This is more a mind-dump than anything else. 80% of the time, I LOVE my job. I'm really really good at it. I adore all my coworkers, and I think they feel the same about me. For the most part, the patients love me. I'm the go-to person, the pointman (woman) for our department. If someone has a question or needs something done, they come to me. If I don't know the answer, I know how to find it. I'm the expert in our clinic.
My boss relies on me and trusts me, and has given me more and more responsibility. I'm on two different leadership committees, and am heavily involved in two different QI projects that are likely to have significant positive effects for the entire organization. I'm paid well.
Yet. I'm discontent. I have career ADD. I get restless easily, and once I've mastered something, I want to discard it for the next thing. And that's how I'm feeling, even though I KNOW I have a really really good thing here. I WANT to be content with my job, at least for the next few years. And most of the time, I am. But there is that smaller part of me that wants to know what else is out there.
How do I be happy with the really good thing I have?
Do you have regular contact with nurses who are experts in your specialty area? I think you will find many high achievers become restless when they reach plateau points. If you are not a member of a specialty organization, consider joining and attending local chapter meetings and national conferences, also, consider presenting a poster or writing an article for the organization and/or volunteering on one of the organization's committees. Look for opportunities to be involved in clinical research and to participate on advisory boards.
OP, perhaps it is more of a recognition thing as opposed to anything else. If you do good work, and you are resourceful, that should be an administrative role. Perhaps your goal is to be DON or a supervisor of some kind. As you should be with all of your professional accomplishments.
And I can help but throw in my jaded 2 cents--but I would find myself restless if someone else is getting professional recognition for my input, my ideas, if the committees that I contribute to are ideas that are solid, but the implementation weak. I am not sure that this is happening, however, it is a thought I had as well. If you are the go to, spin doctor, morale booster, crisis manager, then I would think that warrants an administrative title.
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
Do you have regular contact with nurses who are experts in your specialty area? I think you will find many high achievers become restless when they reach plateau points. If you are not a member of a specialty organization, consider joining and attending local chapter meetings and national conferences, also, consider presenting a poster or writing an article for the organization and/or volunteering on one of the organization's committees. Look for opportunities to be involved in clinical research and to participate on advisory boards.
Yes, that is something I do want to become more involved with after I finish my program. I am a member of AWHONN (OB/Women's/Newborn nurses association) but have not been involved with the local group. Same with ILCA (lactation).
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
OP, perhaps it is more of a recognition thing as opposed to anything else. If you do good work, and you are resourceful, that should be an administrative role. Perhaps your goal is to be DON or a supervisor of some kind. As you should be with all of your professional accomplishments.
And I can help but throw in my jaded 2 cents--but I would find myself restless if someone else is getting professional recognition for my input, my ideas, if the committees that I contribute to are ideas that are solid, but the implementation weak. I am not sure that this is happening, however, it is a thought I had as well. If you are the go to, spin doctor, morale booster, crisis manager, then I would think that warrants an administrative title.
Yes, that is part of it, I think. My title is "charge nurse". I have applied for manager positions in the past (positions that I'm well qualified for) and I know that my resume doesn't make it past the HR bots because they see "charge nurse" and don't realize how MUCH my role encompasses, and how much administrative stuff I do (and I fully admit part of that is my fault, my resume needs an overhaul).
The good news is that my manager fully acknowledges and appreciates what I do, and HER boss, who is an associate director of nursing, was actually assigned to me as a professional mentor when I started with the organization, so I have both of them fully in my corner, and both recognize my strengths (and professional goals) and I know they want to help me achieve them.
I actually have a really exciting QI project I'm working on for my Master's capstone which I think may save our organization hundreds of thousands of dollars. It's one of those things where I'm thinking "Why has nobody else recognized that this is a huge problem??" but apparently nobody else has, or has realized the scope of the problem and how much it's costing us. My mentor (the associate director of nursing) is also very excited about what I'm doing, and I know I will have her full backing when I try to implement it on a facility-wide level (right now I'm just in the pilot phase in our little clinic, and collecting data).
Sorry, another brain dump.
I did email the manager who contacted me about an interview yesterday after reading people's posts in this thread, and politely declined the interview, citing the projects I'm currently working on that I really need to see to completion, and right now is just not the right time to leave my current position. She was very understanding and pleasant and wished me luck.
It felt good to do that, and I am taking your advice, Libby, and I'm not going to even LOOK at job postings for a year. I'm going to spend this next year finishing my degree, working on my projects, and finding things to learn within my current role that will challenge me (my manager wants me to take over the monthly budget reports - I love spreadsheets and numbers so I'm totally geeking out about that).
I really want to thank everyone who responded. I mostly come here for entertainment (and the occasional snark) but when you really need advice from people who have BTDT, nothing beats this place.
OP, is your MSN going to get your NP license? If not, go for it! That's my next step, I think you will feel more challenged and it sounds like challenge is what you need!
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
No, not APN. I have NO desire to be an APN. I was in midwifery school and dropped out, because I realized I didn't want to be an APN. My interest is more policy, research and process improvement. I'm actually thinking of doing Six Sigma after I'm done with my degree program.
You have to be content in whatever state you are in (phillipians 4:11). If you are not a person who has been regenerated by the Spirit of God through faith in Christ's death and resurrection then you will not understand that contentment must first start with Jesus. The things you have described such as a good paying job, good coworkers, and the ability to make positive changes in your organization will never truly satisfy. Read to book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament. This book makes it abundantly clear that we can never be truly satisfied with our state in this world. In the end "all is vanity (emptiness) and vexation of spirit. My suggestion is to first make sure that you have repented if your sins and put your trust in Jesus Christ who died for your sins. Be content with Jesus Christ and the eternal life you will receive the moment you trust in him. After this you can seek to better your situation, but not have a restless spirit that is not content. It sounds like you have it pretty good to me. Just in case I'm criticized for offering a spiritual solution, the OP never said secular/worldly answers only! Also, I'm not assuming that because a person is not content that they are therefore not a true Christian. Even the apostle Paul had to learn to be content.
dishes, BSN, RN
3,950 Posts
Do you have regular contact with nurses who are experts in your specialty area? I think you will find many high achievers become restless when they reach plateau points. If you are not a member of a specialty organization, consider joining and attending local chapter meetings and national conferences, also, consider presenting a poster or writing an article for the organization and/or volunteering on one of the organization's committees. Look for opportunities to be involved in clinical research and to participate on advisory boards.