Just lost and need career advice

[Grande_latte04]

I guess I just need advice. I am lost. A little background: I have a year and few months experience in nursing. This is my second career. I use to be a scientist. Decide I had a passion for nursing and went back to school. I completed an ABSN- fished in the top of my class. When I finished school I was so burnt out. My mental health was suffering. I just needed a break. I moved out of the state I did nursing school to my partner's home town. I thought I would just maybe never become a nurse. I pursued other things- teaching, science, writing. But then, back in 2019 I got the bug in my ear telling me...you just got to try. So two years after nursing school I took my NCLEX and passed on the first try. I got a job a week after passing, in long term care and rehab. My thoughts were that I would put in a year then get a hospital acute job and then work towards my dream of becoming a CRNA. 

But, COVID happened. I worked for 7 months- watched everyone around me die. I was working 60-70 hours a week as a new nurse and a new parent. Last July, my family and I needed to move to california. Specifically southern california. I got a few job offers- mostly in long term care, but also in home health and outpatient. I took an outpatient job- worked in urgent care, adults and pediatrics. I had a rough start- didn't get along with the nurse who trained me "Judy". Judy criticized everything I did, berated me in front of everyone in the clinic pretty much daily. When my review came up with my boss, I had a panic attack in front of my boss. I had bottled it all up for months and it just exploded. Things got better, I found a place in urgent care, was learning great things, got along with coworkers... but then family stuff arose. We are expecting our second child and I could no longer work a day shift. I asked to go per diem- they said no. I left the company. I started an evening shift as an RN supervisor at the mental health facility. It isn't ideal, and to be honest I do not like it much. I find myself doing endless amounts of paper work, little patient interaction, as an RN with only a year experience, I do not have the respect of seasoned LVNs with 5-10 even 15 years of mental health experience. The RN who trained me did a spotty job and I am left with giant holes in my knowledge of what I should know for the job- like how the   DON specifically wants orders to be put into the computer, how they specifically want a care plan to be written out, who to call when code happens, how to order labs. I am learning all of this but I feel slow and inadequate.

I have thought about quitting. And that just makes me sad and angry. I feel like a crappy nurse. I just don't feel like I've done anything right. And I just don't feel like I belong. I think this is all compounded by the fact that this isn't where I want to be. I want to be in an acute care setting. I want to work in a hospital and I want to help people with their medical issues, not just their psych issues. I've applied and applied and applied to hospitals all over so cal. I even had an interview where I thought I was a shoe in, but never heard back. 

I just don't know where to go from here. Any words- of encouragment? Help? 

[TheMoonisMyLantern, ADN, LPN, RN]

I find your journey impressive! It can be very hard to break into acute care in certain parts of the country. California and New York both seem to have very competitive markets and it can be extremely difficult to obtain an acute care position without previous acute care experience.

I would recommend expanding your search to include smaller community and rural hospitals and while you may have a commute at least you'd be gaining experience. In my area some nurses travel great distances to work at various facilities. I would recommend looking at LTAC's in your area, they are great facilities to gain acute care experience. Also look at rehab hospitals.

Is relocating an option for you? If so then start looking nationwide.

I would not recommend supervising in a specialty you have no experience in because if anything goes south you will be thrown under the bus so quick your head would spin. Your lack of experience in mental health is why you are getting pushback from the staff, they know the support you can provide them is limited, no offense by that. 

If all else fails I would start looking at SNF's with high acuity, I would also see if there are any SNF's in your area that take chronic vent patients which can provide really good experience. 

It might be a good idea to have your resume reviewed or even professionally re-written.

Keep trying, keep pushing on. I wish you luck.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

You are not a crappy nurse. You have just not been in one  position long enough to follow through.  Hang on to this position for a year. Make a list of questions for your immediate supervisor. You will learn plenty of medical nursing in the psych setting.

Focus on the present.

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

You have a difficult start in your second career, please don't extrapolate issues in certain situations to indicate you are not a good nurse. You are probably a fine nurse, and you will feel more confident when you find the right work situation. You are geographically in a difficult place for acute care jobs, and depending upon your family situation you may be limited in your availability. Don't give up, though, you can find a spot that will work out for you. Keep your chin up.

[Sour Lemon]

Four different jobs within a year and a few months might make you an unattractive candidate to a lot of employers, especially as a fairly new and inexperienced nurse. 
If you want into acute care, now might be the time to apply everywhere, though. I’m in Southern California, and the hospitals in my area are desperate for staff. They’re hiring nurses who’ve been off the floor for years. They’re even hiring LVNs, which they normally do not. New graduate LVNs, at that. 
I agree that you should try community hospitals if you have not already. Expect a rough start, though. You’ll experience all the bad things in acute care that you’re experiencing in other places. I think the hiring frenzy will be over soon, too. Get aggressive now if you want “in”.