I need your advice! bedside or non-bedside?

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hi, i'm currently on a big dilemma right now. I'm working on a very busy

and highly stressful med-surg floor at a well known hospital in LA. Every time

I go to work, I drag my feet and honestly, I'm not happy there anymore. Yesterday,

my previous employer (which is another hospital but not that well-known and highly

rated) called me and asked me if i want a position, psychiatric outpatient nurse, hours

are awesome 8-430, no weekends, no holidays but ofcourse the pay will be like 8-10 bucks

less as a bedside nurse. I'm only 25 and I really dont know which specialty in nursing I'd like

to pursue at this time. Im planning to go back to school for NP and advance my degree

but im wondering how i would do it if i'd be working 5 days a week (and not to mention i have a 7 month old). i really need an advice from nurses who has been on the same

situation. right now all i know is im not cut out for bedside nursing. im too stressed

and im hurting my back. :( any suggestion will be appreciated thanks!

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Hi there. I just transitioned from a busy med-surg position to a clinic setting and I couldn't be more happy. Before when I was working med-surg I would get extremely anxious not knowing what I was coming into and we were notoriously short staffed. Now in the clinic I pretty much know the schedule for the next day and I can prepare myself. Good luck in your decision!

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The more experience you will get the less stressed you will be. Med-Surg is a stressful place in itself, however, if you truly have your heart set on getting your NP degree then I wouldn't take the other job. It will be so much easier to work school and clinicals around your hospital schedule. It also may be hard leaving your baby every single day. Is there a different floor or area you could change to in your hospital just to try something new? If you aren't planning on going back to school in the near future then try the psychiatric job if that appeals to you. You don't have to do it forever and maybe that will end up being the area you like!!

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I'm in the same situation. Expect the psych position is more days more weekends less pay.. I just hate med surg and floor nursing. I have less then a year exp... Good luck:))) I just fear that since I'm so new that if I take the psych position I will be less marketable in the future, because honestly I don't know what area I want to work in...

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thank you for your advice. since I was in nursing school i've

always been interested in psych. it's just really hard for me

right now because of my 7 month old. i need to save money but at

the same time i have to take care of my health too. (i've been

having back problems for a year now and my doc advised me not

to do so much lifting, which is a req't in med-surg.) i don't know

if i'd be marketable in the future if i only have background in psych.

im young and honestly i dot know what i want yet, im really

stressed out and pressured right now.

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thank you for your advice. since I was in nursing school i've

always been interested in psych. it's just really hard for me

right now because of my 7 month old. i need to save money but at

the same time i have to take care of my health too. (i've been

having back problems for a year now and my doc advised me not

to do so much lifting, which is a req't in med-surg.) i don't know

if i'd be marketable in the future if i only have background in psych.

im young and honestly i dot know what i want yet, im really

stressed out and pressured right now.

I feel the same way believe me... I took the psych job and I will worry about the rest the line. I can't always plan for the future, maybe in 5 yrs my goals will be diff. Who knows. I love psych and that's what I'm rolling with. Med surg is back breaking stressful....I don't know what I want to do either, but bedside nursing isn't one of them. Good luck with your decision.

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for how long did you do med surg?

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I understand your dilemma. I have just entered Med-Surg nursing and feel overwhelmed at times. I have been a mental health nurse for the last 4 years (in patient, geri-psych, substance use/detox. outpatient mental health). Left my job working mothers hours outpatient mental health to get some med surg experience. I'm in NP school an hope to start NP clinicals in January. I need to work 3 days a week in order to find the work/school/single motherhood balance. However, the transferable skills I obtained while working in psych/mental health last 4 years have been very helpful to me. I'm not certain which arena I will practice when I"m done NP school. I'm interested in returning to the mental health population (homeless health, public/community clinic or H&Ps for a psych hospital) but felt that I really needed to work in medical/surgical for exposure. I have no regrets, I'm learning alot! While it's overwhelming, I keep telling myself it will only enhance my practice as an NP. Best of luck to you on your journey !!!!

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for how long did you do med surg?

I did med surg a few months. On our floor we did everything. No CNA's. vitals, sugars, weights, brief changing, q2 turns. On top of my meds assessments admissions.. I started having bad anxiety diarrhea every shift... So I put my notice in and accepted the psych position. Good luck life is too short to be miserable.

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Specializes in pediatrics.

I agree life is too short, there are definite benefits to getting that bedside experience but nursing is so vast a field that if its not for you MOVE ON!!! There is so many more ways you can help and more importantly be happy doing your job.

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I started on a med-surg floor (nights) and I was only there for 10 months, I would get anxiety from the moment i exited the ramp to the hospital and to top that, the unit where I was hired was frequently closed due to low census , so I would get floated to other medical floors (cardiac, Surgical, med/oncology). I attended a job fair and at another hospital and I it was between cardiac floor or gyn/postpartum. I went with gyn/postpartum and loved it, some of my coworkers would complain at times, but I would always remind them at least we werent on a med/surg floor. Unfortunately, I had some problems in my marriage , working 8 hour night shifts didnt help the situation , so I gave up my position when I was offered a job as a school nurse. I eventually wanted to do school nursing , but didnt think after 2 years of nursing I would end up there. I enjoyed working as a school nurse but I still want more clinical exposure. Currently I'm self employed, my husband have a food business, but its rocky and I'm probably going back to work soon, just don't know what I want to do, but I'm sure God will find a place for me, so I'm not worried!

Remember your health and your family is of most importance. And your happiness of course! Some things to think about: If you want to advance your degree, is the NP route the best for you ? there are other graduate programs/routes for nurses, and how soon do you plan on returning to school?

Good luck with your decision.

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Specializes in Step Down, Cath Lab, Health Coach, Education.

I know this post is old. But I am going trough the same situation. How did the change go? How are you feeling with your decision?

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