How did you get out of bedside nursing?

I got out of bedside after only 9 months experience as a nurse to work in an outpatient oncology clinic. You just have to apply to the jobs you are really interested in. I was initially rejected with an email, but responded to the email saying I was really interested and to please keep me in mind. I received an interview after that. Follow up is what got me the jobs I really wanted.

However, I am back at the bedside now after 1 year and 4 months away.

Not home health.

What made you come back to bedside? If anything, I want a full time non-bedside job and still keep my per diem bedside job so I don't lose my skills. Thanks for inspiring me! I am going to apply everywhere!!

Why not home health?

I worked about 1.5 years in inpatient hospice and LTC, then moved into a M-F public health clinic job. Days only, holidays and weekends off. I just left that job to start an occupational health job with the same type of schedule but much more flexibility because clinic hours aren't a concern. It was a major issue for me to need to take a kid to a doctor appointment or to have my own dental appointment, and I got tired of that among other things that really only had to do with the leadership and not the work. I enjoyed being busy all day in the clinic as long as it wasn't insane and most of the people I saw were a pleasure to deal with.

I'll be honest, it would take a lot, like a major catastrophe, for me to return to bedside shift work.

Working in outpatient oncology was just as stressful as bedside, and I was sitting all day. I hated sitting all day. Unfortunately, my work situation also turned out to be dysfunctional with the particular doctor I worked with. I like being physically on my feet and moving even though bedside is a bit overwhelming physically at times, I feel healthier to keep moving. Also, bedside is a better schedule IMO for going back to school and family. When I worked in a clinic I worked long days and 5 days a week, plus commute. I was gone far more than when working a hospital schedule. I had to use PTO for appointments, etc.

Please see my PM.

You know it's funny, I got out of bedside nursing (full time at least) 4 years ago and took an opportunity to get into informatics, and here I am desperate to get back to bedside. I work per diem in the ICU but I am interviewing today for the ED. It's in my soul, I guess. I miss the camaraderie, the excitement, the keeping busy. I love medicine and it's really all I want to do. I'm just trying to kill time until I graduate in may with my NP, but I can't stay here any longer. I'm not cut out for sitting in an office. There's no camaraderie here, no bonding. I miss those crazy nights in the ICU when we'd get a crashing, bleeding post op, or a coding MI. Whenever I watch a medical show I get a lump in my throat because I know that's where I belong. Good luck to you. Sometimes you need to be away so you can see how much you love it.

I was bedside for 38 years, and education was the key that unlocked non-bedside opportunities and to me leaving. Frankly- I didn't leave because I hated it, but I proactively left before my body had a chance to force me out. I left for academia without any major physical issues.

I miss it- but know I am doing something meaningful that I could continue to do for another decade or more Lord willing.

Things to be aware of:

1) Bedside nursing pays better than most less stressful non-bedside nursing. (I would consider management more stressful and pays some better)

2) People usually go into nursing out of a desire to help/take care of other people. This probably needs to be part of your new job.

I was working on my schooling, feeling burned out at the bedside and needed a less stressful job, I took a "nurse auditor" job. This job involved checking bills vs documentation at a children's hospital. Schedule was awesome, "Don't come before 6:00am, if you won't be here by 10:00am please text us." I was very successful, worth about $1 million a year to the hospital, however, I quickly realized that I was missing the taking care of people/benefiting society aspect of nursing.

I have also tried home-health, I didn't like it. My home-health job felt like necessary wound care mixed with unnecessary nursing (this is just how it felt to me, I realize not everyone will agree).

I now teach nursing at my local college and again the schedule is awesome and I feel like I am benefiting society again.

Wanting to leave bedside, I suggest more schooling, in my area a BSN can do clinicals for the college and teach LPN courses, you need at least a Master's to be full-time faculty. My Master's took 3 years part-time, but I have some co-workers complete an MSN in 6 months at online schools.