Least Stressful Fields of Nursing

heathert_kc · Jan 13, 2010

From the jobs/areas that I have worked in I would have to say homehealth, personally I work with peds, though you are on your own for the most part (nerve racking if you are a new nurse or lack confidence in your nursing abilities) it is usually fairly slow paced and by far less demanding than any other area I have worked in; plus I feel so much better and more confident about the quality of care that I give because I only have one patient who I am able to devote my entire attention to.

pinkrose85 · Jan 13, 2010

Is the paperwork heavy in home health?

d'cm · Jan 28, 2010

I'd have to say detox unit. Did it a few times as a temp and it all I did was hand out a few meds and listen to the patient's bull...t.

swirlything · Feb 3, 2010

Level II neonatal icu. Most of your patients are preemies who sleep the majority of the time. The acuity is not as high as Level III. You are unlikely to injure your back lifting your 4 lb patient. Parents are often helpful and will do routine care when they are there, saving you time.

heathert_kc · Feb 3, 2010

Is the paperwork heavy in home health?

Well with the company I work for it's not so bad, I mean I generally work fairly long shifts, anywhere from 4 to 12 hours (with some homehealth jobs you are just coming in to take care of a single medical task for a short period of time). I have a single page sheet that also works as my time sheet, it has spaces for VS, a checklist style head-to-toe assessment, and a narrative note. There is a MAR/TAR at the patients home, to sign off when medeications are given/ treatments are done. But really that'll about it. It's like the equivilant of having one med A patient in a ltc environment, except most of them don't have the energy of a rambucious 5 year olf like a few of the pt's I have had.

HeatwaveRN · Feb 4, 2010

Diabetic teaching RN--

This lady at my job goes around and teach patients how to properly administer insulin. The patient's have to be NEW at this sort of thing. I've seen her several times sitting face to face with patients. I thought her job was pretty laid back. No pulling, no pushing, no lifting, no running around crazy.

Not physically stressful, but just lots of critical thinking involved. They have to also consider special circumstances that the new diabetic patient may have.

mustlovepoodles, RN · Mar 17, 2010

For me it was both telephonic nursing and school nursing. I was a peds advice line nurse for many years and really loved it. Of course, there is no lifting and i worked from home. I always got lunch and breaks too. However, it's not an EASY job. I really had to know peds forward and backward because I was talking to non-medical parents in stressful situations and depending on THEIR assessments to figure out what was going on. You have to have extremely good critical thinking skills and the ability to think on your feet.

School nursing can either be the most wonderful or most terrible job you'll ever have. A LOT depends on the school, the administration, and the community you're in. My first school was a large middle school with lots of social problems. School was chaotic and threatening. The noise level was not to be believed. It was a little bit like working in a jail. I'm in a little elementary school now and it's as different as night & day. I'm respected and appreciated by the staff & admins. The kids are polite. It's quiet and calm, even when I'm up to my ears in vomit and diarrhea. The entire school is on free breakfast and free lunch--our families are extremely poor, but their kids are delightful. I couldn't be happier here. :yeah: I go to work, give some ADHD meds, count some carbs and give insulin, do a tube feeding and a few inhalers, count some more carbs and give some more insulin, give some more ADHD meds, and check a blood sugar before they get on the bus. I have a sprinkling of stomachaches(usually they haven't had any water or they drank too much chocolate milk), some runny noses, and the occasional pinkeye. Last week I had a run on vomiting--7 kids in one day. The front office was in a panic, but really? Seven *little* kids with a GI illness in March is not an epidemic, it's a housekeeping problem. :clown: