should I switch?

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Hi! I am a flexible staffing nurse who is very very burned out. I work every floor in the hospital with the exception of L&D. I have only been a nurse for 3 years and I hate it. I am tired of people coughing staph in my face, griping at me while I wipe their backsides, having 7 patients, and just med/surge in general.

When I was in school I said I wanted to be an OB nurse but I just sorta fell in to Critical Care. I decided after that I couldn't do L&D b/c I am not sure I could handle it when things did not turn out well. I can handle a 20 year old in a fatal accident but I don't know if I could handle a stillborn. I know it is strange but that is just how I am.

My question is should I switch to L&D b/c that is the group that I care about the most? I have gotten to where I don't care at all anymore. But I still truely care for pregnant women and babies. I would love to help with breastfeeding and parenting. Any ideas?

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I think that your mental health and happiness is as important as anyone else, so if I were you I would make a job change. There is nothing wrong with making a change when you are not happy. Keep in mind all areas of nursing are challanging and come with their own bag of troubles, but I think since your heart is not in the specialty your in now, you have nothing to lose and all to gain!

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Thank you

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You might try looking for a postpartum unit. These are generally found in larger hospitals that have a high enough census to support separate L&D and PP units.

I work PP and love it. We take care of mostly well mom/baby couplets with only minor complications. Any serious moms (including those who had a fetal demise, still birth, or neonatal loss) go to antepartum for recovery. Very ill newborns go, of course, to NICU.

We do lots of work with breastfeeding, parenting, and teaching. This might be what you're looking for.

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I'm a home health nurse who only works with new moms and babies. We have the occasional child under 20 who has a chronic or acute illness, but 99% of what we do is lactation support, education and hooking people up with other services they may need and be eligible for. It doesn't pay as well as hospital nursing but the benefits of being autonomous and making my own schedule are well worth it. I always say that when they offered me the job I said "You want to PAYme to drive around all day and hold new babies? Well, OK!!"

The beauty of nursing is that you can try many different jobs in your career. There is no reason to stay where your spirit is suffering! Good luck finding the perfect job!

Natalie

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Specializes in Peds - playing with the kids.

hi,

you definitely need a change.

i went from med-surg to peds and then switched hospitals.

then i was finally happy .

it's hard to make a change, but in the long run it will be better;).

:icon_hug: hugs to you!!!:icon_hug:

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You might try looking for a postpartum unit. These are generally found in larger hospitals that have a high enough census to support separate L&D and PP units.

I work PP and love it. We take care of mostly well mom/baby couplets with only minor complications. Any serious moms (including those who had a fetal demise, still birth, or neonatal loss) go to antepartum for recovery. Very ill newborns go, of course, to NICU.

We do lots of work with breastfeeding, parenting, and teaching. This might be what you're looking for

I had not thought about that! That is a great idea

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I'm a home health nurse who only works with new moms and babies. We have the occasional child under 20 who has a chronic or acute illness, but 99% of what we do is lactation support, education and hooking people up with other services they may need and be eligible for. It doesn't pay as well as hospital nursing but the benefits of being autonomous and making my own schedule are well worth it. I always say that when they offered me the job I said "You want to PAYme to drive around all day and hold new babies? Well, OK!!"

The beauty of nursing is that you can try many different jobs in your career. There is no reason to stay where your spirit is suffering! Good luck finding the perfect job!

Natalie

Is it a regular home health agency?

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