Leaving bedside after pandemic

Published

I'm a med-surg PRN float nurse. I've been in this position for about 2 months now, prior I was a med surg full time staff nurse for 1.5 years. Due to covid-19 the floats are being used for tier nursing in the ICU or put on the Covid unit. I hate my job and I don't enjoy being a bedside nurse. I knew bedside nursing wasnt for me but it's been even more evident during all this. I feel expendable, worried and underappreciated. I want to leave but dont plan on doing so in a pandemic. How long and how many job changes til you found your niche because that's my goal after this crap is over.

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×

I realized pretty soon after I graduated that floor nursing wasn’t for me. I’ve since moved on from floor nursing, I did triage in an outpatient cardiology clinic for about a year and a half. Now, I work in the EP cath lab and I really enjoy it. It just takes some time to find where your happy place is. Luckily, once I did leave the bedside I was so much happier immediately. I now realize I will never be happy working the bedside. I love caring for people but the bedside nursing just isn’t for everyone.

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Every new job I had ended up being a bit better than the last. With more experience you start to realize what you like and don’t like. 
 

I’ve been a bedside nurse for over 3 years and unless I end up finding a unit I really like, I don’t think I’ll stick with it forever, whereas some will want to be bedside forever. It’s been rough with the pandemic, but there is so much more to nursing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion