Need advice about job- OR/ICU

[registerednurse327]

Hello everyone! Thanks for taking the time to read my rather long message. I really need some advice about my job. To give you some background, I started off as a new nurse in the ICU at a level 1 trauma center, academic facility. I wanted to get experience to be a CRNA in the future. I was very overwhelmed at first and wanted to quit on orientation as my preceptor made me feel stupid and careless. Despite that, I worked there for 14 months. I struggled with confidence while I was there, but the older nurses would tell me how awesome I was doing and how great of a nurse I was. I ended up leaving due to stress and wanting to move closer to my family. I recently started a job in the OR, since as a nursing student that is where I loved. However, since I was there, I have been unsure if I want to continue there. For one, they are making me sign a 2 year contract. They are very short staffed and have thrown me into procedures though I have not taken a Periop 101 class. A lot of the staff are overwhelmed, fed up and are leaving. I am also not sure OR nursing is what i though it was. The other staff treat you as a gopher, and i feel like I am not using my brain at all. Coming from being completely in control of your patient to others completely controlling you is a very hard adjustment. As I am in the OR more, I feel like my desire to be a CRNA has increased, as I am fascinated with what they do. In the OR, I like that it is a lot lower stress, and I have good hours (no night shift)! I have not signed the contract yet, but I would feel bad to leave a short staffed team. I have told them that signing the contract would be no problem, but I am starting to think it may not be the best fit for me. I would like to hear any advice. Thank you

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Ask yourself this: did the preceptor in your first job "make you feel stupid and careless" because you WERE careless? Or did she have a point, delivering the negative feedback in a manner in which you found objectionable? You struggled with confidence and then quit due to stress. Fourteen months isn't long enough to become competent at your job; and without competence it isn't long enough for you to be confident. You quit too soon.

Now you're in a new job, and once again you want to quit. You told them you had no problem signing a two year contract, and yet you have a problem with it. Moreover, you "feel like you're not using your brain." You're in a new job in a new specialty. If you aren't using your brain, you're not doing it right. That's on you, not on the job or the specialty.

Please take some time for reflection on your goals and whether your current path will further them. Perhaps look into some counseling to deal with your anxiety issues. A good counselor can help you figure out what's going on in your life and help you deal with issues of stress and anxiety. With a good handle on those issues, you may find that you don't have a career dilemma -- or that the career dilemma isn't precisely what you thought it was.

As far as signing the contract or no -- either commit yourself to this job and sign the contract -- or quit now. Quitting will be much more difficult after you've signed the contract, which is pretty much the point of requiring the contract.