tired of bedside care, options???

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I am a 24yo F, RN for ~6months. Did m/s for 2months before relocating to a new state (pt ratio 8-10 on nights). second job 4months on a tele floor w/ occasional m/s - horrible experience (7-10pts, usually 8-9). most nights DREADED going to work & ended up in tears. Now 3 wks into a new job in PCU (3-5 pt on nights), seems lil' better, but I starting to get that same feeling of burnout!!!! I'm always exhausted, ***** about my work, think I entered the wrong profession.

worked in an ER for 1.5yr as a unit clerk, loved it, trying to get good foundation on the floor, but HATE IT!! Don't want to be a NP or CRNA anymore, no manager, no home care (don't like thought of being on own at other's homes), LTC, no teaching nursing students (clinical aspect - too many students under my license). Think I might enjoy nurse educator or some office/paper/hands off nursing, but I'm finding you need a lot of experience or your master's. any input or advice as to other possible avenues would be appreciated. also, what some other jobs/titles truly entail. thanks!!:stone

one last thing, I have my AAS in nursing, so I'm leary about furthering my education in a field I might not stay in ... lots of time, energy, & money!!

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
If you like emergencies and excitement try correctional nursing. When I worked corrections the inmates were always lighting their cells on fire.

that is way too much excitement for me. rofl....lord.

To the OP, give yourself more time. I think you are fairly new at nursing, too new to give up. Keep trying. Try another area. But do not go into flight nursing w/o some serious ICU experience first. You just don't have enough experience to do that ....yet.

I'm not going anywhere til May '06 (when my hubby finishes his degree). So, I'll have plenty of time to learn to enjoy nursing or I'll dislike it more!

After all the personality & aptitude books & tests I've reviewed, I not sure what I want to do... I spoke to my mom & dad to see what they had to say. My mom swears I should go for dietitian or sports medicine therapist. The dietician avenue does appeal to me (I'm into fitness & nutrition), but I want to explore all my options before jumping into a new career & not giving nursing a fair chance.

I'll keep ya posted!!! :rolleyes:

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Our ER has plenty of openings - level one also. We take new grads too as do many of the ERs nowadays. Good luck with whatever you choose.

If you want a slower pace, I've heard that Psyche nursing might also be an option, especially if you don't mind working nights. That's one area that I've been considering for some time. Home health is another. I really prefer a slower pace.

Have you ever been a psych nurse? I wouldn't call that a slower pace.

Specializes in cardiac/education.

"My mom swears I should go for dietitian or sports medicine therapist. The dietician avenue does appeal to me (I'm into fitness & nutrition), but I want to explore all my options before jumping into a new career & not giving nursing a fair chance."

Hey SunChica....I replied to you in your other post about the career tests! I originally went to college for dietetics...got three years in, HATED organic chem probably because it was so hard for me at the time, and quit. Ten years later, I am going back to school...trying to figure out where I belong. The only reason I did not pursue dietetics further was because you have to do an internship and you get out to make less than nurses. In short, it doesn't seem like much pay for LOTS of work. Any dieticians out there that care to enlighten me? I need all the help I can get!!

I am alos WAY into fitness and nutrition. Everyone tells me physical therapy as well. Again, that is helping people a little more hands on than I think I may want. Personal trainer would be a better option for me because people are mostly healthy when they come to you. It is fun seeing them progress. But then you have the frustration of the lazy people who want to do no work, whine, and lose weight. Pros and Cons of every profession, I guess. Plus, personal training is not too stable of work in most cases....

Have you thought about ultrasonography? In my state, you can get your two year degree in ultrasound if you already have an AS in a health discipline, like nursing. In my state, it is not an entry level program and you have to have another degree, but for you, that would work great. More school, but looks like ultrasonographists get paid very well. Also nuc med.........thinking of any of those as a career change? I suppose right now you are still working with nursing, like everyone said, there are so many options.

Please let me know every step of the way how you are doing. I really find myself identifying with you. I would like to know your experiences and where they take you.

Good Luck!

Janice

i was thinking the same thing. you might want to consider speaking with someone on a more professional basis. i totally understand where you are coming from. trying to find that one thing that really makes you want to get out of bed everyday to go to work.

maybe you should just sit down and on a sheet of paper, write down what you like about nursing, what you like about other jobs you had...maybe you can find something. while you haven't been working too long, you have invested time going to school, probably about three years (right?)...don't give up on nursing, but get some help. it doesn't matter how much money you make if it is a job that you really don't want to do.

since er is what you brought you to nursing and where you enjoyed working as a unit assistant, maybe that is where you should be. i know down here in florida, a new graduate can start right in with the ed.

good luck!

kris

could you be suffering from depression and not just career dissatisfaction???you say that you are "bored", but havent spent a large amount of time in any one area. ed may be for you but i think you do need some foundation to build on. instead of sleeping too much, set the alarm and get yourself out to the gym or in front of an exercise video to get some endorphins going. i would finish my orientation and then see what you can do about the pcu job,it may be less boring when you are on your own...then look to what you seem to like best, the er af ter you.ve given this a chance. a checkup with your md wouldnt hurt either..maybe its something physical or psych going on that you cant recognize! best of luck!!
Specializes in Pediatrics, Nursing Education.
If you like emergencies and excitement try correctional nursing. When I worked corrections the inmates were always lighting their cells on fire.

*snort* :rotfl:

IT took me a year on medical floor to even feel confident, now i have 2 and a couple of months, and although we are understaffed, I do love my job.

Specializes in Medical/Surgical/Maternal and Child.
I am a 24yo F, RN for ~6months. Did m/s for 2months before relocating to a new state (pt ratio 8-10 on nights). second job 4months on a tele floor w/ occasional m/s - horrible experience (7-10pts, usually 8-9). most nights DREADED going to work & ended up in tears. Now 3 wks into a new job in PCU (3-5 pt on nights), seems lil' better, but I starting to get that same feeling of burnout!!!! I'm always exhausted, ***** about my work, think I entered the wrong profession.

worked in an ER for 1.5yr as a unit clerk, loved it, trying to get good foundation on the floor, but HATE IT!! Don't want to be a NP or CRNA anymore, no manager, no home care (don't like thought of being on own at other's homes), LTC, no teaching nursing students (clinical aspect - too many students under my license). Think I might enjoy nurse educator or some office/paper/hands off nursing, but I'm finding you need a lot of experience or your master's. any input or advice as to other possible avenues would be appreciated. also, what some other jobs/titles truly entail. thanks!!:stone

one last thing, I have my AAS in nursing, so I'm leary about furthering my education in a field I might not stay in ... lots of time, energy, & money!!

Don't know if you would like to re-locate to Utah but the State of Utah is looking for RNs to case manage kids in foster care. That's what I do now and I love it. The pay isn't the best but the bennies are great and it's days monday through friday and alll federal and state holidays off. It's a trade off with the pay, but after several years on the the floor with minimum staffing it burned me out. My e-mail is [email protected] and I'll send you the website. My supervisor is dying to hire 3 more nurses.....

thanks for the heads up, but not planning on relocating to Utah...something like Virginia Beach or Cali maybe... I love the beach - will probably stay in a coastal state.

Home health has tons of paperwork!

Home health does have tons of paperwork. However, my experience as a home health nurse for five years was that we could do some paperwork in the house and some at our own house. Actually, routine visit didn't have that much paperwork.

Being a school nurse was very rewarding. Very slow pace. I worked as a home health nurse and a school nurse at the same time.

You have only been in the health care profession for 6 months. You are only 24 years old. I think you need to give yourself a little more time. Being a nurse grants you the opportunity to try different areas. Don't beat yourself up because you are not happy in certain areas. Keep seeking to find that job in nursing that appeals to you. Bottomline is what makes you happy.

I feel you are on the right track, just keep trying new things until you reach your goal. Keep your head up and believe in yourself and do not let a certain nursing direction determine your self worth. We are not the job we do in nursing. We are above the job. Find your mark and set it on fire!

I too read one of your posts and thought the same thing. You sound like you have had a lot of major changes in your life in the last few years. Perhaps you should be evalutated for depression. No shame in it and when it is treated, (if that is the problem) you will feel so much better and wish you had done it sooner.

Could you be suffering from depression and not just career dissatisfaction???you say that you are "bored", but havent spent a large amount of time in any one area. ED may be for you but i think you do need some foundation to build on. Instead of sleeping too much, set the alarm and get yourself out to the gym or in front of an exercise video to get some endorphins going. I would finish my orientation and then see what you can do about the pcu job,it may be less boring when you are on your own...then look to what you seem to like best, the ER af ter you.ve given this a chance. a checkup with your MD wouldnt hurt either..maybe its something physical or psych going on that you cant recognize! best of luck!!
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