Leaving bedside

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I wish I was a great nurse but I'm not. I realize I can be good but I can never be great...

i excelled at school but I'm not excelling at work. Maybe I'm going thru reality shock. I've been a nurse for over a year...and...I feel like I'm not good at bedside. I have a passion for nursing but I just don't have it....I also get frustrated...working hard then patients, doctors and worst fellow nurses get mad at me when I really tried hard. I feel guilty because I hate complaining, but here I am....I left home to work and go to grad school at a different state. I go home lonely..I've had no social support here...I got everything I wanted, but I'm not living up to it....I have an option to move back home and go to grad school full time to get a non bedside position in healthcare...or I can continue staying here and prove to myself I can do this.....

im in my mid 20s...I'm in a top grad program to be an NP, but I'm not sure about it anymore...ive been interested in public health and research..but i dont know how to tap into it...any advice? What would you do?

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Specializes in Med/surg, Tele, educator, FNP.

What do you want to do? Bedside is not for everyone, try another area in nursing?

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I've had interest in public health and research...

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Specializes in Med/surg, Tele, educator, FNP.

Research sounds fun? Why don't you finish your couple years at bedside while looking for a public health position and complete you NP. Then when you have all that done go into research. ? That's what I would do.

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I wouldn't be going to grad school if I wasn't sure i wanted to stay working with patients, physicians, nurses, etc. I would try a different nursing job before I threw in the towel.

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Specializes in L&D, Women's Health.

You don't indicate how much longer you have to complete the NP degree. I work as RN in L&D and as ARNP in public health. There is a BIG difference in the way you deliver care not only in these two settings but also in the two professions. I absolutely love working in public health, although the pay is much lower. Can you not go back home where you have support (I couldn't imagine starting such a career without a good support system . . . well, actually I can because I did it, but it was HARD) and maybe work part time at local hospital and go to school full time? Yes, you can "tough it out" but why not where you have support? Can't offer much about research. I empathize with you! Good luck.

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Specializes in IMCU, Oncology.

Did you ever consider becoming a nurse educator? If you excelled in a scholarly environment, then maybe you would be a good educator.

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Specializes in mental health.

Have you considered Nurse Anesthetist? Do you like chemistry or politics? Politics, than go for MHA, chemicals? Go for holding a hand and making sure they recover from all the drugs you put in them!

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