How did you know when your specialty was THE one

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello,

I am new grad that has decided to start my nursing career in the NICU. During nursing school I never had the AH moment during clincials where I instantly fell in love with a specific area. Now being in the NICU I get nervous at times that I'm not sure where I am meant to be. Granted I love my patients, I love the intensity and the close relationship the nurses have with doctors (the nurses are very respected and have lots of say in the plan of care). I just wonder when I'll feel like this is right for me.

So I guess I just would like some insight on experienced nurses career course... did you love what you did at first, did you make a career change? how did you know you belonged on a unit and most of all how did you find what you LOVED. At the end of the day work is work but I guess I'm having trouble finding my passion/niche.

Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.
Because I hate adults and never want to work with them, hence pediatrics. Within pediatrics, however, I have done acute care, school, home care, home infusion and community based case management. I have never had a job that I intended staying at forever nor do I really intend to. Current thinking is that it's best to move around q 3-4 years.

I wish I could bring myself to do this. When you move around like that, how

do you accumulate retirement funds? What is the best way to invest?

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

"THE one", "meant to be"? You're requiring an awful lot of your work life. How about earning a paycheque in a place that doesn't totally suck? Unless the negatives in a given job are sucking your soul then you're probably fine where you are. The "old, miserable nurses" are the ones who can't leave a job they've soured on because they believe they've found "the one" and can't possibly learn to function anywhere else.

Your best bet to not become like them is by keep your options open and not locking yourself in, or expecting to feel "passion". My goals have always been: 1. Paycheque 2. Be conscientious enough to take pride in what I do and earn the respect of others 3. Be prepared to jump ship if a job starts being intolerable for whatever reason.

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Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.

Not Nurse, but I felt the Aha moment just a few years ago in my current job. Was tbh pretty desperate for a job and I was having self-confidence issues because of previous job. Took a month off and then went looking for jobs. My mother works at a school and said, why not try a school? I though who would hire a CMA? I looked and found jobs, I tried one at a public charter school and they didn't hire me. So I changed my game plan and did a script on what to say on the easiest common interview questions. Got a call for another public charter school and once I finished my interview, I was called 5 mins after I left and told me I was hired. Took the job and have been working there for the past 3 years. I didn't think I would love SN but I do and that's my goal to be a nurse and be an actual school nurse.

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I have been in the same job for 3 years as a nurse so I can only speak to that. I had various tech jobs. In my current position we take ICU stepdown and move them quickly to the floor to make beds for other patients. It is very hectic. Sometimes I think it would be nice to be in something a little bit calmer or slower, but I'm not sure.

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I loved what I did immediately because it was new and I felt that I was making a difference. And about 3 years in someone said, "Hey, why don't you apply for a job in the ICU, they are hiring LPN's"? So I did change my focus to a more acute setting after I had became competent in med/surg. And I knew I belonged on the unit because it was cool man! We did swans and balloon pumps and major vascular surgeries, chest tubes, all but open hearts and the people I worked with jelled! And then I kept going back to school to learn and eventually figured out that I'm getting older, these 12 hour days pulling on 300# patients was getting old, so I now teach clinical. One must evolve to be happy, and we are all evolving in some ways. Just don't stay somewhere thinking it will get better eventually. Nursing is like any other relationship: if you have to think too much about it, it's not a good relationship!

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Specializes in Critical care, Trauma.

I don't think there is such a thing as the "one specialty" that you're meant for, and to prove it I've had two aha moments for very different fields!

When I was in Primary Care, the physician with which I worked helped me to shadow a couple psychiatrists because psych has always been my first love and I really wanted to pursue being a PMHNP. I shadowed for about 40 hours and had several moments there where it just felt....right. I got great feedback and I just loved doing it. I just knew I'd be an outpatient PHMNP.

Life happened and I ended up working on a post surgical/oncology floor for a couple years. I knew it wasn't "my specialty" but options for psych in my location are few and far between so I took it as an opportunity to learn and develop more skills while we spend a required 3+ years in our current location. When I felt like I wasn't having enough of a challenge on the floor, I decided to try critical care. I never would have thought to look into the ICU before, it scared the **** out of me when I was in school. But I've been there a year and now I'm just not sure how I could ever leave! lol. I enjoy my work and get a lot of satisfaction from the impact I can make in the lives of my patients and their families when they're in a very stressful time. The psych skills definitely come into play, along with the constant challenge that is a must for me to feel happy in any work environment.

So yeah, don't feel like you have to limit yourself. Focus more on what physical, cognitive or emotional skills you enjoy employing and consider a specialty that matches that skillset. NICU is a great place to start but don't feel like you can't branch out later. Some people like to change their specialty every few years just to learn something new or avoid burnout. The options are limitless.

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No AHA moment for me either. I just work to pay the bills. One of the perks of nursing is that you can move around every few years until you find something that fits. Hats off to all of you who have remained in your jobs for decades, that is really impressive.

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Specializes in NICU.

I has several aha moments while in school but I mostly knew what I did not want.Nicu ,like any ICU specialty takes a few years to feel comfortable and if you like that comfortable feeling or you do not.Some move on when the drops in census and increased floating to other areas,...and the surges in census with poor staffing become a dislike.You can always move to other areas,make sure your record is clean,no abuse of sick time so you can transfer.Also save your money get rid of debt,because when you are not desperate ,..you can call the shots and have more leverage.

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Specializes in Dialysis.
Nursing is like any other relationship: if you have to think too much about it, it's not a good relationship!

Love this! No truer words spoken.

I think if you have a job that doesn't make you cringe, feel depressed, or dreading walking in the door on the drive to work, you've got it made. I've been lucky, had mostly good jobs over the years, and a few horrible cringeworthy jobs. I love my current gig, it may just hold me until retirement

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When I go to work not dreading anything.

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Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.

When you're not bored by the work and you get along with your coworkers and are not overworked, I think that's a good time to be like "ah ha, maybe this is my thing". That's how I feel now in my ER, not bored, not overworked and get along with my co workers. Maybe I'll stay here for a while.

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Specializes in IMCU, Oncology.

I think having an "aha" moment is important and will take time! I am still searching but my criteria is that I don't dread going to work, lose sleep over the job, and feel sick about working there. My first two jobs made me feel that way. I just started my 3rd job and I have been a nurse for 2 years 3 months. I am hoping I will like my current job enough that I don't dread it and feel anxiety about it. I worked hard to get where I am and will not just settle for a paycheck to pay bills! I feel work is a big part of my life and I want to at least mostly like what I do!

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