Having problems in my nursing job

[SoundofMusic]

And I'm in an FNP program, about halfway through and doing GREAT. The problem is, I won't graduate until spring of 2013. I really should stay in a part-time position as a nurse to earn money and keep our family on a better financial footing, and, of course, to continue to get experience.

The problem is, right now I've returned to a new unit and am absolutely HATING it, and not always doing too well as an RN in terms of charting, in terms of checking every box, dotting every "I", crossing every "T", etc. They are so chronically short staffed of both nurses and techs that it's usually just an impossible situation every time I go in. I think they tend to give me harder loads right now also, because I'm new. I can have a great shift that will completely deteriorate if I get a new admit or have 5 patients who are all w/ 100's of orders and issues, demanding families, etc. in every room.

I spent 3 years on another unit and always did quite well. Now, however, after taking a 6 month break from nursing, I'm back in and can't get my groove back.

I want to quit, want to preserve my license, etc -- but I also feel like such a failure as an RN, I wonder if I could ever be successful as an NP?

However, one part of me says that the job of an NP is going to be MUCH, MUCH, different from that as a floor nurse on a busy med/surg/tele unit and I should not worry so much. I COULD afford to quit, but wonder how it will look on my resume when I try to get an NP job. I hate to look like a job hopper ... but I have been. A lot of it also had to do with returning for my masters, however.

Any advise, words of wisdom are appreciated.

[Lovanurse]

Nurses have too many options to stay at a job that you absolutely hate. Floor nurse, school nurse, home care, teaching, triage, ED, OB, insurance, primary care and the list goes on. I would never work somewhere that makes me unhappy. I don't care how much money I got paid. Life is too short. However, don't quit until you find something else in this job market. Home care/agency has worked well with my intense schedule. It's great pay and I'm in control of my schedule.

[May2013]

i could afford to quit, but wonder how it will look on my resume when i try to get an np job.

if you could afford to quit, then imo you should, that way you can concentrate on your studies and have some family time. graduate school is stressful enough.

when you apply for your first job as a fnp, the employer will only be asking you if you have prior experience as an np and not really care too much of your rn experiences. if you google job postings for fnp, they are asking for np experiences not rn experiences.

good luck in your decision.

[SoundofMusic]

May -- let me ask -- are you an NP? Did they not ask you about your RN experiece, then, I wonder?

I worry that if I quit working an an RN, they will ask me what I've been doing up until graduation and see that I only have 3.5 years of nursing experience. Will this be enough?

I know this is the age old question posted here enough ...i guess i just never seem to get a definitive answer.

[Euphrosyne7, MSN, RN]

Hi there:

I stopped working as a RN for my last year of grad school. (I, too, only had approx. 3.5 years total as a RNat that point) I decided to focus on school and also had a very sick family member who I was helping out. Once you graduate, you should be able to list your clinical experiences on your CV, and can just say that you wanted to focus on school. I had no problems at all getting a job.......in fact, I ended up having more offers than I could accept.

I wouldn't worry about it as being a NP is quite different than a RN and if you are truly stressed about your work and can afford to take the time off, I say do it. You'll have more time to focus on school and clinicals. Best wishes!

Carla

[May2013]

I am not an NP yet. However, I am in the same situation you are in. I have decided that I will quit my RN job once clinicals gets too heavy. I want to focus on my studies and build my competency while I have my preceptor within my reach. Once you get your NP license, your employer will not have the kind of orientation that you get when you started your first RN job. They will expect that you know your stuff and are ready to work. Therefore, I believe that we owe it to ourselves, our families and future patients that when we graduate; we are competent NPs. We have invested so much time, energy, money, and made sacrifices already. Good luck! Keep me updated and I will cheer you on. Let's graduate together!

[SoundofMusic]

Thanks, All -- GREAT advice!! And great to hear that some of you had more offers than you could accept!! Woo hoo!!

Hoping to graduate in spring of 2013!