Not Liking the New Job... Needing good professional advice

Specialties NP

Published

Specializes in Emergency Medicine; Nephrology.

Alright all my fellow NP's... needing some professional advice. I am a former ER/Trauma Nurse, who went back to school and graduated this Spring with my FNP, and have got boards and all that good ole stuff behind me.

I had an offer for a full-time Emergency job, however I didn't accept it due to it being 75 miles away and I am not in a position to move. So I took a position with a local Orthopaedic clinic that involves Spine surgery. I was really impressed with the Doctor that I would be working with, and I told them in the initial interview that Ortho was a new frontier to me but I was willing to give it a try. The Doc was very understanding, and did not make me sign a 1-year contract, nor did he give me a No-Compete Clause in the event I ended up not liking Ortho. I am currently undergoing my Orientation period, etc.

So here is the problem: I've been at the clinic for a few weeks now, and honestly, I'm just not liking Ortho. It has NOTHING to do with the Docs or office staff. They are all wonderful. I am just not liking what I am doing. I'm holding on for a while to see if things improve, but I am missing ER terribly. The Emergency Job that I had turned down did hire me PRN which I will start late next month.

My question is this: Has anyone else had this problem? I really wish I would have job-shadowed one day to see what my job would have entailed, and if I had, I probably would not have taken the job. I just don't find it interesting or challenging, and am missing the whole "making a difference in crisis" part. So should I stick this job out for 6 months or a year if after 6 weeks I am still feeling like this? Or just be completely honest with my employer at the end of the orientation period and let them know how I feel and part ways on good terms?

Any advice appreciated!

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

You should go for a setting that makes you happy. Actually, I was in a similar situation as you. When I graduated from my ACNP program, I took a job with a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation group in a free standing acute rehab hospital. It was mainly in-patient work and there were a lot of Internal Medicine knowledge involved. The schedule seemed ideal (M-F, 8AM-4 PM). The physicians were wonderful and willing to train. However, I found the setting un-challenging. The patients get sent out to an acute care hospital when they deteriorate though we did attend to the rare codes. I felt I was missing out on my acute care skills and ICU background. I waited for an ICU position to come along and it took a year before I found one. When I did, I honestly sat down with the practice manager, the physician director and my immediate collaborating physician and told them I wasn't unhappy with the specialty but wanted a more challenging setting. They understood and gave me good recommendations for the new position.

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Specializes in ..

If the personal inconvenience of driving is the worst part about the job you want, is that so bad? If it would create family difficulty that's another thing. Either way, what would make you more miserable? The difficulty created by taking a job so far out of town or the boredom of a job you hate?

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Specializes in Emergency Medicine; Nephrology.

Yup, so you definitely get where I am coming from. I just don't find it challenging. Especially with my Trauma background. When I turned down the full-time ER job, they immediately offered PRN so I already have that. If I start that and it goes well, I may just switch, because right now the 75 mile drive 3 days a week is worth it if I'm going to feel more fulfilled at the end of the day. Thanks for your input, it was defintiely helpful. I just don't want to have worked this hard in school and not love what I do. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place. ;)

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