In Search For The Perfect Nursing Job...

[Joe V]

People have done crazy things in their search for the perfect nursing job ... What have you done or are doing to get your dream job?

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[Davey Do]

31 minutes ago, Joe V said:

People have done crazy things in their search for the perfect nursing job ... What have you done or are doing to get your dream job?

After being terminated from a community clinic as a NS for medical services for one year, I decided to give up on nursing and pursue my freelance art.

A psych nursing position found me in which I made more than in my jobs as a nurse and artist combined.

In a way, it was my dream job, as I held that position for 17 years- 10 years more than my other longest  position.

But sometimes dreams are nightmares, as this position certainly was at times, but I would not trade the experience for ANYTHING (other than a box of Fried Twinkies).

Mmmmm.... "Fried Twinkies"!

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

I applied for 10 years, was always offered part time, but needed full time d/t being single parent/financial source for my kids. Once they were grown and gone and the right opportunity presented, I accepted, and I'm in my retirement job

[Red Shirt 6, CNA]

In the search I joined several social media sites like Allnurses.com, used specialized employment sites, played the lottery. The result still searching. 

[Hannahbanana, BSN, MSN]

I interviewed for everything I was remotely qualified for (I.e., RN license and warm/breathing), even things I knew I DIDN'T WANT TO DO, to keep my unemployment office case manager happy. Most of them said "Overqualified. Next?"

By golly, by accident I found one that I could do for the three months it would take me to get another teaching job .... and to my vast astonishment I discovered I loved it, it led to a whole 'nother set of opportunities, and in 27 years I never went back to the hospital (except as a patient, LOL).

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

I'm in it! School nurse x 27 years (RN) for 38    holy crap I'm getting old!

The job found me, a parent/teacher/friend reached out to me when the previous nurse was retiring. I applied and voila! I got it!

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

I worked at a LTC facility that had just opened a new rehab wing for total joint replacement pts. I did not want LTC, it was an hour drive 5 days/week. I went because the new DON had been one of my nursing instructors (she was part time and they got rid of her-big mistake!). 

I kept applying to the hospital I wanted-true bucket list place. I was an older new RN and knew I wanted to work there. 

I applied for a nurse residency position. Turns out, I was considered a "new grad" for a year. At 10 months, I was accepted into a specialty residency program for orthopedics. 6 months of orientation. The 10 months I spent at a LTC facility gave me great experience with ortho patients and, cerainly, time management. 

I have now been at my dream job for over 8 years!! I love my facility, I love my patient population. I feel very lucky for the way everything worked out. Starting nursing at almost 50 years old, there wasn't time for farting around trying to find my dream job. I found it immediately. Very appreciative. 

[Esrun777]

The craziest thing any of us can do is believe that our dream nursing job really exists. 

I applied for remote positions for about 9 months (only 3 years of nursing experience, 2 in the hospital and 1 in the clinic) despite everyone telling me it wasn’t likely. I finally got a work-from-home position at my dream organization. It’s medication refill - I work evenings from home, no weekends or holidays. 40 hours a week. 

I honestly think if you just believe that there’s something better out there, you’re doing more than the vast majority of people. Don’t let fear control you!!

[harvestmoon, RN]

So I'm a new grad at 60 (graduated last year at the start of Covid) and worked C-19 testing/vaccination clinics until I got a job in an ER (go figure), which I thought was going to be my dream job (very small rural ER and you do everything from UC to inpatient). Loved trauma-1 ER I had volunteered at and thought ER was my jam. I'm 5 months into that job and I'm not sure. I've been working 3 months in a stepdown ICU and I really enjoy the bedside. So dunno. I'm keeping both jobs (ER is a 0.3 and SDICU is 0.75) and we'll see how things play out.

I probably only have 10 years in this profession though and I'm only planning on 5. 

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

I joined the Army Nurse Corps at age 38. Direct commission, no military experience (just grew up as a military brat, so at least I already knew rank, acronyms, and the phonetic alphabet, haha). That was crazy! 

[SmilingBluEyes]

There is no perfect job, but I am doing well in mine right now. I don't ADORE it but don't hate it either. To me, the best "job" is "retired volunteer" RN. I will likely volunteer in several places where I may be needed but can't wait for retirement. This will be in just a few years, woohoo.

[Davey Do]

On 6/2/2021 at 9:50 PM, SmilingBluEyes said:

There is no perfect job

Perhaps not, SBE, But working in CD tx for 3 1/2 years were some of the very best days of my life.

Those days were like the opening paragraph of Dickens' Tale of Two Cities:  "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."

I went into that position as an LPN with a bad attitude, won't bore you with the details, but that job, that Program, Administrator, Staff, and Patients were the greatest.

I went through a divorce from my first wife and the RN program during that time, and have not experienced a more loving, growing, and supportive environment.

I feel blessed, and it would be my wish that every Nurse would get to experience that sort of position, just once in their career.