Need a different job

[Nurse_girl]

Hello, so I have been working on a cardiac tele unit for just over a year. I have 5 to 7pts on nights with no pca help most of the time. I am burnt out from the pt load/night shift and I am looking for a change. I am not sure what I should do next. I thought about changing hospitals and have applied to a med surg day shift position but haven't heard back. I'm also debating going to a nursing home as I'm thinking it may be less stressful. Do you have any suggestions on a different unit to try? I really want to get off nights it's ruining my days off and do something less intense for a while. 
thank you! 

[JKL33]

Word of caution about jumping from frying pan into fire as they say. I know this is likely wearing you down but recommend take a little time to think more about your next move. For example, LTC with all that it entails is very unlikely to feel significantly less stressful, at the end of the day it is NOT a low key/low stress job by any means; just some differences in the specific stressors.

Think about your needs and what you like about nursing, hopefully will get some suggestions here, and start sending out more apps.

Good luck ~

[Okami_CCRN, BSN, RN]

The thing about nursing is that it is a stressful career choice regardless of setting; the real question is what kind of stress can you handle?

For example, I enjoyed critical care and after a while made the switch to inpatient case management; I hated every second of it and always felt anxious. Although some people consider case management "soft" nursing, it may not be true for everyone. 

[FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN]

If patient load is your biggest stressor, nursing home is the wrong choice as you will have many more patients. I have worked in a variety of environments and nursing homes are some of  the most dysfunctional and low staffed which is stressful no matter your personality.