How to make this happen?

[amzyRN]

I finally got a job at a really great hospital in an ideal location and in many ways am so excited! But I'm still not in a specialty that I find completely fulfilling, in fact, I feel like I've regressed a bit at times. I'm working on a surgical/tele unit. Primarily surgical floor and feel like a glorified waitress! I am sick of the whining, ******** an moaning about "small" things (like the food tasting bad). Okay, I am empathetic and compassionate, but I'm sick of the dealing with many of the non issues like soup that's not hot enough. I went into nursing to be challenged, to feel like I'm making a difference in peoples lives, to use my mind and all of my skills to save lives. I just feel like I'm not doing that and I'm bored.

I've worked a few codes and really liked it and I've worked tele long enough to feel comfortable with heart issues and relatively unstable patients. I really want to work in the ED and I've considered ICU. How do I go about transitioning departments. I plan on paying my dues on this floor, but really need a strategy to move forward. How should I go about it? Should I talk to the nurse managers or is there something else I can do to feel it out?

[Dranger]

Welcome to nursing, ICU isn't all that much better. There you will enjoy downgrading patients or taking tele/step down overflow. After admitting said overflow and doing everything for them you will have to transfer them out because you are now getting ICU patients. Rinse repeat.

It's really fun.

[ChipNurse]

I work ICU and I don't get as many people who are complaining about trivial matters. However, it does happen more often than you would think. If you do go into ICU, be prepared for family members who can become quite difficult.

[thenightnurse456]

I used to work the floor before moving to ICU.

Even though you deal with less whining it still exists. Also just when you thought you escaped the family members... I swear just as bad or worse in ICU. Luckily my unit enforces visiting hours and a strict 2 person visitor limit at one time.