I can't find my niche!!

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello everyone.

So, I have been in the medical field since after high school, but only been an RN for 4 years now. My first hospital job was in the Ortho floor which lasted about a year and I switch to psych nursing. It has been two years and I am ready to run again. I've worked as a medical assistant for a family practice, LPN during home health, hospice and nursing home. I even worked for a podiatrist and a walk-in clinic. I don't feel like I'm learning and growing as a psych nurse. I am afraid that I will lose my clinical skills. Floor nursing is king of scary and it is too overwhelming for me. I want to work in a environment where I can focused on pt care without all the politics and chaos. I did have an interest in OR or ED. The ED is probably out of question because I'm too scared. I can't read a EKG strip to save my life. It's funny because I can pass basic rhythm test with flying colors. I am also ACLS certified. I just don't know what do to. Sorry for rambing on and on...

Any suggestions or advice is greatly appreciated.

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Consider working in day surgery PACU. The best in the small hospital that does only routine surgeries.

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Agatha12,

I've applied for PACU, but they are telling me that I need OR experience and OR is telling I need experience too.

Thanks for your suggestions.

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Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.

Why not stay in psych? It sounds like the only reason you want to leave is perceived fear of losing skills...well, if you had those skills once, you'll get them back if ever you need them. Another consideration is perhaps pulling a few shifts at a skilled nursing facility - per diems there make great money and those patients are close to hospital acuity these days (but with less hoops to jump through for being hired). Also, psych experience will be coveted at those facilities lots of times.

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.

What about ambulatory care, maybe at an urgent care? School nursing - we deal with a lot of psych in school nursing. Good luck.

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That sounds good. Thank you.

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I loved doing urgent care as an LPN, no jobs for RNs in urgent care around here, but if you can find one, try it out! Scariest thing I got was new on set afib and we just shipped pt out the door by ambulance.

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Thanks! I'm looking into it.

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