New nurse leaving hospital for office job.. advice?

Updated:   Published

I’m a new nurse and took a job on a busy medsurg floor and started in early June. After almost four months of constant anxiety, seeing therapists and having some medication prescribed, I still feel so anxious that I never stop thinking about work and don’t even enjoy my days off. It's affected my everyday life, relationship, and perspective on nursing. I either don’t sleep well or feel like I can’t get out of bed, I cry constantly when I’m at home and at work and I just don’t feel hungry anymore. I’m at the point where I question if I picked the wrong career field as a whole. 

I’ve had multiple conversations with my manager at my current job and she’s been nice enough to agree I shouldn’t stay where I’m miserable. I’ve applied to and been offered a few office jobs. I’m hoping that a change in setting is what I need to enjoy my career choice as a nurse. I’ve always had the plan in my head that I would be a bedside nurse, get my experience, and go to grad school. Any advice for someone going into office nursing? Also, what kind of grad school education I can get with minimal hospital experience and some office experience under my belt? TIA!

9 hours ago, Nunya said:

We all know nurses who have gone to grad school immediately after their BSN.  I'm not sure that not having much hospital experience would be a detriment for informatics or HCA.  For a practicioner job, yes. But while I like hospital 12 hour shift work generally, there have been a couple times when I gladly made the move to a clinic job.  And one of the BIG problems was that they're 5 days/week.  So only two days to recuperate.  And while you think you'll get out on time that doesn't always happen, and in most places you get an hour lunch so that extends your day to 9 hours.  Things to think about.  Good luck with your decision.

Luckily with one of the offers it would only be four days a week, which is nice. They've been pretty upfront and honest so far about the hours and things like that as well which has been helpful. How was your experience in a few different offices? What was it like making the switch to and from the hospital and office settings, did you feel like you were able to find jobs in both settings when you looked to leave?

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
15 hours ago, SarHat17 said:

  4 hours ago, Cabana said:

@Wuzzie

 Do you think grad school programs like healthcare administration or nursing informatics or something along those lines would still accept someone with more office experience than hospital?

Thanks for you input!

No, I really don't think they will. I don't mean to piddle on your Wheaties but I feel being honest is the right thing to do.

---

I agree with Cabana. I read your OP as the office opportunity as more of a clinic/PCP-type office. You might find a path to a more "office/business leadership" role, but spending the time doing that may impact your options down the road.

What about a more "office-type" job for healthcare systems, like Cerner or Epic? (Cerner is in my area; not sure what other companies/businesses are around you.) That might give you more of a leg up into the informatics/tech side of nursing. And then pursue further schooling in that direction. Or even something connected to a University Health System? You might make more connections and have an established track record that way to move into an administrative role.

I honestly haven't really heard much about more of the "office-type" jobs for healthcare systems, but it is something I would like to look into a little more. Do you have any resources I could use to find more information pertaining to that area of nursing? Thank you!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.
1 minute ago, Cabana said:

I've heard this a lot from other nurses, but I feel like some of the anxiety I have isn't necessarily from being a new nurse. I hear people say it's part of being in your first year which is very anxiety inducing but I feel like a lot of the time I get anxiety every single day I'm off due to the idea of even just being there, let alone the other anxiety that comes along with being a nurse. Even then sometimes, and I know I should've known this going into nursing, that the schedule I have as a nurse gives me anxiety as well. I struggle spending the weekends and holidays away from family and friends, which is something that also in a way makes me feel like a failure when it comes to nursing because I should be able to handle the anxiety and I should be able to handle the schedule but for some reason I am really struggling with it. I would love to be able to say okay I can get through this for a little longer and then decide but mentally it has affected every aspect of my life even outside of work. 

Cabana, I am so sorry you are feeling this way. Yes a lot of this is most likely truly from being new. But I won’t argue with you about feeling this anxious and also spending the weekends and holidays away from loved ones. It’s an unfortunate part of what we do in acute care. I think if your health is suffering this much, make a change. I’d just encourage you to explore if your hospital has any other opportunities that may lessen your stress rather than leaving altogether. It sounds like you have a good relationship with your manager, that is so nice. But if an office is where you end up and you’re happy, that is really the most important thing. Good luck to you!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU/Mother-Baby/Peds/Mgmt.
1 hour ago, Cabana said:

Luckily with one of the offers it would only be four days a week, which is nice. They've been pretty upfront and honest so far about the hours and things like that as well which has been helpful. How was your experience in a few different offices? What was it like making the switch to and from the hospital and office settings, did you feel like you were able to find jobs in both settings when you looked to leave?

I didn't work for a specific doctor's office, I worked in clinics in hospitals.  I had no problems finding a hospital job BUT after the first clinic job I had  12 previous years hospital experience and after the second one I had 22, so....

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
1 hour ago, Nunya said:

I didn't work for a specific doctor's office, I worked in clinics in hospitals.  I had no problems finding a hospital job BUT after the first clinic job I had  12 previous years hospital experience and after the second one I had 22, so....

That’s awesome you have so much experience! Do you think that if I went to an office job and sorted out my personal anxiety that I would be able to get back into the hospital if I felt ready to? I know it depends on the area I’m in but I’ll always be around an area with a major city. I’m hoping by going to an office I’ll have some structure and be able to get my personal anxiety more in check so I can handle the different schedule and other things that come along with a hospital. I am in no way saying an office job is easier I just want to see if I would even have a chance of getting back into the hospital if I found myself in a better mental state and wanting to return back to it. I’m not necessarily saying I would return to the same hospital but since I am leaving on good terms with the unit a charge nurse mentioned if I wouldn’t be burning a bridge with my current hospital.  

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi Cabana,

There are growth and learning opportunities in any nursing setting. You may find that you step away from the hospital and have no desire to return. Why force yourself to continue in the hospital when you really don't have a solid plan for the future that requires hospital experience? It sounds like your nursing future is open and that you are willing to try different avenues.

What ever the specialty of your office, spend time reading/watching videos about it and asking other more experienced people to answer any questions you may have. The tasks will come easy in time. Make sure your soft skills are up to par, as customer service is (fortunately or unfortunately, according to your view) very important.

 It may be harder to find a job if you don't have a practice background in the same area as your graduate degree, but it can be done in some cases. There are people who go straight through undergrad to grad and work as NPs. They have no nursing background, and some people may criticize their journey, but they are certainly working.

I am assuming that you are young and have a full career ahead of you. You can change your mind later and work in the specialty that you plan to get your advanced degree in - the beauty of nursing. 

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community health.
On 11/4/2020 at 8:25 PM, Cabana said:

I’m a new nurse and took a job on a busy medsurg floor and started in early June. After almost four months of constant anxiety, seeing therapists and having some medication prescribed, I still feel so anxious that I never stop thinking about work and don’t even enjoy my days off. It's affected my everyday life, relationship, and perspective on nursing. I either don’t sleep well or feel like I can’t get out of bed, I cry constantly when I’m at home and at work and I just don’t feel hungry anymore. I’m at the point where I question if I picked the wrong career field as a whole. 

I’ve had multiple conversations with my manager at my current job and she’s been nice enough to agree I shouldn’t stay where I’m miserable. I’ve applied to and been offered a few office jobs. I’m hoping that a change in setting is what I need to enjoy my career choice as a nurse. I’ve always had the plan in my head that I would be a bedside nurse, get my experience, and go to grad school. Any advice for someone going into office nursing? Also, what kind of grad school education I can get with minimal hospital experience and some office experience under my belt? TIA!

Just my experience: I’ve never worked bedside. I work in an FQHC, with a variety of adult patients. I’ve been drawn to the psychiatric patients, and I feel like that’s where my natural interest and talent lies. I’ve been accepted to a brick-and-mortar PMHNP program. I’ll start in January and continue to work at my job part-time while I earn my MSN and NP. Obviously if I wanted to be a critical-care NP or something, this career path wouldn’t have worked. But for psych, it works. 

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Many of us in nursing and in life in general tend to make plans too far into the future and that in itself is anxiety producing. Now, what if you went to work in a office and found that you loved it and that you no longer have the desire to go to grad school. All the anxiety about leaving the hospital, worrying about the wrong experience just led to you not enjoying your life and living in the here and now. Not that I am in any way discouraging your dreams but all you have is now. Live your life and find happiness where you can now and the rest will come naturally as it’s supposed to. ❤️

6
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Outpatient Cardiology, CVRU, Intermediate.

@Cabana

I don't personally have experience with some of those companies, but I thought it might open up opportunities in that direction, while still keeping your advancement options open for further promotion. (I think you might find you can only go so far in a smaller clinic/Dr office. (I do not have personal experience in this, so this is just my observation; hopefully there are others with direct experience that have more information!) Best of luck!

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×

I’m currently transitioning into an office job after working in the hospital as a new grad for about 4.5 months. I know it’s a little bit of a quick job change from the hospital setting but due to some severe anxiety I’ve decided to try the office setting instead before I dismiss nursing as a whole. I’m hoping that the transition to an office job will allow for me to get some of my anxiety in check along with help me decide if nursing is for me or not and gain some experience. With that being said, if I continue with nursing I would like to go to grad school for FNP, Healthcare Administration, or Nursing Informatics. I’m hoping I enjoy the new office setting, but in the event I get my anxiety in check and want to try the hospital setting again or need it for some experience for grad school, would it be possible for me to get a job back in the hospital setting with mostly office experience? I’m also curious on if there have been any nurses that have been in the office setting and made the transition to the hospital setting after? Was just curious about this in the event I end up needing/wanting to go back to the hospital after gaining some quality office experience. Thanks in advance! 

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

I think we answered this for you on this thread. Have we missed something?

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
3 minutes ago, Wuzzie said:

I think we answered this for you on this thread. Have we missed something?

@Wuzzie for this post I was more curious about the possibility of returning to the hospital after having an office job, while in the other one I was trying to ask if office experience would be enough for grad school. Maybe I’m not wording it correctly! Is it coming off as the same question as the other thread? I know in the other one someone mentioned that returning to a hospital position would depend on the job availability but I wasn’t sure if there was more to it. Thank you for your response on this post and the other post! ❤️

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion