L&D or Hospice

[bgerkin]

I am a new nurse of 2 years. I graduated and went right to work on the Covid unit. As Covid dwindled we went back to our original designation as an ortho med surg unit. I have become burned out with broken hips and dementia. I know that sounds awful and very un-nurse like. On the good side I have mostly great coworkers and a pretty good schedule. Unit and management wise I have no real complaints. But, I send out resumes pretty regularly. I have two that recently called back and have interviews this week for both. The first is labor and delivery, the second is hospice case manager. The caveat: L&D is part time nights, hospice is of course days with a hefty signing bonus. While I find L&D intriguing and something I’ve always wanted to be part of…I’m also terrified of it. There is so so much to learn! I think if it as critical care for two people and non-stop stress but a patient population that is usually well. Hospice on the other hand…more time with my patients, more autonomy but emotionally draining. But a normal schedule and a full paycheck. But am I then just doing it for the money? Can my emotions handle the constant death, even if that death is welcome and to be celebrated that the suffering is over? Really when it comes down to the check, going part time is the difference of a couple hundred dollars. I could make up the money elsewhere. L&D positions do not come around often so I almost feel like this is my one chance. Who knows? A full time day position may open sometime in the future. Or do I just stay where I am. I have two teenaged daughters at home who would be alone overnight-but they are 16 and 17 and very capable of handling themselves. For me, I feel like L&D is the way to go even if the conditions are not ideal. But can I learn everything I need to know? I need a crystal ball!

[No Stars In My Eyes]

L&D= the beginning of lives. Hospice= the end of lives. Heads or tails? Someone told me once to make a decision with the flip of a coin, and then see how it feels to you; you will have a better idea if you feel good or not so good once you have "decided". Of course, that doesn't mean you have to go with the one that comes up heads, as it is just a way of helping to sort out your feelings.

If you've been a nurse for two years and have gone through the Covid Wars, you certainly have the capacity to learn what you need to know. No one is born an expert! Give yourself a chance, and take a leap!

Best of luck!

[RNKB18]

I just started in L&D and am 2 months into training and I will say it is a-lot more stressful & less straight forward than I expected, complications and things not going according to plan happen every day and it is not happy the majority of the time as I expected it would be. There are a-lot more "demises" or dead babies than I expected and that is an extremely difficult assignment..I think both jobs would be really difficult and rewarding in their own ways. Can you shadow and see which feels like a better fit for you? Hope you find where you're meant to be!