Over my head Update Help Pls!!

[Madc, BSN]

So I posted not to long ago as being a new grad in a house supervisor position in a pediatric psych hospital.

I’ve since taken a med surg job making close to the same pay with a sign on bonus.

I’m excited but at the same time sad as my two weeks gets closer to the end.

I know a HS position is not an appropriate position for a new graduate, but I really love working pediatric psych.

At the same time I know if I don’t get med surg experience anyway I won’t be able to go into other areas in nursing. I actually had an ICU interview at another hospital and they sent all my interview information to the psych floor even though the interview went well.

They are allowing me to stay prn and told me I could come back full time whenever I was ready. They were very understanding.

if I changed my mine now though, I’m not sure if I could mentally handle the constant short staffing on my shift and the general rudeness from some employees towards me. The work culture is very unprofessional there.

I’m just not sure if I’m making the right decision and would love some support or thoughts!

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

House supervisor is not for a new grad. Even if you did a great job you'd be undermined by people offended just because you are new. You'd be setting yourself up to fail.

Do the med surg, or almost anything else, and get a couple years inside the nursing culture.

[Madc, BSN]

5 minutes ago, canoehead said:

House supervisor is not for a new grad. Even if you did a great job you'd be undermined by people offended just because you are new. You'd be setting yourself up to fail.

Do the med surg, or almost anything else, and get a couple years inside the nursing culture.

Med surg wasn’t what I always wanted but these people really gave me a chance where other hospitals kept referring me to psych floors. I suppose I’m just worried I won’t love it like I do with my current patient interactions.

[K+MgSO4, BSN]

Madc, I am glad you got out of that job and into something else, please don't give up on pead psych if that is your passion, maybe some of the managers had been talking and they had vacant EFT. I refer people to other units if I interview them, like them but have another candidate for that position.

Remember, med / surg pts can be unwell with mental health issues as well, you will have opportunities to use those skills.

[NurseBlaq]

I say do the med surg for experience and it will give you an opportunity to see which types of patients you like and maybe branch out into that particular specialty. Also, do the psych job PRN so you can continue that experience, as well. You may not like med surg and may genuinely find out you love psych. If that's the case, you will have a job and experience in it from working PRN.

Having said that, HS positions should go to people who have experience and not new grads so the change is necessary. Good for you on being self aware enough to recognize the need for more experience.

Good luck to you moving forward.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

No, you probably are not going to love it. Don't go in expecting to and you will be far more likely to be happy. Med-surg is a tough job that teaches you a lot of things that will serve you over your career. Any time you change specialties you can expect one to two years of adjustment as you go back to novice status. Take good care of yourself. If you have the energy, continue the PRN position in the specialty you love. Fill your off hours with self care - family, friends, faith if applicable to you, exercise, nutrition and healthy forms of entertainment. You are doing the right thing here. There is no debating that.

[LibraSunCNM, BSN, MSN, CNM]

1 hour ago, not.done.yet said:

No, you probably are not going to love it. Don't go in expecting to and you will be far more likely to be happy. Med-surg is a tough job that teaching you a lot of things that will serve you over your career. Any time you change specialties you can expect one to two years of adjustment as you go back to novice status. Take good care of yourself. If you have the energy, continue the PRN position in the specialty you love. Fill your off hours with self care - family, friends, faith if applicable to you, exercise, nutrition and healthy forms of entertainment. You are doing the right thing here. There is no debating that.

All this. Plus, you will get your fill of psych issues on med/surg, trust me!