Job Suggestions for Nursing/Peds/Psychology Interests?

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When I picked nursing as a profession, I had every intention of working acute care pediatrics, then eventually become a Peds Nurse Practitioner. I still might want to do that, but I'm not entirely sure now. I've been a registered nurse with a BSN for a year and a half now, and am currently trying out the acute care route. Honestly though, as much as I enjoy may aspects of the job, I can't honestly say acute care is my "passion." I love providing patient care, but most of the time I feel like all I'm doing is running around with my head cut off putting out fires all day long. I feel like I don't have any time to think, just act. This is a problem for me because I'm a worrier, a stresser and an over thinker, so, as you can see, a fast-paced environment isn't exactly my friend. I genuinely dread going to work every day. I think I'll like it better once I get some more experience and feel a little more comfortable, but I know well enough that, although I enjoy the pay, acute care is not the area for me.

I've been doing a lot of career thinking lately, and was realizing just HOW many different types of jobs there are out there in the nursing field. I want to find my niche where I feel like I'm exactly where I need to be. I love the saying "Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in you life" and I just so desperately want to find that area and just know that it's where I belong. I want to actually look forward to going to work every day, not dread it.

I can honestly say the only clinical during school that I was truly excited to get up and go to every day was my school nurse clinical at a title school in the area. Being a title school, 90 something % of the families were below the poverty line so it was all sorts of crazy and I honestly LOVED it! I loved that you got to be a nurse/social worker and help these poor kids in all aspects. Aside from bandaids and meds and other typical "school nurse duties", the nurse participated in home visits for a student that was missing too much school, helped with pregnancy resources for another, helped with students in bad home environments, and helped with a program that provided meals for students on weekends who normally went hungry. I just loved the whole thing. I also truly love psychology and considered double majoring in it in school, but I decided against it when I realized I didn't exactly enjoy my clinicals on the mental health unit at our local hospital. I guess that kind of makes me lean a little on the social work side for my interests.

So my long-winded question is, what other nursing jobs are out there that combine pediatrics and psychology/development and kind of social-workish in a way? Do such jobs exist? I don't think it necessarily needs to be a school setting. I really like low-income areas no matter what the setting because I feel like I can truly make a difference. I think I could be happy in a low income clinic. I want to know my options and now where I would need to look for a job like that. Any suggestions are much appreciated!

Specializes in Community Health/School Nursing.

I am a school nurse and LOVE my job and kiddos! I also worked floor nursing and knew it was not for me. Best of luck!

Specializes in Pediatrics.

Inpatient ped/adolescent psych

Or centers that work with DHS

Group homes

Juvenile detention centers

In my area there is a pediatric residential psych facility

Places are out there

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