New grad wanting to switch hospitals after 2 months

[newnurse300]

I am currently on week 6 of orientation at my hospital. For my program they put us on whatever floors needed the most staff versus us listing our top choices or taking experience into consideration. I ended up on a floor that is very understaffed and I’m taking high patient loads unable to interact with my patients sometimes five hours after I had first seen them on my shift. I previously worked as a CNA at a cardio/ortho/neuro rehab facility and I loved it and I also did a 3 month rotation on a surgical unit that I can’t transfer to until I’ve been at this facility for a year. I dread going into work everyday and I have the opportunity to go back and work at the rehab facility as a nurse where I can do more patient centered care and more wound care which I have a passion for. Is it too soon to take this opportunity to switch or should I stick it out until I could possibly transfer to a surgical unit? Would this reflect badly on me for the future or if I try to eventually come back to this hospital in a few years but on a unit of my choice? 

[sleepwalker, MSN, NP]

2 months hasn't been long enough to make any decision

[chare]

2 hours ago, sleepwalker said:

2 months hasn't been long enough to make any decision

Completely agree.  There is a reason most facilities make new nurses wait one year before allowing them to transfer.

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

At the six week mark into a new job as a new nurse it honestly doesn't matter where you work you'll feel overwhelmed. As you should honestly, if you  weren't I'd be concerned. 

I don't necessarily agree with the thinking that you have to stay at  a job a full year before deciding to leave but less than two months in is too soon to make that choice unless there is something seriously very wrong and and a  chronically understaffed floor isn't that.  Being understaffed seems to be the rule rather than the exception nowadays so I doubt it would be magically better somewhere else. 

I understand you liked working at the rehab facility as a CNA but the nursing role is completely different and I've never heard of a short term or long term rehab without crazy high nurse/patient ratio's even on a good day.

The grass is most definitely not always greener and you haven't given this job nearly enough of a chance.  Wait until at least closer to the end of orientation before considering different opportunities. If you still think it's a poor fit it is less likely to land you on a do not rehire list  as long as you give proper notice and only fair to give the employer the opportunity to at least offer you either a move to a different floor or extend your orientation if you feel that would be beneficial at that point.