Nursing: Finding Ways to Bloom Where You Are Planted

Is it always best to move from job to job? Or are there ways to find encouragement and renewal in our current position? In this article the author explores some ways to continue to pursue excellence in nursing wherever we are. Nurses General Nursing Article

Nursing: Finding Ways to Bloom Where You Are Planted

"Guess what?", my young friend spoke to me with an excited voice, pulling me to the side near the nurses' station. "I got in to nurse practitioner school! And I start in two months!" She was so excited that I had to smile and offer my sincere congratulations but inside I felt deflated - one more promising nurse, leaving bedside care. And, Lauren was young, bright, caring. She had been at the bedside for two years, learning her way around handling the myriad duties of a floor nurse. She was adept at juggling priorities, being technically proficient and at the same time she demonstrated true caring for even the most difficult patients and families. Yes, she would make a wonderful nurse practitioner, but I selfishly hated to see her go. It would certainly be a loss to her unit and to bedside nursing in general. While I'm not an advocate of being stagnant in our profession, I do wonder what we can do in our regular patient care to continue to find satisfaction when our jobs become less of a calling and more of a burden.

One of the beautiful things about nursing is that this one basic degree can open so many doors and possibilities. Our profession is singular in this regard since we are blessed with a plethora of opportunities: we can work in hospitals, doctor's offices, home health, hospice, nursing homes, rehab facilities, insurance companies, even churches. We can be detail-oriented, or big-picture people, introverts or group specialists. We can work just with numbers on a screen or with siren screaming emergencies aboard a helicopter. The possibilities are endless.

But sometimes, we all suffer from the itch of dissatisfaction, asking ourselves if there is something more out there we ought to be pursuing: better pay, better hours, more independence. This can be the first sign that it is time to move; but I would like to consider the possibility that sometimes it is not. Our desire for variety can actually lead us to less overall satisfaction in our work by leading us to change settings too often, looking for that ideal situation, that perfect job. Serial employment or job-hopping can give us more experience but our sense of mastery may be affected as we never truly allow ourselves to set down roots and drink deeply from the well of knowledge in that field. Oddly enough, many of the problems we encounter with management, scheduling, or pay follow us around from one setting to another.

So how do we stay the course and bloom where we are planted? Here are a few suggestions. You may be able to think of others and add them to the list.

Continuing education can be just the dose of medicine we need to keep us going

Regardless of our expertise, we always have more to learn. Being exposed to new research, new techniques and new medications can re-spark our interest, providing fuel for the fire of satisfaction.

Consider certification

Along the lines of continuing education, being certified can help us gain that needed knowledge base to make our work even more fulfilling. It can show our peers and superiors that we are serious professionals, with the determination to succeed in our area.

Keep a balanced life outside of work

One of the answers to job restlessness can be working less, taking a much-needed vacation or even a stay-cation - if finances are prohibitive. Investing time in exercise, family relationships, and spiritual soul-searching can help us find our center and give us much needed renewal. When we are depleted, we often find that giving care to others becomes harder and harder. We have all witnessed burn out in ourselves and in those around us - the empty eyes, the hands that do the work without the caring touch, the manner that conveys the thought I'd rather be anywhere on earth except right here. Just like firefighters sometimes fight a fire with a fire, putting out the fire of burnout takes determination that can surge from rekindling other aspects of our lives. Taking care of our bodies, our minds and our spirits restores focus.

Invest in patient relationships

While we cannot invest in every encounter, some of the most meaningful rewards come from getting involved emotionally in caring for our patients. As professionals, we do have to understand boundaries and take those into careful consideration but getting to know those we are taking care of and finding ways to relate to them, can make the difference between going through the motions of care and having an awesome day.

Find a mentor

Be a mentor. No matter how far along you are on the road of being a nursing professional, having a mentor is key. I have a wonderful mentor. She has been a nurse leader for many years, a true trailblazer in our community. I admire and emulate her. We get together on the phone and in person with fair regularity. She gives valuable advice and advocates for me. On the other hand, I hope I am a mentor to others: peers, new nurses and aspiring nurses. I recently had coffee with a young woman who is currently working as a nurses' aide in a nursing home. She wants to further her education. Together we brainstormed ideas on scholarships that might be available and other ways she could pursue her goal. By having a mentor and being a mentor, I find myself in the best of both situations - the dual aspects of giving and receiving allow me to continue to keep my nursing ideals front as center as I move forward.

I watched as Lauren fairly levitated down the hall, that special bounce of success in her step. I rejoiced with her and hoped that she would find what she was looking for in her career even as I turned my mind back to my patients, resolving to continue to do my very best for them.

Joy Eastridge

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jeastridge

About jeastridge, BSN, RN

(Columnist)

Joy has been a nurse for 35 years, practicing in a variety of settings. Currently, she is a Faith Community Nurse. She enjoys her grandchildren, cooking for crowds and taking long walks.

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"...but our sense of mastery may be affected as we never truly allow ourselves to set down roots and drink deeply from the well of knowledge in that field."

Great article!

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Great article! I have left the beside a couple of times in my career to pursue other interests in nursing. As you mentioned, we have all experienced burnout. I currently work with computers and electronic health records. I find this is where I will stay if it's possible. There are so many directions our degrees can take us. We are in a wonderful profession!

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And I am an NP that will be going back to the bedside in a few years. Being an NP is great, don't get me wrong, but the hours are brutal and the documentation and nonsense with Medicare/Medicaid requirements for documentation (that have nothing to do with quality care) if you want paid are very burdensome. I am looking in a few years to go back to the floor so I can do my 8 hours and go home. Coming full circle....I want to have a life again .

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Specializes in Faith Community Nurse (FCN).
Great article! I have left the beside a couple of times in my career to pursue other interests in nursing. As you mentioned, we have all experienced burnout. I currently work with computers and electronic health records. I find this is where I will stay if it's possible. There are so many directions our degrees can take us. We are in a wonderful profession!

That's wonderful that you have found a space in nursing that fits you so well. Way to bloom!

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Specializes in Faith Community Nurse (FCN).
And I am an NP that will be going back to the bedside in a few years. Being an NP is great, don't get me wrong, but the hours are brutal and the documentation and nonsense with Medicare/Medicaid requirements for documentation (that have nothing to do with quality care) if you want paid are very burdensome. I am looking in a few years to go back to the floor so I can do my 8 hours and go home. Coming full circle....I want to have a life again .

This is a really interesting perspective. I wonder if you hear similar comments from other NPs?

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There is a lot of dissatisfaction with the hours that are put in - after seeing patients all day there are (average) 4 hours of documentation, so it's about a 12-14 hour day. Gets old after awhile.....

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I found my nitch accidentally when I stumbled my way into Dialysis and into management. I love the challenge of management, but even more than that I LOVE Home Dialysis. It is where I found my last passion in Nursing. I have been a nurse for almost 40 years. I started out in ICU and then ER/Trauma, then the OR, clinical research (which, but the way I despised!!), then dialysis. Been there since 2002. I am now in my last years of employment getting ready for the next big adventure: sailing our boat to who knows where. Nursing has been good to me. It has enabled me to do what I want and especially to find life balance with my husband.

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Specializes in Faith Community Nurse (FCN).
I found my nitch accidentally when I stumbled my way into Dialysis and into management. I love the challenge of management, but even more than that I LOVE Home Dialysis. It is where I found my last passion in Nursing. I have been a nurse for almost 40 years. I started out in ICU and then ER/Trauma, then the OR, clinical research (which, but the way I despised!!), then dialysis. Been there since 2002. I am now in my last years of employment getting ready for the next big adventure: sailing our boat to who knows where. Nursing has been good to me. It has enabled me to do what I want and especially to find life balance with my husband.

This is such a great life story! You share one of the beautiful things about nursing--variety--and how your various experiences have brought you to a place of truly enjoying your work. It would be interesting to hear how some of your past work has contributed to how much you love home dialysis and how you have been able to find "life balance." The image of sailing off into the sunset is a great finish! Blessings on your and your work!

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I've noticed lpn's are always in the middle of their rn, rn's trying to get their bsn, then masters, maybe practice, maybe teach. It's a versatile field but I really enjoyed the thought of what we can do to grow and enjoy where we're at!

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Specializes in Faith Community Nurse (FCN).
I've noticed lpn's are always in the middle of their rn, rn's trying to get their bsn, then masters, maybe practice, maybe teach. It's a versatile field but I really enjoyed the thought of what we can do to grow and enjoy where we're at!

You are so right! It is great to pursue more education and to take the next step, but it is also a beautiful thing to become very good at what you are doing, to plant firm roots in your job, build solid relationships with your co-workers, and find ways to make growth a part of staying put.

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