Non ICU job or bust

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Specializes in ICU.

Four years of doing ICU, I am no longer willing to work PRN/Travel Contract/part time/ Full-time. I have seen other threads in the past on this very topic but, I didn't want to bring up something old.

Why I am walking away? Stress..I need to decrease the stress in my life. Stress has caused some unhealthy things to happen to me. Anxiety rears its ugly head when I even think about working ICU.

No, other inpatient units would make me happy. Looking for next to zero family interaction and getting on to the next patient as quickly as possible.

I have looked at the procedural nursing areas like GI lab/IR/Cath lab but, I am beyond frustrated with the call requirement. 48-74 hours of straight call on the weekends. Sorry, I would like to have a private life which has suffered enough because of nursing. I am not sure how anyone can work like that, to each his or her own.

OR nursing sounds ok but, very limited opportunities to break into that field. I am open to other suggestions...

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Stress is a killer. You need to think more outside the acute care box. Care management, UR, research.

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Specializes in ICU/UM.

I feel the same way. I loved ICU but I've got raging fiery burn out. I'm switching to OR. There are call requirements for inpatient, though. The hospitals around my area seem to hire OR nurses to train around school graduation dates, so maybe start looking early spring for the June-ish starts, if you can wait that long.

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Specializes in GENERAL.
I feel the same way. I loved ICU but I've got raging fiery burn out. I'm switching to OR. There are call requirements for inpatient, though. The hospitals around my area seem to hire OR nurses to train around school graduation dates, so maybe start looking early spring for the June-ish starts, if you can wait that long.

The hospitals hire nurses for the OR around school graduation dates?

Why is that?

Sounds like raging fiery burn out deja vu all over again.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Your ICU expertise is a very valuable commodity - take advantage of it! Have you looked into the possibility of working with a medical equipment vendor? They hire experienced ICU nurses to develop/deliver training programs. Many of the jobs do require some travel, but they pay very well.

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Specializes in ICU.
Your ICU expertise is a very valuable commodity - take advantage of it! Have you looked into the possibility of working with a medical equipment vendor? They hire experienced ICU nurses to develop/deliver training programs. Many of the jobs do require some travel, but they pay very well.

Thanks for the idea. I looked at positions with Bard a while ago when someone came to educate us on the stat lock.I completely forgot about looking at it again. Thank you Thank you.

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Outpatient surgery? I work in an orthopedic surgery clinic PACU doing pre and post op. Many of my coworkers worked in critical care for years and consider this their lower stress retirement job. It's busy but not like working in the hospital was and I rarely come home feeing stressed out. A bit monotonous, but life friendly with no weekends, nights, holidays, or call. Pay and benefits are not as good as the hospital in my experience. Little interaction with family (post op instructions) and patients are in and out. Has its pros and cons like every job but ultimately, not a bad gig.

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Specializes in ICU.

Thank you all for the suggestions. I found out Monday I have no footpad on my left foot. Bone on bone causing me nerve pain. Getting orthotics. No Cath lab, ED, OR, gi lab, pacu in my future now. Need to move away from adults. Big patients add more pressure on my foot when moving them. Looking at peds clinical work..Although I may need to suck it up and work in a PICU to get peds experience. Maybe level 2 nicu.

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Im not sure of your area but the hospital system i work for has a virtual critical care team and virtual ICU nurses

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Specializes in ICU.

California.

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Virtual ICU, they monitor all the ICU beds in the system remotely from a computer so no bedside no standing all day, they are a back up for bedside,

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