Not what I expected!!!

Alaskan_RN · Jul 10, 2016

Have you thought about a less acute setting?

sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN · Jul 10, 2016

Either less acute setting or more acute setting.......

i I always found critical care as CCU, ICU, Cv ICU, and even ER, far less stress than med.surg, which after 44yr as an RN, I still detest......

on on the other hand, super less acute as the integrative physician office I now work at.....can't beat the hours, holidays off, do a lotta great things.... I have lots of respect and autonomy, just not a big pay check :yes: , but at this stage in my life, thankful, that higher wage is not needed..... My 67.5 yrs....love the hours, and physical less demand on an older body...... I could go back to our local rural hosp, 12 shifts ER or ICU, $90G/year.......but....I think I am working at my last employment hopefully for as long as cognition and physical up...... I would love to be one of those 80yr old practicing RNs "with game"......

another fast pace, and I think lower stress is PACU/recovery..... With your med surg and L&D experience, you might be ideal for neonatal.....

i also found home home health rewarding......

even in though I have been DON in several LTCs, The 24/7 on call is demanding if you have a family, money good, but compromised family life.....

you have somewhat of a significant foundation, which could springboard you into to numerous nursing opportunities.....

that at is what is wonderful about nursing...the diversity....

what at is not, Is the fact there is no nursing shortage....., only shortage is in some areas, experienced nurses......, but OP, you have the experience, Go springboard into some opportunity you may enjoy....

best wishes

sally

sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN · Jul 10, 2016

OP, The reasons I found critical care areas, less stressful, was smaller patient ratio, usually significant other staff...., focused areas..... Complexity may be Extremely high, but with adequate critical thinking...... A lot became second nature......

nutella, MSN, RN · Jul 10, 2016

OP, The reasons I found critical care areas, less stressful, was smaller patient ratio, usually significant other staff...., focused areas..... Complexity may be Extremely high, but with adequate critical thinking...... A lot became second nature......

I found the same to be true! Critical care at least gives you more resources and support...

OP - you need to find out what stresses you out. Is it that you do not have enough knowledge? colleagues? families? or personality related in that you do not cope well with the unknown ? free floating anxiety? and so on.

When you get more to the root of it, you can make a plan for your future. Also write down things that are important to you at this stage in your life. As written above - sometimes less money for a more accommodating job is what a person needs, but when we are young, something else might be more important.

You also mentioned you just started at that place 2 months ago - being new is hard and it takes at least 6 months to get to know the place better with your current role in L & D. People need to get used to you, and develop trust in you and your ability. A lot of things get better after a while for a lot of nurses because they settle in more. I had many jobs and in most of them it took me about half a year to settle in fully even as an experienced nurse. It is a lot about the expectation. If you expect to be totally comfortable after 2 months , your expectation is too high. If you do not know what to do do nothing and explore what is going on as outlined above until you become more clear in where you want to go from here.