New nurse just doing screening, frustrated!

[Bikernurseof3]

I would really love to hear some feedback on my situation. I am an older new nurse grad. ( Dec. 2013) I got a job at a small privately owned surgical hospital in my city, specializing in back surgery. My three month leadership at the end of school was in pre-op at a large hospital and I learned a lot and decided I really liked working with lots of different patients and its fast paced etc. So when I took this job, the lady that hired me said I would be training in pre-op, but she also wanted me to train in pre-admit making phone calls to patients scheduled for surgery. I basically get a brief history, list of meds and tell them what to expect day of surgery. I have been doing this for 6 months with maybe 6 or 7 days in pre op. I am in a room by myself with very little interaction with anyone and it is really getting boring. I have talked with the lady that hired me and she said she would try to get me more days to train in pre op, but the bottom line is I don't want to be in this area. I want to work directly with patients. Do many nurses do phone interviewing, I mean it seems like i'm not using any of my education and I'm not developing any skills at all. Its the job that none of the nurses want at my hospital. I think they need me more in pre admit, but when she hired me, she acted like this would be temporary. Would love some feedback.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Keep going to work. Keep applying for other jobs.

[Hygiene Queen]

Is that all you have to do?

Little interaction?

In a room all by yourself?

I'll take it.

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

Is that all you have to do?

Little interaction?

In a room all by yourself?

I'll take it.

It does sound sort of heavenly!

[jannjul76]

I agree!

[rachel0609, ADN, RN]

Sign me up!

Seriously though, I understand your frustration, I would look around and apply other places.

[klone, MSN, RN]

I'd be bored stupid, so I totally understand the OP's frustration.

I agree with the first response - keep doing your job, but start applying elsewhere.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

If at all possible, DO NOT quit your current job before you have the next one lined up. It's an unkind job market, and getting that next job may take a lot longer than you think.

Also, you may not be working at your dream job, but you are working. Unemployed nurses start to look bad to prospective employers after a few months of being jobless. If they see you've been out of work for a while, prospective employers are going to question why you haven't been able to get a job...and they may start to wonder if it's got something to do with YOU.

And for the love of Doritos, don't think that you're not developing any skills. You just happen to be developing a different skill set than you would be if you worked in another specialty. In interviews, emphasize what you have learned from this job and how you can apply it to a new job. Because I guarantee that if you do land an interview somewhere and tell them, "I didn't learn anything at this job," you've made yourself a rather unattractive candidate. There's something that can be learned anywhere.

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

"I basically get a brief history, list of meds and tell them what to expect day of surgery."

You are most certainly interacting with patients. You are teaching and supporting them during an extremely emotional time in their lives.

They are going under the knife! You have the opportunity to assist them during this time.

You use our nursing assessment/teaching skills on a case by case basis. So what if it's over the phone? That's even better, you can focus on the individual.. something you will NOT get in a pre-op setting.

There, you will assisting the surgeon, not the patient.

Please .. rethink your opportunity , and make it what you will.

[Caffeine_IV]

What type of skills are you wanting to utilize? Do all the nurses rotate between admitting and pre OP?

I understand your frustration but as a lightly seasoned nurse...sounds like my kinda thing. The recruiter told me they get 100s of apps for thr surgical pre assessment type jobs.

[RNperdiem, RN]

Odd that you should get a pre-op nursing job right out of school. From what I have seen, long-employed older nurses who need a break from the physical strain of inpatient care often work in this position. The job is considered a plum assignment.

Keep your job while you look for something that will gain you the nursing skills you need to grow. Make a good impression and contacts in the job you have now; you might want to go back to it in the future.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Odd that you should get a pre-op nursing job right out of school. From what I have seen, long-employed older nurses who need a break from the physical strain of inpatient care often work in this position. The job is considered a plum assignment.

Keep your job while you look for something that will gain you the nursing skills you need to grow. Make a good impression and contacts in the job you have now; you might want to go back to it in the future.

Alas, one nurse's plum is another nurse's cabbage (or insert whatever fruit/vegetable you dislike here). And this job seems to be the OP's unliked veggie.

I agree with you: OP should definitely not leave this job on bad terms because the day may come when they eagerly want to go back to it.