Office Nurse vs Hospital Nurse

[MaleNurseYH]

Hi everyone,

Anyone prefer working at an Office setting or at Hospital setting?

Are there anyone who worked at a hospital setting and transitioned to work at a office setting? If so, how do you like it? Is it better or worst for you?

Are there anyone who worked at an office setting and transitioned to the hospital setting? If so, how do you like it? Is it better or worst for you?

[Ayvah, RN]

Totally depends on your individual interests, goals, lifestyle(scheduling), staffing levels at your specific facility, etc. I LOVE working hospital med-surg but the physical aspect is something I could not keep up with since staffing in med surg is usually awful. Hospital hours are usually 12 hour shifts with holidays/nights, compared with 8-10 days/eve/Saturdays on outpatient. I greatly miss hospital work but a good thing about outpatient is that I have time to do a lot of patient education which I enjoy, and its much easier on my body. I always get lunch and breaks and I don't have a phone that's ringing constantly when I'm in the bathroom.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I didn't vote because the choices in the poll leave no options for me, but I worked at a specialty hospital for 5+ years before moving into case management for an insurance company. So, in a sense, I was a 'floor nurse' who is now an 'office nurse.'

I'd be perfectly happy if I never had to perform another procedural skill or respond to a stat order again, so I have no desire to return to the floor at this time.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

I went from a crazy-busy med/surg floor to a specialty clinic position. Absolutely thought I had died and gone to heaven. I will say, however, as in most things nursing, I could not have been nearly as effective as a clinic nurse without my grueling 3 years of MS. Folks underestimate the complexity of some clinic positions. Particularly (in my opinion) in a surgeon's clinic. I utilized tons of skills learned on the floor, and learned many new ones in the clinic.

[Farawyn]

I like the JOB of the hospital nurse better, and the hours of the clinic nurse better.

You are more independent as a clinic nurse, but the patients are much less sick.

Oftentimes as a clinic nurse, the RN is in charge of LPNs and MAs. I had to schedule lunches as part of my job.

You have more daily routine as a clinic nurse, but less daily excitement.

Interestingly, it was the clinic job that made me leave the hospital altogether, not the floors.