had an interest in Case Management or Utilization Review. Something more office like and out of the hospital. I never went after it though. I knew my job, I was good at it, I liked my co-workers, and IT WAS COMFORTABLE. I had been with the same company for my entire nursing career, it was easy to stay in the same spot. After a very unfortunate turn of events for me back in April, I found myself unemployed. I know this sounds horrible, and in a way it has been, but it also has been a blessing. What I am getting at is I was very quickly thereafter offered a L/D position at another hospital, and at first I thought that was what I wanted. But after looking more I really saw what was out there, ALL THE POSSABILITIES !! I started to explore the case management options and the occupational health options and the legal nurse options. I now have a Case Manager position and in a few months I will be able to work from my home office. For me, this means being able to get my kids on and off of the school bus, just being there for the 3 of them, this is very important to me, and also have a full time job makeing more than I ever have before !!!

Sorry this has gotten so long. I have just been at my own career crossroad, and I want you to know that if you are not totally happy where you are, and want something different, do your research, and GO FOR IT !! Dont look back years down the road, or even at the end of your career and wonder. I just hope it doesnt take something as drastic for you as it did for me to give you the strength to go after what you want !! YOU ARE WORTH BEING HAPPY !!!!!

LIFE IS A :monkeydance: (monkey dance) !!! BE HAPPY !!!

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Yes, life is too short to stay in one area too long!

Karen

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each speciality is a new experience for me. i left icu 5 years ago, attempted to re-enter it.... found its not for me anymore, that is why i am in a telemetry unit! wow and nursing allows you to move around, where else can one degree get you so much variety?

im in school for my rn but its great to know that if i get bord in one area i can try another and not have to switch careers!!

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Specializes in ICU, CCU, Trauma, neuro, Geriatrics.

I am back to travel nursing, the ER job never happened. I am planning to be in Colorado by the end of November. I love to ski and of course working as a nurse I can't afford a $2,000 vacation so I am going to allow some lucky hospital to pay me to be there for 3 months. I love nursing!!!!!:balloons:

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Specializes in LTC, MED SURG, CARDIAC, TELE, ED, SUPERV.

When I graduated from nursing school and obtained my RN licensure it was hit the road running for me!!!!!!! I wanted to try everything. I worked LTC, med surg, telemetry, cardiac (post CABG), shift supervision, ED, a little peds here, a little ob there. I am now in my 7th year practising with an IM physician who has taught me and give me a lot of autonomy. It has been a great experience! But, so were all my others. I loved travel nursing, because, of the variety and being able to stay out of the politics that soon begin to seep in if you stay too long. I have been a nurse for 13 years. I want change, variety and to learn new things at new places. Some people think it isn't good for your resume to "hop" jobs. But, you know what, it's my life not theirs. If they are happy working and retiring from the same job they have been for 35 years, great for them. But, for all of us wanderlusters, we have to be challenged a lot and often. You will know where you fit the most. If you don't feel it in your gut then that is not where you are meant to stay. Good Luck!

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Specializes in LTC, MED SURG, CARDIAC, TELE, ED, SUPERV.

Live, Eat And Breathe Ways To Avoid Burnout!!!!! Whether It Be A Completely Different Specialty Or Relocation To Another Climate/culture. Do Not Take Every Extra Shift. Do Not Do It For The Money. Do It To Live A Joyful And Happy Life. If You Aren't Happy With Nursing Then It Just Wasn't Meant To Be Your "niche."

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Specializes in Senior homecare.

Variety is the spice of life! I too am one that has to conquer the challenges of a new job or position and then....move on to the next, or I become board and start to dislike the job very soon; I have to have new challenges and learn new skills all the time.

My late father told me "A rolling stone gathers no moss", but I beg to differ. In the field of nursing, like so many other professions that have become so diversified, I feel it is a necessity to become a good all rounder and that only comes from climbing more than one mountain.

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to All The Nurses Who Love The Challenge Of Change. I Am Also One Of You. Thank God For Us But We Couldn't Live With Out Those Of You That Stay In One Job For Many Years. The Nurses Who Stick Around In One Place Do Possess A Huge Amount Of Knowledge That Those Of Us That Change Units Often Don't Have. Don't Get Me Wrong We Do Obtain A Lot Of Skills As We Travel Our Own Path To Avoid Boredom, But There Is Nothing Like The Nurse Who Has Stayed In One Area. She Knows The Patient Care Like We Can't Begin To , Because She Has Seen So Much. I Know Sometimes I Have Felt Like Why Do I Always Want To Move On. I Think It Is Something About Who We Are. To All The People Who Have Chosen Nursing As A Career. Thank You. I Have Met Some Awesome Men And Women In The Field Of Healthcare. Now My Question For Anyone Reading This I Am Looking To Change Jobs Again.... And I Would Love To Work From Home.... Any Body Reading This If You Know Of Any Legitimate Nursing Jobs, You Can Do From Home . Please Post. Again , Lets Celebrate Each Other ,for With Out Each One Of Us .the World Would Be A Colder Place.

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Just curious...what travel company do you work for?

Sounds like you are very satisfied and I'm searching. Thank you so much for your time. Any direction will be very much appreciated!

:)

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