new med/surge nurse: keep or accept ADON position assisted living

[proudRN]

I just finished my 8 week orientation working with a preceptor and have been on my own for 2 weeks now. I feel like I am under a constant state of stress at work and I am having such a hard time multitasking. When so many things are being thrown at me at once I feel like my mind totally shuts down and goes blank. I literally cannot formulate an intelligent thought when I get like this. I work the 7 am to 7pm shift. When I oriented on night shift I felt that things were so much calmer then they are on dayshift. On dayshift I get about 20 phone calls a day from doctors and X-ray, CT, lab, etc.... etc.... I am an introvert by nature and having to talk literally all day long kills me. When I go home after a 12 hour shift I feel like a wrung out wash cloth. I know I am probably going to get flamed for this but I have been taking a low dose anti-anxiety pill (prescribed) in order to survive my shifts. It keeps me from spiraling out of control. I have come to the conclusion that this type of nursing is not for me!!!! I was just offered an ADON position at an assisted living facility making $5 more an hour. I have 2 years experience as an LPN in an assisted living facility and LOVE working with the elderly so I feel like I want to quit med/surg and take this position. I am torn because I feel so bad leaving a company after only 2 and a half months. My med/surge fellowship starts in August so If I quit now then they would not have invested too much money in me. I would give a 2-3 week notice. The assisted living community is a huge corporation, Brookdale senior living. I did some research on the company and it does seem very disorganized but I feel like I would be happier and it would be more up my alley. I either want to take the assisted living job or tell my current med/surg supervisor that I want to go to nightshift. UGGGG I am so torn!!!!! Please help.

[Sour Lemon]

What are your ultimate goals? That's what I'd be asking myself.

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

OP: Also, do you need the fellowship for school or for career options? If not, why not accept the ADON job in an ALF or a SNF and stick to what you know and LOVE?

[bd2rn]

Do what you love.