Miss being a bedside nurse?

[Jenny Leigh]

Does anyone else miss being a bedside nurse? I have been and NP for 3 years now. Family practice and now urgent care. I loved my job as a nurse in the ICU. I felt like I made a difference for people. I don't feel that now. Does anyone else have those thoughts? In a few years I will have bills paid off and would not be opposed to going back to the ICU as a RN. Maybe. Maybe things will get better.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I've been an APN for 10 years now. While this is my primary job, it is not the love of my life. However it pays the bills. I have other things and activities in my life that I do love so the balance is there.

[reggaemuffin, MSN, NP, CNS]

No never. I love being an NP 1000x more than bedside nurse. Why wouldn't you go find a job in the ICU as an NP? You're still making a difference (more than an RN in my opinion) plus making more money and more autonomy. Problem solved.

[Natasha, RN, BSN]

Do I miss being a bedside nurse? Not. One. Bit.

[jenleighs86]

I know a job change back in the hospital setting could make a difference. I am actually starting a position with a hospitalist group in 2 months. The NPs do work in the ICU as well as the rest of the hospital. I am mostly just curious if anyone else had those feelings of loving their job more as a RN. I fear that I am going to make this new job change (3rd job in 3 years) and still not like/love my job. I am not one to change jobs so this switching every year is getting old. I want to make a choice in a job so that I like it and I can stay for a long period of time.

[orangepink, NP]

I had more fulfillment working as a bedside nurse in a long term care facility than working now as an NP on the hospital. However being an NP has its rewards like patient care is based on census (esp night shift) and less physical labor plus the money is great too but often times I feel like I'm here more for the hospital to save money than to help others.

[bnw6385]

I never thought I would say so, but I do think there are benefits of having been a bedside RN that are not in play as an NP. I have been working ICU as an NP for the last 2 years. I put in central lines and intubate. I make a difference. However, for the most part, administration and those making the decision regarding how much to pay NPs do not have a CLUE what our scope of practice entails. I do the job of the intensivist when the intensivist is sleeping at home. Our charge nurses in the ICU make as much as I do on a nightly basis (low 6-figs). They are responsible for running the unit, the bedside RNs have their 2 patients, and staff ED RN's make MORE than I do. Their responsibility is minimal compared to covering 32 ICU beds at night, including procedures, new admissions, in-house strokes, in-house sepsis calls, running code blues, etc. Honestly, if I am going to make the same money, why should I continue to accept the much larger liability?