If you left floor nursing...

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If this is you, whether after a short time, or years of being a nurse, where did you go and do you have any regrets? I am at the end of my first year of nursing and feeling like maybe I made a mistake. I realize the feelings of being overwhelmed ect. as a new nurse are normal, but I am ready to settle in to my nurse "home" and I don't know that the hospital floor is going to be it. Thanks!

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Specializes in Telemetry, Case Management.

I left after less than a year and have never looked back. Best decision of my life because bedside nursing just sucks... I have been a school nurse, clinic nurse and now a Nurse Case Manager, and have loved all 3 of those areas. There is so much more you can do in nursing than just work on the floor. I am so glad I am not miserable any more! If you are unhappy, don't waste your life, you only get one.

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I feel this way about hospital nursing too. But I'm afraid of switching to community nursing and not liking it either.

Have you tried different units in the hospital? I switched around a few units and still haven't found what I like.

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Specializes in public health, women's health, reproductive health.

I left after less than a year and I am so glad I did. I have zero regrets. I worked in an outpatient clinic and currently I am a public health nurse. Love my job. Finally love being a nurse. No looking back for me.

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Something I learned is just how many options you have as a nurse. EmpoweRN has a good video on it, but also there are other options to look into. It's hard to find sometimes, but well worth it if you like it.

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I left after less than a year and I am so glad I did. I have zero regrets. I worked in an outpatient clinic and currently I am a public health nurse. Love my job. Finally love being a nurse. No looking back for me.

I knew in nursing school that the floor was not where I wanted to be. I started in public health as a new grad 7 years ago and love it too! I don't think I'd go back to a hospital unless I was in very dire straights. The beauty of nursing is that if you don't want to work in a hospital, you don't have to. There are so many kinds of nursing jobs outside of the hospital if that is where you want to go.

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During school we spend a lot of time in the hospital. That's where most of us want to go at first. Nurses in the women's and children's fields seems happier but if that's not your thing and you don't like adult acute care them there are dozens of other fields to go into. The speciality really makes a big difference.

Part of the reason people stay in the hospital in my area are 1. The pay, 2. The vacation time, 3. The flexibility. So many are part time. If you kind of enjoy hospital work then it is great but if you're miserable then there are other choices.

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