bored. . .wondering if I should make a change?

[thesundowner]

I'm asking for advice. I have been a nurse for nearly 3 years. I started out on a crazy med-surg floor at a 400+ bed community hospital, but had to move across the state after only 6 months. I learned so much there and felt comfortable in my environment. There were always opportunities to learn and grow and I floated to other depts and always felt welcome. I felt like I was valued.

Then. . .when I moved. . .I got a job on a tele floor and it was hell. Terrible orientation, rude co-workers, disorganized. . .just awful. I developed severe anxiety and started to doubt myself and my abilities. After a few months, I was so stressed and unhappy that I resigned, but HR called and offered me a job on their acute rehab floor. I accepted (I needed a job!) and have been there for 2 years.

I love my coworkers. I work with an amazing group of people. The job is relatively easy and I never dread going to work. Occasionally, we get an interesting case or complex medical history, but the majority of pts are strokes, TBIs, or traumas. Our charge nurse does most of the communication with doctors, so we just give meds, do treatments, and chart. I often have time to chat with my patients and educate them. Sometimes my job is fulfilling. . .most of the time it is just downright boring.

I feel like I have lost skills (I can't read tele strips for the life of me, my IV starting skills suck, I never talk to MDs or take phone orders) and I literally have forgotten a lot from nursing school.

So. . .what do I do? Do I leave my happy little world where I am unfulfilled? My confidence in myself as an acute nurse is low - I would volunteer to float except I am terrified of finding myself on an acute floor with no idea of how to function. how do I build up my confidence? the main hospital uses different software and charting than we do and most floors are known for being just awful/not friendly to floaters.

I just find myself wanting more.

Anyone else experience this? Any advice?

Thank you.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Slap, slap, slap your face for me will you?

Re-read your post silly and be glad that you have a job that doesn't kill you. If I were you, I'd use my extra energy to either study something new, or to have a great life outside of work!

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

Bored with your current position vs. being frightened of what you don't know in a new position.

If you have been a nurse for 3 years, but you had two acute care positions for the first year and you've been at your current job for two years, I would venture to say that you never got out of "new grad" mode in your first two positions. You just weren't there long enough. Did the second job expect you to function more independently than the first job where you started as a new grad?

Fear is holding you back, nothing else. It sounds like you want a supportive environment to learn everything that you lost in the past two years. You are in the unique position to really vet out new positions because you are already employed. Ask around about different units in different facilities. If you get interviewed, ask to shadow for a few hours to get a feel for the unit. Know what you want in a new unit environment and go for it if the opportunity arises.

I, too, can't stand being bored with my work, and I'm making a change soon, approved by my manager. Five months ago, I was too scared of any change to ask for it. I'm ready now, and you are too.

Good luck.

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

I totally agree with Dudette10. You can't grow if you are bored.

Several years ago, I was working on a unit that I really liked. Much like you, when I hit the two year mark, I found myself getting restless and bored. I wanted a change, but also valued the comfort of my predictable little cocoon. After several months of contemplating, I decided to sign on with a travel agency, and I loved it! The experience was wonderful, although it was scary at first.

See what positions are open at your hospital. I like Dudette's suggestion of shadowing. It never hurts to see what's out there, and it sounds like you need to spread your wings a bit.

[thesundowner]

Netglow, I know, I don't want to sound ungrateful for my job. Because it is great - great coworkers, decent pay, time with my patients. That is why I am torn.

But I also don't want to just stay stagnant at this job. . .yesterday I was talking to one of my coworkers who has worked on my floor for over 10 years. She told me that she always figured she would move on. . .but just never did. And now she is afraid to because she doesn't know anything else.

Dudette, you're right, it's totally fear that is holding me back. I think I need to conquer that fear and start floating. Even if it's hard, it's a 12 hr shift, and I am sure I will learn a lot. And I am lucky to have the choice to float or not - if it is horrendous and I hate it. . .I simply won't float anymore.

I am going to do it! What doesn't kill you. . .

[SandraCVRN]

I would float, that way you can get an idea if that is what you really want to do.

I went back to the floor about 7 months ago, at first I loved it, but now the honeymoon is over. I'll be going back to the OR soon.

Good luck

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

You have a PERFECT opportunity. You are in a position that doesn't suck!

You can float.. and learn ...in different areas.So what if you do not feel strong in IV and tele skills.

Talk to your manager or nursing ed and get brushed up!

You have the entire facility at your feet. Go for it.

[thesundowner]

I feel like I am still a new grad in some ways. . .I have so much to learn. I get so mad that I ever left my first job because I know if I had stayed there I would be so much further ahead in experience and knowledge (stupid EX-husband - long story, but it wasn't my choice to move away) and by now I would have moved up to a step-down unit like many of my friends who remained there. It was such a great hospital.

But. . .must move on and let go of regrets. Must not let fear control me.

[Patti_RN]

There are worse things in the world than going to a job where you have great co-workers, fairly easy job, and no pre-shift anxiety attacks.

Everyone forgets some aspect of nursing school, depending on where they work: I did psych nursing for awhile and during that time I never started an IV, never saw a wound, never read an EKG, or even turned a patient! But I LOVED every minute of every day.

Even though you're an active nurse, you may want to take a refresher course. A friend did that for reasons similar to yours (she was a psych nurse and wanted a change). Her course took about two months and offered loads of clinical hours to refresh her skills; she now works in ICU. She did this because she didn't qualify for grad positions and the first two places she tried expected her to be 'experienced' so offered no transition period.

You might also consider getting an advance practice degree. If you work and go to school part-time, you'd be thankful for a relatively 'easy' job so you have enough energy for classes and studying. The rigor of education might be satisfying, then the interest of being a mid-wife or NP could be rewarding, later.

I've found that most jobs get somewhat mundane after awhile. Good for you that you don't want to become stagnant.

[RELL22]

I understand how you feel. I initially entered the nursing world as an Lpn two years ago. I spent all of my career working in the nursing home where orientation as a new nurse lasted 3-5 days and that was it. I felt like i was thrown on a hall of 30 residents and expected to work magic in an eight hour time frame. I love my geriatric residents but i felt that as a nurse i had no room or time to appropriately take care of my patients. I couldn't truely critically think through the illnesses (besides s/s of uti). LTC helped me with my time management skills and attempting to delegate and multi-task (which i'm still working on), but it became routine and i began to crave something more challenging. I went back to school because in order for me to get a change of scenery and more doors to open I needed my RN. I want to be in the hosptial and maybe be a trauma or ICU nurse with exceptional clinical skills. I know I'm ranting but I've been holding this in for a long time and I've been a member on here since 2008 but only really read the post hardly responding. I just needed to vent too, I know my situation is a little different but it kind of feels the same. I want to be a great IV starter and have a preceptor the loves guiding and teaching just as much as he/she loves nursing. I have five months of school left and can't wait to start fresh again...I love nursing!!!!

[GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN]

slap, slap, slap your face for me will you?

i couldn't help myself so here it goes.... it kinda reminded me when i was a kid and i would do something wrong, and my mother would say "come hear here so that i can slap you" lol

[thesundowner]

Update: I talked to my supervisor and am going to start floating to the med-surg floors and psych. Also, I have decided to go ahead and start working on my BSN. I figure that should give me some variety/newness - PLUS, when I float and see how god awful it is, I will appreciate my own happy little floor even more :)