I've been an RN for a little over 2 years on a cardiac imcu/med surg unit. Previously I worked LTC as an LPN for about a year while pursuing my ASN. I am now in school for my BSN. Before even earning my LPN, I knew I didn't want to work in LTC and I was right. I hated it. So, after I got my LPN license, I rushed right back to school to earn my RN.
Once I obtained my RN license, I thought I would finally be content working in acute care. I started as a new grad on the cardiac imcu/med surg unit and (as is for all new grads), it was tough. But about 6 months in, I started feeling more comfortable. After about a year I was pretty comfortable and confident in my abilities. The unit I work on has very knowledgable and supportive veteran nurses so I am lucky in that aspect.
Now a little over 2 years in I am close to miserable, but not just at work. It carries over to my outside life as well. I don't expect to love my job (that's why it called a job), but should I really dislike it this much? I've become increasingly stressed, impatient, fatigued, have more health complaints, no energy, and etc... I cant believe I put the time and money into a earning a degree to be this unhappy with my career.
Some of my issues are: staffing ratios (job was pitched as 4:1 day/evening ratio but it's usually 5:1, and at times lately its been 6:1); rotating shifts (Hired as day/nights but as the older RNs left, I moved up to mostly to days. But now that staff is leaving or new hires decide they don't like nights, I get thrown back to them. I hate nights); time taken away from my child & home life; being scheduled over my FTE (im a 0.8 get, but frequently am scheduled 0.9 or 1); and heavy workloads; constantly added inconvenient extra duties.
As far as scheduling is concerned, I have never been a person who can tolerate a 5 day work week. I like to work as few days as possible. Currently I am a 0.8 (32 hrs/wk). I like to do 12 hour shifts so I can work 3 versus 4 days a week. When I first started working, I was told people with seniority got the 12 hr shifts first which is understandable. But since then, multiple senior people have left and the majority of the nurses have less seniority than me and I still don't have the schedule consistency that I would like.
Maybe the inconsistency is just something that goes along with acute care since it's 365 days 24 hours. Since I like a more structured schedule, maybe the hospital setting isn't for me. As far as extra duties, it's not just about patient care anymore. A licensed nurse on my floor may have to be a secretary, janitor, or even doctors (take on responsibilities that aren't a nurse's job). Since reimbursement is changing, there is increased focus on scripted customer service. You cant just go in and be genuinely nice to a patient, but you have to ask key questions and say key phrases so the hospital gets + survey responses.
Currently, I'm pursuing my BSN because I would like to be more marketable and have more options. Even though school is adding to my workload and stress, I feel I have to stick with it. I am currently trying to decide if after completeing my BSN, I should pursue an advanced nursing degree or try to obtain a minor or certificate in another field or flat out pursue another degree. I like nursing theory and the educational aspect of it, but I really want a lot less to do with the hands on aspect.
Job attributes I am looking for is: decreased manual and floor work, but still enough contact to maintain and enhance my nursing knowledge; and no offshifts and rare to no weekend or holiday obligations. Overall I would be content with a job in the healthcare industry, but a desk type job. I even think I would be OK with being an NP.
In nursing school they told us that there are so many career possibilities/paths for nurses. I'm just trying to find an educational path that will get me to a job that is more tolerable for me.
Any insights or suggestions as far as educational paths and career options are much appreciated. Are any of you nurses who returned to school to pursue an entirely different major and if so, what did you major in and what career did it lead to?
