Med/Surg Experience and Changing jobs

Nurses New Nurse

Updated:   Published

Hello everyone,

I am a new graduate BSN nurse, passed my board without issue and had a job lined up, everything seemed to fall into placed without a hitch. However, I am now 6 months into my Med/Surg critical access hospital position and find myself dreading my job.

The position is ideal for a new grad, excellent staffing, great patient to RN ratios, appropriate CNA staffing, and good supportive coworkers. Yet I find the population to be very draining and repetitive, same patient day after day. The days I've found the most enjoyable are nights when I get an ICU level or trauma in patient that requires consistent monitoring, critical thinking and frequent assessment, but these are few and far between. I fully understand that I'm brand new, I'm still developing my foundation and I have a lot to learn, yet at what point should I make a change if I am unhappy in my current position? Is 6 months too early to switch positions or specialities?

Med/Surg wasn't my favorite clinical rotation in school, but most nurses recommended putting in the standard 1 year with this population. Do nurses still recommend this path? I'm beginning to question if I made the right career choice and if nursing is for me.

Thank you for taking to time to read and respond! Its very much appreciated.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

What is your facility's policy and are you under a contract?

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14 hours ago, not.done.yet said:

What is your facility's policy and are you under a contract?

Currently not under any contracts in this position. I'll have to double check the empolyee policies but I am unaware of any that would prevent me from leaving.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Some hospitals require you to have been there a year before you can transfer to a different unit. Some six months. If you are allowed to transfer there is no reason not to look into it.

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What I would do looking back to when I first graduated...…..For one thing I was so happy to be making an income I didn't think about being unhappy in my work. But, if I were and knew then what I know now. I would stay med/surg another 6 months, in the meantime, I would be studying anything I could get, get ACLS for instance, and prep up for a move to ICU or ER, after doing that at the critical access and if I was bored, then I would apply to a larger hospital for the same type of position. My opinion, not saying it is worth much. Good luck,

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