Is it enough?

[emsshaffer]

I just graduated from nursing school in May, passed my NCLEX in June and now I'm finally ready to get to work! I am starting to volunteer at our local pregnancy resource/sti clinic and really looking forward to it. I don't mind that it's just volunteer (it may turn into a part-time payed position). It seems like the perfect job for me! My responsibilities will mostly be meeting with clients for counseling, teaching, STI testing, administering STI treatment via protocol or referring patients for treatment. There is no higher level provider on site. My first career (before I went back to school for my BSN) was counseling related. I also like that the agency is very family oriented and offers flexible hours as we are expecting our first baby in January or February. We don't have family in the area and my husband's job is pretty demanding, so we anticipate that the majority of childcare responsibilities will fall to me. I am comfortable with that and feel like I would rather be home with my baby than working a lot anyhow, but...

My concern is that I am giving up on a nursing career before I even start one by not pushing to get that first hospital job right now. Before graduation, my nursing instructors really emphasized the importance of working at a hospital for the experience. And so many of the nursing jobs that I am most interested in require experience, which I have learned mostly means acute care experience. I'm afraid it will get increasingly harder to be hired in a hospital (and those other more interesting jobs) the longer I am out of school. My ideal nursing career would involve community based health promotion and probably some medical missions work. I spent the first few months of my pregnancy feeling too sick to even search for a job. Now I'm feeling much better, but still pretty tired and not too good about 12 hour shifts and overnights. Don't get me wrong, I know I could do it. It's possible. But I just don't know that it's what I really want for my life right now. When the baby comes, I would really love to be able to be home for the first year or so. Maybe working a few half days here and there, which I could do at the pregnancy resource clinic. I just don't see a practical way for me to be working even 16-20 hours/week and leaving my baby with someone I am paying to be there.

I am excited to be a mom and really want to enjoy this time in my life. I also don't really feel up to the crazy hours and demands that come with starting out as a new nurse in a hospital. But I don't want to completely give up on my RN career that I have worked so hard for already.

I am really interested to hear from some more experienced nurses and nurse managers. How does this situation sound to you? An RN with volunteer/ part time work experience in a pregnancy resource clinic but no hospital experience, perhaps looking for another job a few years down the road. Do I have a future in nursing if I choose to give myself permission to enjoy my family right now?

EMS

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Congratulations on your accomplishments & baby!

First of all, Nursing is not limited to any one environment. Many nurses have only practiced in non-acute or community health... they are still nurses. If your career goal is community health, I don't see that acute care experience is an absolute requirement for you. You are correct in assuming that this will be a limiting factor if you decide to try to work in acute care in the future. Only you can determine whether this is a critical issue.

Since you are fortunate to have a supportive husband and the option to enjoy your baby.... go for it! Family should always be your first priority. I do agree that you need to stay in touch with your nursing career in some way. A part time paid position would be much better than volunteer, in terms of future employment prospects.