I don't want to do bedside nursing

mtngrl, ASN, RN · Oct 14, 2014

I felt the same way in school, I made great grades but dreaded clinicals. I think it might be the anxiety from the responsibility of it all. Anyway, upon graduation I worked in a doctor's office, which wasn't too bad. Then worked with developmentally disabled in their homes...most states have some sort of programs for that type population. Might want to look into that?

gcupid · Oct 15, 2014

get any job that you can...preferably bedside experience for at least 6 months and see if there is a way you can do an internal transfer to another less stressful position....

I think it depends on your location and credentials that determines how fast you will be able to find a position that is not bedside related.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Oct 15, 2014

Here's my advice: just do it. Be miserable for a year while you accumulate that crucial year of bedside experience because it will be the foundation upon which the rest of your nursing career is built. The year of bedside nursing experience is the gatekeeper that open the doors to cleaner, more 'desirable' nursing positions away from the bedside.

Generations of nurses before you paid their dues in the trenches and worked at the bedside to qualify for other positions. So can you. Good luck to you!

RNperdiem, RN · Oct 15, 2014

I can understand wanting to avoid stress. We all want that. But as a beginner it is like saying "I want to be a nanny, but I don't want to do any childcare."

Some bedside experience is usually needed to get to the non-bedside jobs. Useful contacts are good too; I know nurses who were semi-recruited into their positions.

You might be amazed at what you are capable of if you don't let fear hold you back.

Bezoars · Oct 15, 2014

I was in the same boat as you... book smart, but didn't like the clinicals as much. They challenged me because I tend to be an introvert. Anyway, I agree with the other posters. Do a year of med/surg... you'll learn a lot and be glad you did. There are lots of different avenues to go down in nursing so I'm sure you'll find your "thing". If generations of nurses can do it, so can you. I did it and it totally boosted my confidence. If you can do med/surg nursing... you can do anything.

noki1024 · Oct 30, 2014

Thank you all for your comments, I actually had an interview today at a doctor's office so hope I get it!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Oct 30, 2014

Thank you all for your comments, I actually had an interview today at a doctor's office so hope I get it!

And thank you for returning with an update. :up:

estrellaCR, BSN, RN · Oct 30, 2014

congrats! Its great that you know what type of nursing you want to do (non-bedside) and you are going for it. Non-bedside jobs are not hard to get , in fact, in large cities non-bedside jobs are easier for new grads to get than are hospital jobs. I met a lady that works for an insurance company as an RN, and its her first RN job. Homecare and clinics also are new grad friendly. Most of the RNs in my hospital orientation had their first RN jobs in clinics or homecare.

Tnyce · Oct 31, 2014

I actually was able to get a job doing something called clinical escalations for a vendor company that does annual health visits for a few insurance companies. So far I love it, All I do is receive clinical escalations from NPs and PAs after the in home assessment and send them over to the insurance company. I keep track of what I get for data purposes, but overall its great. I work from home and its all computer. My title is clinical escalation manager. This is very different and I'm glad I was able to get it. I am a RN with about 10 years experience and prior to that I did WC case management.

KellyRN2013 · Nov 9, 2014

You have to remember that clinicals and nursing school is completely different than real world nursing!!! I dreaded clinicals but loved bed side nursing. If you wanted to further your career you would need to go back to school for your MSN with a certain focus and you will have a ton of opportunities from management to case work to informatics or anesthetist. There are plenty of options other than regular bed side nursing!!!!

vickymarie · Nov 24, 2014

First of all, don't let anyone tell you that you "need to" be miserable for a while just to be a nurse, or that in order to be a real nurse, you need to pay your dues and work at the bedside. It's always an option, and it's a good way to develop skills, but as my public health instructor told me, there is this belief out there that you need to be at the bedside to be a "whole" nurse, and that's not true.

I precepted in public health at the health department and eventually got my first full-time nursing job there. I tuned out the negativity about how I needed to sculpt my career a certain way, and I'm incredibly happy. Public health, to be sure, takes a very different skill set than bedside nursing. There are many different settings out there, even in such a saturated market.