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How long have you been doing what you're doing. There seems to be a natural cycle of content/malcontent/discontent and back. It could be you're in one of those cycles.
I have found that there is nothing like spending a little time talking with a patient to help me rearrange my perspective. Try and find a bit of time to sit down and listen to a few of your patients. They'll appreciate your time and it might just help remind you why you're there.
I have been going through a period of wanting something but not being sure what it is. Not so much dissatisfied as unsatisfied with my job. It's hard to describe. I have a real plum of a job and sp it's hard to find someone who will understand the malcontent becuase I have such a great situation.
Hang in there.
I LOVE my job (I'm a CNS, and my roles include staff and patient advocacy and staff education). I LOVED my job as an ICU nurse (just hated it when the administration changed to one less supportive). Truth be know, I haven't done anything in nursing yet I haven't "loved". Even working understaffed in a corrupt nursing home, heartbreaking and agonzing as it was, I loved my patients.
For heaven's sake, get out of what you are doing. Nothing in this world is worth doing if you hate to get out of bed in the morning (or at night!). The horizons in this field are wide enough that you can find something, somewhere, that will make your heart sing again. Thoughts and prayers go with you. :)
I've had 7 or 8 completely different kinds of RN jobs. Early on, it took me a year to burn out of a job. As time went by, it took me less and less time to see through the BS and the pointless administrative hurdles to providing reasonable health care, since I had seen it already so many times before. The last job I quit after 5 weeks. Ignorance may be bliss, in this field.
I have recenlty started a new job (4 weeks ago) after 15 years at my old place of employment. I, too, got to where I would wake up and think "I don't want to go to work today". Usually when I got to feeling that way it would pass after a week or two but this time it did not, so, I found a new job. Very scary to leave the security of the known after 15 years to go into CCU, which I have never done before. I don't think I really hated the job, I love med-surg and ob but the BS that was dealt out by the powers that be just got to be more than enough.
I do! After I had my baby I couldn't bear the thought of going back to rolling big old poopy butts on gorks that were adding to the census. (hope I dont sound too insensitive!)
I wanted to feel like I was making a difference and save my back!
As far as working conditions, if you found someplace even halfway decent, stay, because it's not much better elsewear
askater11
296 Posts
I'm in a big rut. And I need to get out.
I've worked both step down Med./Surg and step down cardiac (angioplasty/open heart)
We are totally feeling the nursing shortage. It's to the point I get nauseated on the way to work.
I've written a long letter to administrator's, staffing office etc. about my concerns. I'm not one to leave a job that I once enjoyed without my voice being heard.
The urban hospital I currently work at is 10X better then the previous hospital I worked at. But things are taking a nose dive.
I want to try something different. I'd love to go into ICU but since I'm not willing to increase my hours from 2 days a week...I don't think that's advisable. (especially since I have no ICU background)
But I still want to leave. Where do you work? And what do you like about your job?