jesseboy18

Hello! I just want to to tell you that you are not alone?. Actually your situation sounds alot like mine! I 33 yrs old and came from Med/Surg, IMU, PACU and Acute Dialysis over my 9 years in nursing so far and just recently left to PDN about 2 months ago and it literally has saved me. I love the 1:1 patient interaction, I give meds through a G-button including feedings, neb treatments, oral suctioning and basic nursing care. I love it! I completely understamd what your feeling as I also am feeling like I should be doing more in my career but my mental health and the On Call from my previous jobs left me completely feeling done with the profession. Now two months later I feel so much better, almost feels like I took a break from nursing! I do still fear and worry about losing my skills and critical care so I am currently applying to see if I can do PRN at a PACU, ICU or any specialty just one day a week or two week period though I know good and well that includes constant education requirements and certification renewals so I'm still debating what exactly I want to do but I do know I plan of staying in PDN as long as I can as my primary job even though I work three 12hr night shifts, I love it. I know its hard especially knowing coworkers are working in highly critical positions or in managment/administration eventhough I spoken to many and in those positions and not happy and some are, but ultimately it shouldn't matter what that looks like as long as your doing something that makes you happy and makes you feel needed and makes you feel like your making a difference. I know my patients family tells me just how great and nice it is to have help with their child and it makes me feel great. Hope your doing OK and let me know how ypu are feeling?

I was in the same boat as you coming from a community college ADN program. Apply to a Student Nurse Program at your Pediatric Hospital if they have one, it gets you a foot in the door and actually when I was Peer Interviewed I had floors fight for me and was offered an ER position but I really wanted NICU and I started working there two weeks later. Then 3 months into my job and crying every other night I realized NICU was not for me and went into adults and left NICU on good terms and eligible for rehire and if I wanted to come back but I don't think I'd ever want to. I really wish I had worked in NICU more as a student nurse instead of the floors and ER. Really try to experience a little bit of everything until you are set on a specialty because you never know if you will like it or hate it. I love being a nurse, but it really is true when you hear it takes a special kind of nurse work in NICU as goes for a lot of specialties. Good Luck and don't let being a ADN nurse stop you from pursuing your dreams. Oh and I'm working in ER now and love it :)