PACU, remote phone traige, quality, infusion, infection prevention? Where to next?

Published Feb 17, 2022

42 Posts

I've been a nurse for 4 years, just turned 40, started on a high acuity tele floor and recently transitioned into quality management as sepsis coordinator. My new role is exempt and I work 72 hours, so every other Friday off. It's flexible and I love the teaching, rounding and collaborating aspect (but there's only about <20% of time for all that) as the bulk of my job is chart review and finding missed documentation to send to the coders. I focus on sep-1 bundle and mortality measures for 2 hospitals. I hate chart review! There are hundreds of charts and so many opportunities for improvement. I could read charts 6-7 hours a day and still not get to them all. Anyway, I have an 8 month old and 6 year old so family time is important to me, but I feel like it's too early in my career to give my skills up.I've been off the floor for 10 months now.

I've had a few interviews and have more coming up. My current organization has a pension, which I'm mildly vested in, but there are opportunities elsewhere.

I miss patient care but not bedside. I also miss precepting, being charge and resource and building relationships with excellent physicians who are great teachers.

I don't miss my plantar fasciitis and back pain that finally got better after I left the bedside.

Possibilities I have based on interview I had or have one coming up:

-PACU, 3, 12s plus call. Sounds exciting! But will my plantar fasciitis come back and haunt me? So much standing is hard on my body.

-Infection preventionist at a newly built SNF, 4, 10s no weekends or holidays.

-Phone triage with my current organization (keep my pension, remote from home, mon-fri, live calls)

-Palliative care coordinator - inpatient

-Infusion clinic (Mon-Fri)

-cath lab (being considered to be trained but don't have critical care experience) 4, 10s plus call.

-Break/resource nurse, mid shift, 3 12s, but this county hospital doesn't pay as well (I live next door). Also, how can they always have a break nurse? I'm sure short staffing will require a bedside assignment.

-Keep my job since I've only been at it for 6 months, and transition into another role in quality?

I'm grateful to have all these opportunities but so indecisive. I know it sounds like I want to have my cake and eat it to. Please share your experiences in these positions. I need something in between the chaos of the floor and silence of quality.

Thank you!