New here, at a standstill

Hello--

I joined this forum because I am starting to not like my job. Period. And I want to nip this in the bud before I become an unhappy camper.

I started my nursing career at a CAW, and loved it. It was 50 miles away tho, and rents too $$ to move there. After a year,I took a float position at the hospital in town. I did that for a year, loved it, but it was night shift or varied, and I ended up taking a full-time day bid on a m/s tele unit 3 years ago. Things have gone OK for the most part. Although, when I took the bid, I had to undergo more training/retraining for reasons I don't understand or know, but accepted joyfully because more training is always a good thing.

At the CAW, I was charge a lot. I also got to do ED work, some phlebotomy, some lab, some pharm, and some LTC. Floating was a good fit for me because I was comfortable anywhere. CAW is good because it's always changing and I am always learning.

3 years on M/S tele--I always volunteer for codes and traumas, I always say I'll float if needed. And yet, it rarely happens.

I applied to be shiftlead,and did get trained to do that. However,I am just a fill-in for the other RN's who do that job primarily. There is a 2 year RN who is shift lead one shift a month, and I wonder "Why her and not me?" she isn't amazing at it.

If she was, I'd understand.

When I am shift lead, it's sometimes after not doing it for a month or more, and I rise to the occassion and make sure the floor and the office all have open communication and a good day. And we do! I am good as manager as my background is in business management (and I have an MBA).

All in all, I feel most challenged and rewarded in two areas : Charge (shift lead) and ED.

I have asked for training, to be thought of if they ever want/need/have funding for an AIT, or an ED newbie. I have said I would come in on days off to orient to ED, and I have let everyone know that that is where I want to be someday (day shift). I have said I wouldn't mind working back there even 1-2 shifts a month, per diem.

I keep my TNCC up to date, ACLS and PALS too. Even tho I don't work Peds very often, I do PALS. And when the rare day comes that I do get to help out in the ED, for some reason they give me the peds. Probably because I don't mind.

I am studying to get MS Certified, although I wonder if it will mean I'll be type-cast from there on out.

M/S tele is not boring, but it's getting... old. Politcally. I am tired of the same people and their complaints. I am tired of feeling like I'm not getting any better at my job, but have already reached a plateau. I am aware that I am still passively learning, but I am not "turned on" by it.

The rest of my life is going well! I'm just restless.

SO, I started traveling some, just around the state. Working at CAWs again some, and other places. It's mixed things up and been a sort of solution. If I could do it full time and get good benefits, I sure would! But I know that even after a couple years of that, I'd be bored again. I need to be learning.

What can I do?

Thank you,

Woops