I haven't found my niche in nursing

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Specializes in ICU, Triage, Home Health, primary care FNP.

I've been a nurse(floor and ICU) for almost 4 years now, but I have yet to find my calling. How do you find your calling? Right now, I work in a neuro ICU. What interests me the most are dealing with patients who are dying: comfort care, donor, withdrawal of life support, etc. Does that mean that hospice nursing is for me? I'm also inclined to get an MS because it just seems like that's the next step, but i really don't know what my specialty would be. Well, I'm just feeling lost. Help!

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It sounds like hospice might be a good fit for you. What you can do is contact a hospice agency and ask them questions to learn more about hospice and it's philosophies.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

Since you have mentioned liking working with organ donation, what about working with the local organ procurement agency? Our ANAM left last year to be the Gift of Life coordinator for our hospital and she likes it. Also hospice may be a good fit as well. Good luck to you finding you niche.

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I've been a nurse(floor and ICU) for almost 4 years now, but I have yet to find my calling. How do you find your calling? Right now, I work in a neuro ICU. What interests me the most are dealing with patients who are dying: comfort care, donor, withdrawal of life support, etc. Does that mean that hospice nursing is for me? I'm also inclined to get an MS because it just seems like that's the next step, but i really don't know what my specialty would be. Well, I'm just feeling lost. Help!

Perhaps hospice, transplant coordinator, as another poster mentioned the regional organ procurement agency.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Some people never get a "calling" or have a profound sense of finding something "perfect" for them. They go through life with a career that is secondary in their lives -- secondary to their families, their hobbies, etc. Those people (like me, who has been a nurse for 31 years) can still have a successful career and a happy life.

It sounds like you are doing a good job in identifying your interests and talents. Pursue jobs based on those interests and you can be successful and satisfied even if you never experience that profound sense of perfection that we all fantasize about.

"Real life" is what happens while we are waiting for perfection. Focus on having a good real life instead of worrying about finding perfection. Enjoy each day and try to help people along the way.

Good luck to you.

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I don't know if we all find our niche. For me, it seems my niche changes every few years as I get bored with routine. The nice thing about nursing is that you can change your area of nursing easily. I have worked in different departments of the same hospital and changed employers entirely too. Sometimes I think the ol' "finding your bliss" (cousin to the niche), can be a path of disappointment, at least for me. Perhaps contentment and even fulfilment is made of many small things in our lives.....hmmmm

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
I don't know if we all find our niche. For me, it seems my niche changes every few years as I get bored with routine. The nice thing about nursing is that you can change your area of nursing easily. I have worked in different departments of the same hospital and changed employers entirely too. Sometimes I think the ol' "finding your bliss" (cousin to the niche), can be a path of disappointment, at least for me. Perhaps contentment and even fulfilment is made of many small things in our lives.....hmmmm

Yes...I agree. Thank you.

I see so many young (or at least "new") nurses become so terribly disappointed -- and even bitter -- becuase they don't experience "bliss" in their daily work. When they don't feel some profound sense of bliss, they mistakenly believe they have made a mistake in their choice of a career. The mistake is not in their choice of a career, but rather in their expectation that they will be blissfully happy on a regular basis.

Not finding that bliss, they believe there is something terribly wrong with nursing or something terribly wrong with themselves, causing them to run away rather than making the investment to develop a successful career and/or seek satisfaction in the imperfect around them.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
I don't know if we all find our niche. For me, it seems my niche changes every few years as I get bored with routine. The nice thing about nursing is that you can change your area of nursing easily. I have worked in different departments of the same hospital and changed employers entirely too. Sometimes I think the ol' "finding your bliss" (cousin to the niche), can be a path of disappointment, at least for me. Perhaps contentment and even fulfilment is made of many small things in our lives.....hmmmm

I think this is going to be me. I've loved psych for the past almost 2 yrs. Now, it's time to move on. It's getting to be same old, same old.

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Specializes in orthopaedics.

i can't tell you what you love. just by your post it sounds like you have an intrest in something like organ procurement. usually this requires 2 years critical care experience.(which you have) take a look at what is in your area and best of luck

hugs,

wicked

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I get bored very easily and so ER was the place for me! Loved it...

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"Real life" is what happens while we are waiting for perfection. Focus on having a good real life instead of worrying about finding perfection. Enjoy each day and try to help people along the way.

its nice to know people think like you.

its one of the wiser things ive heard.

thanks:nurse:

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

I did find my niche (it's what I always thought it was, NICU!) but I do have other interests I'd like to pursue someday..organ procurement is one!

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