Opportunity...help!

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I have a question for you guys...here's the situation.

I have been at my current job (bedside) for about 5 years now. I have worked with a lot of nurses who feel trapped in their jobs. They have worked at the same place for 10, 15, 20 years, and would like to try something new, but can't do that without taking a large pay cut. I would like to try something different, and I'm afraid that the more raises I get (hooray for the start of fiscal year '08!), the more I'm going to be afraid to leave my current job. But lately I've come across a few jobs that have piqued my interest (all M-F, no or only occasional weekends). Here's my problem. I only have experience in the type of nursing I am doing right now. I have no idea what an office nurse, or say, a utilization review nurse would do. I'm scared to quit a full time job where I am relatively happy and fairly well paid, to try something that I have no idea if I would even like. All of the part time positions I have found would call for experience I don't have (e.g., OB). What should I do? Stick around where things are familiar and wonder what might have been, or take a leap and see what happens, knowing full well that I might hate the new job? I'm nervous about applying for these jobs, and frankly, I don't know why I'm worrying 'cause I probably wouldn't get them anyway! But I think I'm ready to try something new...Help!! What have you done in situations like this????? Any words of wisdom? I'm thinking about just applying for the experience...I know I don't have to take a job if it's offered...yikes! :uhoh21:

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Take the chance! How will you know if you never try? I was in the ER for my entire career until this year and now I'm in home care. I love it! If you try and don't like it, then you can go back.

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Specializes in Brain injury,vent,peds ,geriatrics,home.
Take the chance! How will you know if you never try? I was in the ER for my entire career until this year and now I'm in home care. I love it! If you try and don't like it, then you can go back.

Yeah ,but Tazzy you probably have a world of experience under your belt working in ER.But I agree,Try something different,And ask for an extended orientation at that facility.

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Yeah ,but Tazzy you probably have a world of experience under your belt working in ER.But I agree,Try something different,And ask for an extended orientation at that facility.

Think again, Antiques. I just started in Home Health and I feel like I'm fresh out of school. If anything, it was harder trying something new after so many years in one specialty.

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That's it on the nose, Tazzi! I'm afraid that if I stay in one place too long, I'll be too afraid (even more than I am now!) of trying something new! My unit specializers in oncology and hospice pts, but we have a lot of regular med/surg pts as well. So I don't have critical care experience, but I feel I am in a great place as far as getting to see a wide variety of pts. But how will I know what to try? What if I go to, say, a doc's office, and I have no idea what really goes on there, and I end up hating it?? My unit would probably take me back, if there was an opening, but I'd hate to end up having to go to night shift or something if I wanted to go back. I really think I want to see what's out there...how do I get over the fear and actually take a chance? Sheesh this is tough! I wanted to talk to some of the RNs I work with and see what some of their experiences have been, but I don't want it to get back to my boss that I'm looking for something else...I know she wouldn't be happy....ideally I would like to stay part time or at least casual (contingent, prn, whatever your hospital calls it) on my unit now and do something else at the same time, but like I said before, I'm not really finding a lot of places that are looking for a part time RN. It's not that I'm in a hurry to get soemthing new, it's just that it seems that there are a few opportunities available right now, and I'd hate to miss out on what could be a great chance, ya know?? :trout:

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you will always regret it if you don't give it a try. Don't burn your bridges at your current place and if you don't like it after about 3 months you can always go back to what you are doing. I, like Tazzi, moved from an ER setting to case management and I LOVE it. People actually appreciate my efforts and tell me so. I also feel like I am making someone's life better.

My experience working with people who are afraid to make a change after all those years is that some of them turn into bitter people and very jealous of anybody who is not afraid to change.

Good Luck and keep us posted

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

That's what is so great about nursing, there are so many different areas, you should NEVER feel trapped or bored or stagnant. Perhaps you could stay on casual and make up for a potential cut in pay?

Go for it!!! :yeah::yeah::yeah:

And if you don't like that job, try something else. I had six nursing jobs before I found my niche and it never prevented me from getting every job I applied for, not because I'm so great or anything, it is because it is an accepted part of the nursing culture, trying new things and changing when you want. Its not like other careers where you have to stay in the same job for 20 years, yuk!!!!

Good luck!! Let us know what you decide.

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Specializes in Peds, ER/Trauma.

If you're going to try the new job, you could stay on PRN at your old job, that way, if you don't like the new job, you'll still have an "in" at your old job.

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Specializes in Brain injury,vent,peds ,geriatrics,home.
Think again, Antiques. I just started in Home Health and I feel like I'm fresh out of school. If anything, it was harder trying something new after so many years in one specialty.

Is ER One speciality??I would think youd have done a huge variety of procedures and witnessed a lot of different diseases and disorders,and injuries.Which home care could be.Ive done home care before.I actually felt kinda bored.I mean Im more of a people person.It is always great to learn new things.Good luck with the new area of nursing.It sometimes is harder to move on and learn new things.

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Is ER One speciality??I would think youd have done a huge variety of procedures and witnessed a lot of different diseases and disorders,and injuries.

Isn't that really true of all bedside nursing? I see a pretty wide variety where I work...just not the trauma stuff or ICU...I do agree that ER probably has a lot wider range of "stuff", but I think all direct care nurses see a pretty broad spectrum, right?

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I worked on the same heme/onc unit for 17 years (minus a year and a half where I worked DM/CHF/RF); like you, we got med/surg patients as well as oncology.

Don't sell yourself short. While not ICU, you have had more "critical care" experience than you might think; oncology patients are some of the sickest patients in the hospital outside of ICU, and you really have to keep on your toes with your assessments and interventions.

I always wanted to travel, but was scared to leave where I'd become so comfortable. I did take the leap, and while I miss the people and docs I worked with, I really enjoy what I'm doing now. Like the others said, if you don't try, you may always wonder 'what if...'

You can always return if the new experience is not for you. Go for it :)

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

You should be putting money away in a savings account on a regular basis. This will be a cushion that will help you not be so worried about the money aspects of making job changes.

Yes, you should spread your wings and try your hand at other areas of nursing! One thing I always did, since I started out in LTC, was get part time jobs in LTC to make extra money if I ever felt I wasn't making enough. Change is always difficult, but if there is one thing I've learned about being in nursing it's that nursing is all about change, even the unit that you work on. Go ahead. Take the plunge. It gets easier each time you do it because you learn from the previous time. Try moving across the country with no job in your pocket sometime! Ha! Ha! One thing you should never forget is that as an RN you will always find employment.

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