Wanting to change departments

Nurses General Nursing

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I have worked on and ortho/surg unit for almost 2 years now in a very small hospital. In nursing school I always wanted to do peds or L&D. As a new grad the only job I could find was in ortho/surg so I decided to take it as a learning experience and do the best I could. It is getting exhausting...all of the ETOH patients, confused, demented, combative, SI, drug seeking patients. I am physically and emotionally drained from this job. Because it is such a small hospital we admit all kinds of patients (not just surgical) to my floor. When I envisioned nursing somehow it did not involve tying a cute little old man to his bed so he wouldn't pull out his foley and IV. My question is do other RNs feel the same way? Has med/surg drained you? And also how hard would it be to transfer to peds or L&D when I have been doing ortho/surg and have no specialized experience neccessarily?

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I just wanted to add that in addition to all the patients that have tested my patience....I have met and cared for some amazing people who truely appreciate the time and energy I have spent taking care of them and making sure their needs were met.

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Specializes in PACU, OR.

With two years experience at your back you should have more job options open to you. I commend you for sticking it out in a line of work so far distanced from your true interest, but it's time you looked for something new.

If there's nothing available in other departments in your current place of work, cast your net further afield.

By the way, did you post this yourself under "nursing humor?" Seems to me it's been moved to a totally inappropriate forum....

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Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.

Moving this thread to General Nursing Forum - more appropriate for subject.

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Specializes in labor and delivery,peds, med sure, ASU a.

Ha I am in the same boat as you except I work in labor and delivery and pick up shifts in peds-I want to transfer to ER. It is kind of scary because I have been doing this for so long and worried about how I will do. You sound like you are ready to move on. Do it! One of our charge nurses transferred from med surg to labor and delivery. As with anything new, of course it is going to take you a few months (heck she said it took her a year) to be comfortable. She is awesome.Her med surg was definetely an asset as well. Yours willbe ttoo. Good luck!:yeah:

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I just started on an Ortho/Med Surg floor and we also get alot of Psych ,drug seekers etc. It is a very busy floor and while I am learning alot , I am exhausted all the time. I don't know how long I will be able to stay on this floor. I love the staff I work with but I feel beat up all the time. How long do I need to stay here to get my experience before I look at other options. I am a new nurse and this is my first job. There is a very high turnover rate on this floor and management is always asking me if I like working here and do I need anything to help me succeed. I will feel bad if I do leave but this floor is killing me. I also live an hour away so my day is even longer. I really don't know what to do. I hate to leave such a supportive staff, but I am hoping my body and mind can hold up for the long haul.

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Had no idea I posted this under nursing humor. Sorry! I think that I definitely need to look elsewhere....thanks for the input. And yes it is so scary to do something new. But I think I am ready for it. Cubbieblue I totally agree.....I love every RN I work with on nights in my small hospital. Everyone is so supportive and such a great team. My manager is great too and I have been so greatful for the support and opportunity to work where I do. Sadly if I want to work in peds or OB I'll have to move hospitals. I finally feel comfortable where I am but I think I am ready for a different population.

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Specializes in PACU, OR.
Had no idea I posted this under nursing humor. Sorry! I think that I definitely need to look elsewhere....thanks for the input. And yes it is so scary to do something new. But I think I am ready for it. Cubbieblue I totally agree.....I love every RN I work with on nights in my small hospital. Everyone is so supportive and such a great team. My manager is great too and I have been so greatful for the support and opportunity to work where I do. Sadly if I want to work in peds or OB I'll have to move hospitals. I finally feel comfortable where I am but I think I am ready for a different population.

Sounds like a nice hospital; the small ones frequently are. Why don't you speak to your NSM about options available to you? Is it a "stand alone" facility or are there other hospitals in the group?

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Well when I graduated from nursing school I went to stepdown ICU for about a year. Then I went to telemetry which is where I am currently on. My passion has always been womens health. So I just interviewed for mother/baby and I got the position! So it is definitely possible to change departments! I totally understand what you are saying about med/surg since I currently have been working on telemetry. And now I really get to do something that I love. When I interviewed they asked me why did I choose stepdown ICU and telemetry first and I really couldn't give a clear answer:) But I told them in the interview that you should truly do something that you have a passion for:)

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Specializes in M/S, ICU, ICP.
i have worked on and ortho/surg unit for almost 2 years now in a very small hospital. in nursing school i always wanted to do peds or l&d. as a new grad the only job i could find was in ortho/surg so i decided to take it as a learning experience and do the best i could. it is getting exhausting...all of the etoh patients, confused, demented, combative, si, drug seeking patients. i am physically and emotionally drained from this job. because it is such a small hospital we admit all kinds of patients (not just surgical) to my floor. when i envisioned nursing somehow it did not involve tying a cute little old man to his bed so he wouldn't pull out his foley and iv. my question is do other rns feel the same way? has med/surg drained you? and also how hard would it be to transfer to peds or l&d when i have been doing ortho/surg and have no specialized experience neccessarily?

kudo's that you have stayed for as long as you have. med/sug work is the hardest, (to me anyway) than any other department yet challenges you as no other area can. i did 14 years total on medical floors. it is always pure chaos and there is a ton of meds, a ton of doctors coming in from ull the consulting groups and each one "has" to write their own set of orders. you can never count on anything except that no matter how you plan your day, you will never get caught up and things can change in a nano second. it is exhausting, and burn out is high, but if it is in your blood, you are forever hooked.

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Thanks for all the feed back and advice. Been seriously thinking this over for the last month or so. My small hospital has a system of larger hospitals in larger cities close by. I am going to talk with my manager and explore the possibility of moving somewhere where my heart would be in the work. There is nothing worse than dreading to go to work. And I have learned so much and gained confidence in my nursing skills over the last 2 years....but the last 2 weeks especially I have dreaded to go to work. That is not fair to myself or my patients I don't think. We'll see where this takes me...

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