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Discussion

Not the right fit

So I just need some advice! I currently have 2 years of RN experience. I started off on a medsurg unit as a new grad and worked there for 1.5years. I was in great standing with my unit. I was part of various counsels and won my first nursing award.

After my year and a half, I decided to transfer to what I thought would be my dream unit (speciality), within the same hospital. Ive now been working on this unit for 6 months. I initially loved this new unit but now I just feel like it isn't a good fit for me. I'm not functioning well according to management. They believe I'm too quiet and timid. I've always been more on the quiet introverted side but I never considered myself to be an unsafe nurse. Management takes my quietness as potentially being unsafe. They refuse to advance me to further training with the cohort I got hired with and even excluded me from the training classes. It's been 6 months and theyre barely telling me this now while I asked and asked to be advanced before. I feel like they should have told me earlier so I couldve improved on what needed to be improved. Instead now I'm singled out from my cohort and I've just been feeling miserable and inadequate. Besides being singled out, I now feel I'm not cut out for this speciality.

I'm really unhappy on this unit and feel like I don't fit in with my coworkers at all. I feel like an outcast. I never thought I would miss medsurg but I guess I miss it because I had amazing coworkers.

I feel lost and disappointed with the situation because I wanted to go back to school based on this specialty unit.

I called HR and they said I can transfer and just to apply to other units with openings. I'm considering PTU or GI clinic (I used to work as a part-time RN at a GI clinic outside the hospital setting). I was wondering what I can possibly say as to why I left my unit just after 6months and if that looks bad for me.

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    • Featured Replies

    Hi I had a similar situation. I admitted that the job was not a good fit, and unfortunately, it was mutual.I was lucky that someone else wanted my skills. So admitting "not a good fit" didn't ruin any further chances of employment.

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    • Author

    I'm glad it worked out for you. Did you tell the manager of your old unit before applying to other units?

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    What was the specialty? Was it ER? I've heard you need to be very confident and not afraid to speak up in that area.

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    I am a firm believer in the "fit" concept. Some units - ED & most ICUs - are better suited to assertive personalities who are comfortable managing conflict. 'Procedural' environments such as OR, Cath lab, Endo, etc... are great for nurses who thrive on a high degree of structure. Hospice is probably not going to work for you if you're not naturally empathetic. Nurses with a very low boredom threshold can do very well in a fast-paced MedSurg unit. School nurses tend to be unshockable - great at maintaining a straight face, no matter what.

    So - it's perfectly OK if you discover that you're just not cut out for a specific type of specialty area - consider it a valuable learning experience. At a certain point in your life you will realize that (for most of us) achieving 'success' is mostly a process of elimination... it hinges on one's ability to recognize when to cease investing in a losing proposition and having the courage to move in a different direction. There was a great little book "Who Moved My Cheese" a while back... it's a parable about making life decisions and coping with change. Take a look; it may provide valuable insight.

    Keep looking - you're going to find that nursing 'home' that feels just right for you.

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    • Author

    I really appreciated your post! It helped ease some of the worry I was feeling. I'll definitely check out that book!

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    • Author

    It's the perinatal unit. I can handle the postpartum aspect but I don't think labor and delivery high risk (my coworkers call it the women's ER) is for me. The unit requires everyone to do both.

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