New grad - worried about losing marketability working Peds Psych

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Dear Nurse Beth,

I'm a new grad RN as of May 2015. I've known I wanted to do peds since before I started nursing school. I got a job at a good hospital after a ton of searching and rejected applications. The problem is, it's nights on an inpatient peds psychiatric unit. I don't dislike it - in fact, I enjoy getting to talk to the kids quite a bit.

However, I hate that they go to bed by 10 pm, and we have next to nothing to do the rest of the night - unless we get an admission. Even as a brand new nurse, I don't feel very challenged here.

I'm worried that the longer I remain here, the quicker I lose my skills. I guess my question is, should I try to transfer to an acute care unit (peds or NICU is where I'd be looking) after 90 days? 6 months? 1 year? Or try to pick up PRN shifts? I feel bad because I honestly love my coworkers and everyone here, and I don't mind psych at all.

I just worry about losing my marketability as a nurse. Psych nurses can be pretty looked down on by employers - like once you do psych, that's all you can ever do. I desperately want to work at a children's hospital in 2 years.

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Dear Loves Peds,

If working at a children's hospital is your goal, and if you have an opportunity to move in that direction, I'd go for it. While you enjoy your psych peds patients, you don't feel challenged, you're concerned about losing your acute care nursing skills and your marketability.

One thing you could do is to introduce yourself to the managers of Peds and NICU.

Let them know you are interested in transferring, and ask their advice. Your hospital may have a policy about how soon you can transfer. Generally six months is the minimum time frame. Find out your hospital's policy.

Don't allow feelings of guilt to determine your career choices. It's natural to feel connected with your co-workers and to feel a sense of obligation. It's also important to find your own path and place in nursing. You will make rewarding connections with coworkers in your next work group.

In the meantime, working nights when it is slow and your patients are asleep is prime time for learning. You can read nursing journals. You can read you patient's charts, the H&Ps and progress notes. You will be surprised how much you will learn.

Best wishes,

Nurse Beth

[DrKim]

How about switching to day shift. This could be beneficial for you by (1) increasing the likelihood that you will feel challenged and (2) increasing your visibility with nurse managers, physicians and other members of the interdisciplinary care team. The increased visibility can help you with your transfer in the future because key people (decision makers tend to only work during the day) will know your name/face.

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

How about switching to day shift. This could be beneficial for you by (1) increasing the likelihood that you will feel challenged and (2) increasing your visibility with nurse managers, physicians and other members of the interdisciplinary care team. The increased visibility can help you with your transfer in the future because key people (decision makers tend to only work during the day) will know your name/face.

What a great suggestion, switching to day shift. Love it. Thank you.