Leaving a job I love

[eastcoastsun]

Hi Everyone! Never have posted on here before but I have enjoyed reading your posts!

So I have a dilemma. I live on the east coast and have been working at my OR for almost 3 years. I love (for the most part) my job, especially the people. However, the small hospital I work in only performs two OR specialties and that is all I am trained in. Although I love my job, I feel I need to learn more, gain more experience and be able to function in multiple OR specialties. I am just having a difficult time because I am worried that I will regret leaving or that I will fail at my new job. I know that the main reason for me wanting to stay are the people and the organization. There are other factors, too, such as the new job has a shorter commute and better pay. I am also considering doing travel nursing in the future. I feel that, although I am comfortable at my job now, I need to push myself and learn more. Any advice would be greatly appreciated :)

East-coast RN

[Argo]

If you have bigger plans that are going to take you different places then you should definitely learn all services. What services do you currently do? Can you do them with your eyes closed and one hand tied behind your back?

Its almost a no brainer to get more pay and have a shorter commute.... does the new place have any sort of bad reputation for eating up and spitting people out? That would be the only deal breaker....

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

Never feel badly about wanting to branch out- my dad always taught me that emotions should come into play very little in decisions like this.

Look at it this way..if you leave your current place on good terms, you can always come back later. Maybe you'll come back with kick-butt skills, and can run the OR.Who knows? You are still early in your career- learn new skills as early as you can..nothing worse than a "stuck in their ways, afraid to learn things" OR nurse.

[truejewel82]

I feel the exact same way. I've been in the East Coast with almost 3 years experience, in the OR. I don't want to stagnate at my hospital. It's a great teaching facility and I've learned to scrub and circulate all services except cardiac. I feel it's time to move on and I've been dreaming of become a travel nurse...but I can't imagine being an OR travel nurse would be cake....treading softely. Looking into 3 agencies: Medstaff Inc, Talemed, Fastaff so far.

I dream of working Sandiego, Boulder, Ankorage, Hawaiii someday. :)

[MsLeylaBar]

I think you made the right decision. It is always a big plus if you know how to circulate or scrub many procedures especially that you are planning to become a travel nurse. That only makes you marketable.

Don't worry about leaving a nice comfy job. I know how it is but you got to do what you need to do. And if the new job sucks when it comes to people, environment, just bear it for at least a year. :)