Help! I hate my job!

[MiVaRN]

Hey everyone,

So I'm sort of a new RN, in that I graduated December 2007, but then immediately moved to NH where my husband was stationed in the Navy. Since he was only going to be there for a year before he got out, the only place I could really get a job was a SNF. It might not have been that bad if the administration actually cared about the nurses, but all of the nurses there were so unhappy! Needless to say, I was relieved to leave that job and come back home to California with my husband. Because I had been out of the hospital setting for a while, I decided to start on a med-surg floor to regain some of the skills I have lost. I've been working here for almost 3 months now, and I hate it! All of the stress-related health problems I was having at my last job are starting to surface again, and I feel sick and stressed all the time. I went into nursing because I was interested in Women's health, and I feel like it is taking me forever to get there. Plus, I feel stuck on this med surg floor because my manager was pretty insistent that I give her 2years! I thought that was a little ridiculous, but thought I could maybe do 1 year. Now, I'm anxious to get to six months and then transfer to OB, but I'm worried how that will look to my manager. I've known many people who have transfered to ICU or other areas after six months, but my manager also is in charge of ICU, so it probably wasn't a big deal to her. I just need some advice! I LOVE OB, and I was always told by my OB patients in school that I was a great teacher when I would do their discharge teaching about breastfeeding, cord care, signs of mastitis, nutrition, etc. It's a passion of mine, and I am so tired of being stuck where I don't want to be.

I don't know what I should do, Please help!

[Emilysmom2, RN]

I don't have any answers just that I understand. Many of my classmates have changed jobs after 6months. I myself am decreasing my hours after 7months on a busy Med surg floor. My goal is to work in a wound clinic but in my hosp we are not allowed to transfer before 1yr. I had to pass up a spot in the clinic I can only hope there will be another spot after my yr on the floor. Good luck

[southernbelle08]

I hear you. I won't say I am unhappy (because I do love my floor thus far), but I would ultimately love to be in Postpartum or Peds. Luckily, at my hospital, all of that is on the same floor. I plan to stay a year or so on my floor and then start watching the board for any positions that open up there. While I am on my current floor, I am grateful for the things I am able to learn. I know I will be better for it in the long run. I guess just keep trucking on and hopefully something will come up! I wouldn't worry about how it looks. In the long run, the hospital wants to keep a nurse. It would do them little good to lose you to another facility entirely.