I'm not sure where to go from here, advice?

[Tepidorchid]

I'm a RN of 2 years and have been working on a very busy medical surgical floor with mostly dementia patients. It has been extremely hard working at this career and I've many times cried or beat myself up about work. It makes me feel inadequate to help people due to so many demands and my heart is not in it.

I've been looking for a new job for over 1 year. I've had maybe 6 interviews and 2-3 phone interviews without any offers (over 50 applications). So I've been feeling pretty stuck in a job, or possibly career that has stressed me out and affects my personal life as well ( Crying when I get home). It does have positives, the 3 day work week and decent pay/benefits. Today I'm about to go on an interview for a job related to RN and the technical side of nursing; essentially a desk job with a longer commute. And although I don't know how that will go, I'm wondering if it's worth the risk to go from a full time with benefits to a contract job with a significant pay cut to get a job I may actually enjoy. I could probably still live on that salary, but I don't think I'll have benefits and there's never a guaranteed position with contract work. I've REALLY stuck out this job longer than I have liked and hoped I'd get something in Home health or a clinic. I cannot trade for another floor job. Sometimes I hope I'll get into some horrific accident in order not to go to work, and regret my whole degree and career.

Should I stick it out longer or take a leap of fate if they offer? I' m 23. Any words of advice?

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

If your that miserable in your current job that you wish you would be injured so you don't have to work, I would accept pretty much any other job you think you will like. You can take this contract job, quit your current one, and look for something more stable with benefits in the meantime. There's more to life than money- if your miserable than it sounds like its worth it to take the risk.

[Tepidorchid]

My family is absolutely against the whole contract job so I'm very weary. Hopefully I get something new soon

[nursefrances, BSN, RN]

Hugs to you ((((Tepidorchid)))). I am in the same boat. I am pretty much done with bedside nursing. I just finished tweaking my resume to go to some facilities in my previous field of ophthalmolgy.

Unfortunately, I think it is the "Business" side of nursing that leaves us disheartened. This is the word that I thought of yesterday that sums up how I feel. At my hospital we are constantly understaffed, not because there are not nurses available but because of the "budget". CNAs, the secretary and nurses are sent home and the rest of us are left to drown. We can't even pitch in and help each other much because we are all in the same situation. Three bad 2-day runs of this "same old same old" has left me feeling....bleh. I have thought of leaving for about a year but now, it is a true desire.

I have no advice for you, but I offer wishes of good luck in future endeavors and prayers and hugs. :hug:

[mdgale]

I understand your frustration. Floor nursing certainly isn't for me either!! Time is money and at this point in my life, I'd be willing to pay someone to fix my resume and connect me to the right people just to get me where I want to be!