Please help me and tell me why bedside nurisng MUST be the 1st step

[Kitty Hawk, ADN, RN]

Okay, pound it in my head if you have to lol.

As stated in my previous post I'm very unsettled in what I do right now in LTC. If curious please see my other post, I'm too exhausted to rehash it and completely saddened today that my one day off in the next 5, my son left early from previous plans. He gave me a heartbreaking hug, so I'm in a fragile state.

Completely unexpected I stumbled upon a postion for an educator for a hospice organization. Not only does it pay more (which is saying alot since I make as much as a hospital RN around here) however I didn't go into nursing for the money, bills must be paid. But they are willing to completely train! sounds a little too good to be true right? Besides life experience, I do have management experience, but agreed....in a whole other ballpark.

I read about how many nurses know from the get-go that they don't want bedside but it's necessary (this of course doesn't apply to those who love it, and I am not trying to be disrespectful) to understand the other jobs. It makes sense of course to have that experience to fall back on. But what I'm getting at, is after awhile much of the bedside skills are forgotten no? If someone is begrudgingly in that hospital knowing that they are going to leave for non-beside, this is good for the patients how? Esp when the skills will get rusty anyway. AND even more important is much of the hospital is paperwork and more paperwork, agreed? How many times do we read that nurses who want to provide direct care really can't in the way they want?

I'm leaning more and more these days towards some type of research I think. However I greatly respect the hospice mission statement.(so this may be a viable segway on the journey) I used to say (back when I was clueless and starting the nursing journey!) that I wanted to help people to the other side. So that may be what fits for now, and then build onto something for research later.

I'm not exactly sure if I stay in my LTC for a year how that will really benefit my nursing abilities. We do some skilled care, but anything we are doing is pretty repetative b/c of the same people. There are some that are different, but I'm not sure a year's time is going to provide me with that vast of an experience. Which leads me to the end question I had on my other thread. Is hospital bedside nursing a definite to be able to be the best at whatever you move on to do?

Or do any of you know any nurses who had relatively a short time as bedside and moved on quickly to non? I read one experience here from 2008 Of a nurse who left bedside after only 8mos. I only have a couple mos. am I completely crazy to want to try something else so soon?

I think I will still go on the interview and see what is what. But I just wanted perspective on when you know what you're doing really isn't cutting it, why must you waste more precious life keeping on the same hard path. Perhaps b/c of my age, I am very quick to realize what is not working, I have little tolerance for sticking through something that is making me more miserable than giving me joy in terms of work, b/c I have BTDT and just b/c it wasn't in the nursing sphere does not mean those trials and hard times should be eradicated. Nevertheless I don't want to skip valuable steps that I would regret later.

Maybe if this other position works out, it could be for now, while my son is still home, then if need be go back to a hospital? Or as I keep asking, is the hospital absolutely 100 pct necessary?

Talk to me ....PLEASE!

[VTRN774]

I don't believe there is any "one size fits all" or one single essential step for being a nurse or growing as a nurse. If you know bedside nursing isn't for you, of course you should give something else a try. You might have some gaps in your education, but you'll fill in the gaps when and if you need them. Go for it and don't waste any more energy defending what feels right to you.

[Batman25]

If you aren't interested in bedside nursing don't do it. This sounds like a job that really interests you and bedside nurse isn't a pre-req to the job. I would definitely look into this opportunity. Sounds like it could be a nice fit.

[Kitty Hawk, ADN, RN]

I don't believe there is any "one size fits all" or one single essential step for being a nurse or growing as a nurse. If you know bedside nursing isn't for you, of course you should give something else a try. You might have some gaps in your education, but you'll fill in the gaps when and if you need them. Go for it and don't waste any more energy defending what feels right to you.

Thank you VT, I just dug up an old post from rngolfer (not sure if they're still around) from 2008 and they explained that they had relatively little bedside and went into hospice but the strong curiousity compensated for much in terms of actual hands on. So that was hopeful.

I'm just unsure if my goals are to eventually do some type of research hopefully with more CAM methods. How the exact bedside nursing is going to be advantageous? I do have a great curiosity, and a strong work ethic, willing to work hard. Maybe that can compensate for what I'm lacking.

I guess time will tell.

[Kitty Hawk, ADN, RN]

If you aren't interested in bedside nursing don't do it. This sounds like a job that really interests you and bedside nurse isn't a pre-req to the job. I would definitely look into this opportunity. Sounds like it could be a nice fit.

Thank you, I am surprised but fully appreciate the encouragement!

I did not expect to stumble on this opportunity so soon, I was planning to stick LTC out for at least 6mos if not a year. But who's to say? This may not pan out and I'll remain. But I must say, that thought does sadden me. I'm a big believer in "what's meant to be" This really does interest me, but I guess b/c it sounds a little "too good to be true" ....I'm proceeding very cautiously, not trying to get my hopes up too high and trying to gain some perspective on if it sounds okay or not.

I really did expect to get a lot of "why did you bother with nursing school" thoughts. But there are many aspects of nursing that do greatly interest me. The whole, mind, body, spirit connection. Not the paperwork and red tape and bottom dollar not to mention understaffing that much of bedside has become. So I'm genuinely curious if it's a must.

It's really encouraging to hear, maybe, just maybe one can take a different path.

[Scrubby]

Heres an example:

We have a CN at work who didn't do much in the way of bedside nursing-as in med surg. Now this person is in charge of clinical specialty in OR. She did not work at the bedside and only did OR nursing. A few weeks ago in front of myself, other students and everyone else who was watching was unable to assist with a patient who required a lifter because she had no idea what she was doing.

Sorry but if your in that position and your unable to even do basic patient care then your going to look very silly.

I'm not saying you should spend years doing something that doesn't interest you. But every nurse should know the basics.

[subee, MSN, CRNA]

Heres an example:

We have a CN at work who didn't do much in the way of bedside nursing-as in med surg. Now this person is in charge of clinical specialty in OR. She did not work at the bedside and only did OR nursing. A few weeks ago in front of myself, other students and everyone else who was watching was unable to assist with a patient who required a lifter because she had no idea what she was doing.

Sorry but if your in that position and your unable to even do basic patient care then your going to look very silly.

I'm not saying you should spend years doing something that doesn't interest you. But every nurse should know the basics.

And helping in a code? Fuggitaboudit.

[VTRN774]

With all respect, let me state that not every nursing position requires functioning in a code situation (and certainly not hospice or research nursing). As for looking "silly," is that really the issue? Does the CNs job require lifting patients? then get her the training. If not, then what's the big deal? Nurses specialize. that's okay.

[ItsTheDude]

the only reason it has to be 1st, is if a job u want also wants that (doesn't seem to be the case here). don't listen to ppl tell u what's needed, they're not the employer, just mouths that don't matter.

too many nurses have an ideal of what a nurse really is (narrow minded, basically a real nurse has to be like them, because they're so fantastic and important), anything else isn't really a nurse to them.

go for the job, get the job, live happy and laugh at the "real" nurses.

[medscience]

I dunno, I have been dropped into some totally unexpected and interestingly frightening scenarios. I think it will rest on your ability to stay cool and quickly pick things up as you go along. This fact> " they are willing to train" would already be the answer for me. Youcandoit! Good Luck to you :)

[JenniferSews]

And helping in a code? Fuggitaboudit.

Forgive me, but how is that relevent to hospice in any way? I get it in an OR situation but in hospice? Even so if a nurse who was an educator was involved in a code I think most experienced nurses would ask her to step aside even if she helpful.

If you don't want to do bedside care, then don't do it. Are you just putting in your time to get somewhere else? how is that helping your patients? Why waste an opporunity to do what you want? You'll only regret not at least trying! Good luck!

[BCgradnurse, MSN, RN, NP]

If this job feels right to you, then go for it!! Don't lose out on a wonderful opportunity because some people think you must have a certain amount of bedside experience.