Lost and confused new nurse.

[heart_for_you]

I am a new nurse in a busy progressive cardiac unit. I am doing well but feel very lost as to if hospital nursing is my true calling. I have a very extensive business management background and floor nursing is worlds away from my past experience. I miss the respect of the business world and the feeling that I actually accomplished goals. I don't know what I should do now. I would like to find a way to use my business background with my RN but I have not found any opportunities that would fit besides the fact any type of case management or business type positions want at least 2-5 years RN experience. I am depressed (and started to take antidepressants) and just plain sick about my decision to go to nursing school. I love to work with patients, I love to see the difference I can make but truly caring for them but I don't have the time to really be a "good nurse" in my opinion. I feel like I am just putting out the fires and passing meds most of the time. I have read this is a normal thing to go through as a new graduate but I don't know how much more I can take and believe me I am really grateful for having a job in such a terrible market. I just needed to vent. Thanks for listening. Maybe someone can give me some advice to a business development type career for a RN besides pharm sales.

[Dalla]

It feels like nursing is "putting out fires and passing meds" to many nurses, and a lot of the time it is true. But as a new nurse, you have to spend the time to get the experience. I know that 2-5 years sounds like a lot, and it is if you are not enjoying what you are doing. I think you need to "suck it up" for awhile, then try transfering to a different type of nursing - LTC, CCU, OR, clinic, Dr. office, whatever you might have an interest in. And if something comes along that has more of a business side to it, give that a try too. It may take awhile before you find your nursing niche. Give it a chance.

[RoseanneMartin]

Part of my reason for becoming a nursing student was to identify unmet needs and apply my business background to provide solutions. In a perfect world, I will come up with a solution and make a business out of it and retire at 35. :) Keep your business intellect sharp and maybe sooner or later you can marry the two. But it wont happen without putting in some clinical time, I'm sure.

So bedside nursing isn't your thing. You can always get your masters too...that opens up quite a few doors and changes your role.

Set long term goals. When you get depressed about bedside nursing, you'll remember what you're working toward and pull yourself up by those bootstraps.

[TexanNurse29]

I currently work for KCI the wound V.A.C. company. I think you would love being a CAM working in the field. go to KCI1.COM check it out. they are all over the world . Great benefits and pay .goodluck

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

I would try all the doctor's office and nursing agencies. They will have more options and advice for you I reckon.

[Batman25]

Mnay new nurses and even experienced ones feel as you do. There isn't enough time to really care for our patients in the way many of us would like to. We can get them their meds, change dressings, etc. but we don't have time to really talk with them or hold enough hands. Sometimes the best you can get in is a quick squeeze but you feel bad knowing they need more emotionally than that.

You could try other fields and see if one of them excites you. Administration? Legal nursing? Insurance? Case management would be a nice fit but all could take some time.