I am working at a hospital on a telemetry unit taking care of 6 patients. I really do not love what I am doing which is sad because I am a caring person. I feel like I don't have time to really connect with my patients due to the amount of documentation and other responsibilities that are expected of us. I still like nursing but I feel like working as a RN in the hospital may not be the right fit for me. I dread going to work every day and become overwhelmed just thinking about it. I was wondering if there's anything else I can do with nursing out of a hospital setting? I have tried looking things up but some of the positions I have found only hire LPNs. Any ideas?
I understand how the OP feels. I hated being the hospital, even when I was doing clinical for school. I always felt rushed and overwhelmed. I only went because I was told to get a year of med sure experience. But I left after the 6 months. I’ve work in outpatient settings and I love it. Patient education was always my favorite and now I have time to do it. I’ve done wound care and primary care, and I’m about start in public health since I relocated. Just because I hated the hospital doesn’t mean I wouldn’t be a good instructor. When I was paired with students at the facilities I worked at, they always said I did a great job and I was very thorough when explaining things. OP keep trying different areas until you find your niche. I got jobs that I didn’t think I would get. ?
Thank you, that is awesome! I love hearing the different opportunities there are with nursing! I've been strongly considering leaving the hospital to start at an outpatient setting once I get a little more experience. I was just curious about my options! Thanks again for sharing your experiences as a nurse ?
20 hours ago, Jedrnurse said:
I would generally not recommend that someone who is unhappy as a nurse (at least at this point) leave to go teach other people how to be nurses.
I understand where you're coming from. Eventually I do want to teach, but I am new and need more experience. I definitely love being a nurse, but I think it is the setting I am in that is making it difficult for me to adjust. Thanks for sharing!
I would be shocked to hear from a nurse who hasn't felt like you at one time or the other. There are only about 1,000 different nursing jobs you could do.
Get some acute care nursing skills under your belt. Be an exemplary employee. If your hospital has a float pool that's an excellent way to find a better fit for you. Check help wanted sites or even talk to an employment agency that specializes in health care. Or visit a career counselor.
I worked bedside for 10 years (I hated telemetry also) because my husband was in the military and we moved frequently. When we became a little more settled, I left the hospital and never looked back. Worked Community Health for 10 years (loved it), a short stint in Clinic Administration (loved the business side, but not enough patient contact), then found my way into Case Management. Definitely my calling. But each job and skill level was an accumulated skill level. Work your way toward the door... and never apologize for not liking bedside nursing. There is a life outside the hospital, but in the meantime you need more than 6 months of acute care experience.
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NewGradRN96
40 Posts
Thank you, that is awesome! I love hearing the different opportunities there are with nursing! I've been strongly considering leaving the hospital to start at an outpatient setting once I get a little more experience. I was just curious about my options! Thanks again for sharing your experiences as a nurse ?
I understand where you're coming from. Eventually I do want to teach, but I am new and need more experience. I definitely love being a nurse, but I think it is the setting I am in that is making it difficult for me to adjust. Thanks for sharing!