I just don't know what to do......

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Hi, I am new to this forum and am in need of advice. I just graduated in May, passed my boards in June. I started in May on a Med-Surg floor that I loved! The staff and I were like family and I learned so much for the past two months. I enjoyed staying busy however I didn't feel comfortable with the ratio of 6 patients at times. Anyway, they closed my floor permantly now and the staff was all forced to go different ways. My options to stay on days were cardiac or ortho/neuro. I show no interst in ortho and on the other hand I absoultly hate cardiac stuff. Well, I have ended up on the cardiac floor. I dread going to work and the nurses there are so different. I feel like I don't fit in. My dream has always been L and D. The manager said I have a spot there if I want it, the kicker is it's the night shift. She said that the first day spot that opens I can have and I can do nights till then. I just don't know what to do....what if I get to L and D on the night shift and it's slow...I like to be busy. My husband is not thrilled about me working nights either although it will work out with our kiddos. Please give me some advice....how do you figure out your calling? Sorry for the long post. I am just so depressed about it all right now.

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Specializes in Adult Acute Care Medicine.

I am new too and don't have any advise except: Seroiusly consider all options and then follow your heart and your gut. Best of luck to you!

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Specializes in ICU, SDU, OR, RR, Ortho, Hospice RN.

Sometimes you gotta start crawling before you can walk.

If your passion is L&D go for the night position and pray that your day position comes to fruition really soon.

If you do not like cardiac nursing don't pursue this although it can still be a good learning curve for your professional growth.

Follow your heart and if you are stuck in cardiac make the most of it. Get to know the nurses better and turn a negative into a positive.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I agree, follow your heart and your gut and hope for the best. Sometimes, you don't get everything you want right away and you have to wait a while for it. Sometimes, it doesn't come along at all and you have to make the best of what you do have in spite of it not being perfect. That's life.

If you really want L & D, you should be willing to make some sacrifice to get it. If you are not willing to make any sacrifices for it, that tells me (and you) that maybe you don't want it as badly as you think. Also remember this: even if a day position in L & D doesn't come along for a while and you eventually give up waiting and go somewhere else, getting the experience in the specialty of your choice may be to your advantage in finding another job at some other point in your life.

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How old are your children? Mine will be in school by the time that I graduate, and from what I have been able to figure out, night shift is actually going to work much better.

The kids will be at school...allowing me to sleep. I'll also be home and will not miss work if one of them gets sick, and I'll be able to go get them. I'll be home to be able to take them to school. That will also leave you home to be with them for dinner and homework before you have to go back to work.

If you have to work weekends, children CAN be taught to be respectful to a day-sleeping parent...I was when I was a child. It was just how things were in my house. We did alot of coloring, "silently" playing with baby dolls and barbie dolls, listening to music through headphones and playing outside away from the house. We even made it a game to see who could move around and be the most quiet. I never felt deprived of anything, it was just different.

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Hi, I am new to this forum and am in need of advice. I just graduated in May, passed my boards in June. I started in May on a Med-Surg floor that I loved! The staff and I were like family and I learned so much for the past two months. I enjoyed staying busy however I didn't feel comfortable with the ratio of 6 patients at times. Anyway, they closed my floor permantly now and the staff was all forced to go different ways. My options to stay on days were cardiac or ortho/neuro. I show no interst in ortho and on the other hand I absoultly hate cardiac stuff. Well, I have ended up on the cardiac floor. I dread going to work and the nurses there are so different. I feel like I don't fit in. My dream has always been L and D. The manager said I have a spot there if I want it, the kicker is it's the night shift. She said that the first day spot that opens I can have and I can do nights till then. I just don't know what to do....what if I get to L and D on the night shift and it's slow...I like to be busy. My husband is not thrilled about me working nights either although it will work out with our kiddos. Please give me some advice....how do you figure out your calling? Sorry for the long post. I am just so depressed about it all right now.

Here's a suggestion completely out of the box: have you considered looking at a different hospital in your area? Perhaps they will have a new grad program for L&D you could apply for. Since that's what you really want to do, I would look in that area. L&D positions are competitive, so you have to be persistent and pursue leads aggressively. Did you know over 60% of new grads RNs change jobs in the first year? So, don't lose hope. Feel free to PM me. Good luck.

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Specializes in Rural Health.

If L&D is what you love and want......you need to go for it and make the best of the hours. Nights are not the end of the world. In fact nights are an awesome time to get to know your patients, get to spend time with them and learn how to become a well rounded nurse. And nights do work well for families, it just takes some adjustment. Besides, nothing has to be forever in this world....if it doesn't work out....then you move on but at least you got some L&D experience.

Babies also too do not have an internal time clock so they do whatever they want, whenever they want regardless of it being day or night.....the only aspect of day L&D I could see making them busier is the scheduled stuff that is done for the convience of mom and/or the doctor......

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I just wanted to thank you all for the advice. I took accepted the postion today and it feels so good!! I took your works seriously and followed my heart. I am so excited to begin my journey in this area. My orientation will be for 3-4 months. And the manger said it is extensive. She says I am first in line for the next day shift. It's worth it to me to tough out the nights for now. I can't say thank you enough. Oh, what a wonderful feeling I have right now!!! :roll

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Specializes in ICU, SDU, OR, RR, Ortho, Hospice RN.

Yayyyyyyy Lamissa that is wonderful news and you sound VERY happy. I wish you much success in your nursing career no matter where you work! You did good...

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I have had four kids and L&D was never busy during my night times there LOL

Congrats my desire is L&D in the Navy, I have already talked to some nurses and have the path planned out, just have to hope the Navy fits me in its sked.

Congrats!!!

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I know you are so depressed i can feel it beacause mine also same situation was there. listen to your heart and do whatever you feel good for your job. beacause your decision is better any other. so listen to your own brain and heart and implement it. Beast of luck for you.

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Specializes in Pediatrics/School Health.

Congrats on making the big leap! My true passion is L&D as well, but I ended up getting hired on a Peds unit; supposed to be working day shift with night relief, but I'll be doing mostly nights it looks like so far. Meanwhile, I had an option to switch to L&D at another hospital doing full-time night. Only thing that stopped me was that I've only been at my current job for less than 3 months.

Meanwhile, that's awesome you're next in line for a day shift position; it seems that being the "new kid" would put you at the bottom in terms of getting first dibs on something that most people seems to want.

In any case, good luck with the new position!! I'm sure working nights will be well worth being able to do something you love!

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