New nurse needs help finding a new non-bedside job?

[Puppylover0213]

Hello everyone.

I’m a nurse (BSN) who started in August of last year in the NICU. I had a scholarship that allowed me to get hired exclusively in a hospital franchise, so they got my interview for various units and I was hired in the NICU. The NICU was never a place I’d imagine myself, but as a new grad desperate nurse, I was so excited to take it.

Fast forward to now: I absolutely and utterly hate it. I miss being around adults and having patients who can speak for themselves. Then my unit itself is an absolute disaster. Management sucks, we are required to have on calls and on calls guarantee we work because we are chronically understaffed. We’re so ridiculously understaffed that it makes working a living hell, especially for a new grad nurse whose still trying to learn the ropes. Every single day, I get a call from staff even my director, asking me if I can come in. Every single day. Even days I’m already scheduled to work. Since we’re so understaffed, everyone is always super mad, the patient assignments are horrible and no one has time to help. Then working night shift is so hard for me considering I’m such a morning bird, it’s made me extremely depressed. My mental heath is getting worse each day. I barely get to see my fiancé. I’m really depressed.

I feel trapped and I want to quit. I’m going to be breaking my contract but I’m willing to pay anything and do anything to leave but only until I have a job lined up. I want to find a non-bedside position where I can work day shift. I don’t mind working five days a week.

So my question is: where and how do I find it? Any advice? I try going on Indeed.com, Glassdoor and ZipRecruiter every single day. I’ve applied to over 40 positions since January. I rarely even get answers, so far I’ve only gotten two rejections. No interviews. I’m so depressed because I really want to quit my job and move on from this terrible job.

I sincerely apologize if I sound whiny and annoying. I know it’s hard for us new grad nurses to become comfortable with new hospital jobs during the first year of nursing, but I know bedside nursing isn’t for me. I cry every single day, I can barely sleep and my depression is horrible. I know I can do nursing, but bedside is not for me.

Please be gentle, and have an amazing beautiful day. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.

[RN-ing, BSN, MSN, NP]

First of all, hugs to you. Being a new grad nurse is hard, especially in intensive care. I don't know how you NICU nurses do it! Everyone on this site has gone through it and we are here for you.

Second, I can't give you specific advice on finding a non-bedside nursing job because I have never pursued one.

But I can say this: what you are feeling is normal for new nurses. This job is hard and most places don't give you a soft place to fall, even as a new grad. As you get more confident in your skills, it gets easier. And that just takes time.

Pro tip: Don't answer your phone when you see the hospital number. You are not required to respond and realize its not your responsibility to staff the unit. They will leave a message if it is important. Days off are sacred.

Nightshift sucks, but it is part of the job sometimes. Sleep hygiene is very important - blackout shades, melatonin, coffee, understanding family/friends. This too will not last forever. Put your name on the list to go to dayshift now.

I have been fortunate to have a husband who understands my crazy nursing schedule and we have made it work for thirteen years.

It's advice time: Have you thought about applying for inpatient adult positions within that organization? Maybe working with tiny babies is part of the problem and a unit switch is a change you need. Plus, you will be fulfilling your contract and saving money.

Having at least one year of bedside experience is a huge plus when applying for any nursing jobs. Hang in there.

I hope this helps!

[TheLastUnicorn]

Try nursing home or skilled /rehab? Still bedside I know, but in skilled/rehab you can learn about at a slower pace. There are adults... They are gonna be understaffed and want you to work all the time. Usually they have 8 hour shifts not 12s. You might still not get days... But even nights at a subacute is 11-7.. For me that was go home sleep while husband is at work and then we had all evening together. Unless I picked up a double. The only thing we missed was each other sleeping.

[JKL33]

11 hours ago, Puppylover0213 said:

I know it’s hard for us new grad nurses to become comfortable with new hospital jobs during the first year of nursing, but I know bedside nursing isn’t for me.

WADR, no you don't really know that. You know that you don't enjoy working on a ridiculously poorly-staffed unit where things are so bad that they call you every day whether you're already on the schedule or not, and where they obviously don't care about their patients or about high quality nursing care (which they don't if they haven't made a massive effort to change this situation).

Look at your contract and have a lawyer look at it. I wouldn't pay these people one penny; it is a contract not entered into in good faith on their part. Unfortunately it may be unlikely that you would be able to do about getting blacklisted if that's what they do.

[RNperdiem, RN]

Non-bedside daytime positions are what a lot of people want. There will be strong competition for those jobs. You will be competing with nurses who have years of experience who are looking for what you are looking for.

Would you be willing to move for a job? Would you consider a bedside nursing job with better hours and a less toxic culture?

From your post, it sounds like the management, culture and night hours are causing you the most grief, not the nursing .

[Nunya, BSN]

RN-ing's pro tip is what I'd recommend, NEVER answer your phone from work if you're off, the only exception would be if you just left work because that might be a question about your patient. Even then I'd listen to the message, and if they don't leave one that's on them. I've worked about half my career in NICU and a well managed/well staffed one is a good place to work. Maybe try to find one like that?

[Kyla RN, BSN]

I transitioned from bedside to Research where I work in an office and clinic setting 5 days/week with regular office hours. When applying for clinic/ambulatory-types of positions, I would recommend you emphasize your strengths that are attractive to that position. Ambulatory care can require strong multi-tasking and time-management skills (but over the scope of the whole clinic, not a couple patients like you are familiar with), thorough documentation, autonomy, and customer service/assessment skills over the phone. If they look at your resume, they might be unsure if you truly want to commit to ambulatory adult care, so maybe shadowing a RN in that setting could demonstrate that you're serious about it. It can be so hard as a new grad to get your foot in the door in a new department, so ask around to see if anyone has a contact in ambulatory care that you can reach out to and maybe offer to buy them a cup of coffee during a meet & greet or conduct an informal interview. Best of luck!

[SteelGrey]

If transferring to a different unit is an option, I would look into it! As some people mentioned, you may not actually hate bedside, just the shitastic situation your in now- i totally would be ready to quit too! You are only human! . I have worked a specialty where we had horrible staffing, policies, etc and it made me hate it, worked same specialty at a different facility and acuity level and LOVE IT. Nursing is hard, and its even harder when your new and feel like your drowning, and the relentless calling & pressure is crippling.

You will find something or a better situation! Don't give up!