allibear

Kymmi - no offense taken. I totally agree with you...it isn't fair to anyone involved, although I did put myself in this position. And it's so strange because as much as I come across as the nurse nobody wants and as much complaining as I do, I'm one of the nurses the patients and their families like. A mom told me the other day that she's never met a sweeter nurse, and a dad of another patient sang my praises (literally like, "God bless her. Thank you, Jesus.) when I got an IV started on his "impossible to stick" baby...in the dark. And another mom thanked me for all the compassion I showed her and all the care I gave. So, yes I do want a different job, but above all else, I am a Christian and I give 110% of myself while working. I'm beginning to think I'm giving the wrong impression of myself. :) I do a good job, but it's not the job I want.:loveya: I appreciate your suggestion (and I'd LOVE to be able to shorten my contract, trust me!), and I will look into utilization review. Not sure I've heard of that one. Btw, getting out of my contract would require me to cough up $10,000 in ten days. I keep talking about this contract, and I figured you all were curious about it.

I can respect that. Everyone is different. A job to me is just a necessary evil...something I've gotta do (until the hubby makes enough so I can quit). It's just a pay check to me, and I want to do the bare minimum to get it. My life is so far apart from work, and it's one of my last prorities. A year or so ago, I would tear into someone who looked at nursing as I do now, but my heart isn't in it, and I have another passion in life that I want to pursue once I work off this darn contract. I'm just trying to get by for the time left on this committment - that's why I want boring and easy...if I'm going to be doing something I don't like, I may as well make it as good on myself as possible. ToxicShock, I would gladly sell my degree to you! :) I'm all for somebody taking this space I'm filling whose heart is in it and who loves nursing. I went through so much garbage to get it, though, so the price would reflect that...plus the rest of this sign-on I'm working off. :chuckle

Pam...I'm loving this idea of working from home. What kind of experience would I need to do this? How many years experience? Thanks!

Newnurse2008...what are the requirements to have such a job? What is the average length of this position? Pay? Thanks so much. Keep the info coming. I'm extremely interested! Thanks so much!

How do u work from home? I must know!! :)

I want to know more!! Very cool!

This is what I'm looking for!! Easy, to me, is boring/sit-on-your-butt kinda stuff. See, I'm more of a thinker-type person...not a doer. Give me something to sit and think about for 12 hours, and I'm happy, but give me physical tasks, and I'm not so happy. "Maybe try CDU (clinical decision unit). Its a 23 hr observation unit where patients stay to determine if they need further hospitalization or can be discharged. Also a lot of blood transfusions and cath lab patients. I only floated there a few times and found the patients to be lower acuity. It can get pretty busy when the ED is slammed, but nothing like a regular floor. I spoke with a traveler who is currently working there and he said one night he only had one patient and there was a nurse aide as well. Pretty sweet if you ask me! I think OR might also be a good option for you but there is the possibility that you might have to take call. " Does every hosiptal/group (with many hospitals under it) offer a CDU? Is it called anything else other than CDU? I can sit and observe all day long...or all night long. People travel to the CDU?!!! Hmmm...this might be just the thing! :) Thanks! I'm still hanging onto that OR thought, though. Oh, one question about OR nursing...I did my nursing management class in the OR, and certain nurses only worked certain cases (ortho had a specific nurse, neuro had a specific nurse, etc.). Is this generally how it works?

Thanks so much to all for the advice. Kymmi, I agree that I should leave because my heart isn't in it, but my contract is unfortunately tied to work and if I leave I'd have to pay back a huuuge amount. I work in the PICU of a level 1 trauma center, but the good thing about this place is that they offer so many hospital options (my contract is just with this group...not with the unit or even the hospital) and there are about 4 different hospitals close to home to choose from. So because of this contract, I can't travel until 2011...neither can the hubby. I was wanting to find something else and switch now so that when the time does come for traveling, I will be ready and have experience. I know I don't want to take PICU on the road. I don't even want to work there now. I know I probably can't travel doing this option, but I'm curious about OR Holding. Since nothing in nursing is "easy," what is the challenge level? Cath lab? Speaking of OR, I've been told it is relatively easy and that I should travel doing that. Thoughts on that???

Hi all. Please don't bash me for my way of thinking. I really need advice and help. I'm more than ready to leave nursing, but I can't for 2.5 more years because of a contract I signed. My husband wants to experience travel nursing, and I think this will be a nice change until I leave the profession. I'm just trying to get by with something "easy" until that point, so my question is...what is the absolute easiest travel nurse position? Call me lazy, call me crazy...but I'm serious. And seriously over nursing. I want to do as little as possible. Please suggest positions that come to mind.

thanks for the replies about the pre-op clinic. i may look into it...i've gotta get out of where i am. i just need to find something i can "put up with" for 2.5 more years. well said, nursemike. i'm all for nurses who really want to be nurses...we need them, but i know that i'm not one of those, and i shouldn't have the position i have because of the way i feel. let me tell you about my night (just another reason to place on the stack i already have of why i want out). so, we have 4 vent patients and two nurses. as soon as i came in, one of my vent patients dropped his sats into the 40s. he's now fine, but i could tell how my night was going to be. one hour later, i was yelled for into the room of my other vent patient who eventually dropped his sats to 1 (yep...one) with a heart rate of 40-ish. we extubated then reintubated. during this madness, the other nurse was in the room helping to save his life, and her vent patient decided to drop her sats into the 40s. had it not been for the nicu orientee outside the room noticing the monitor, this one would've been dead. we had no pcp/secretary (to help page docs, answer calls, put orders in the computer), and myself and the other nurse are new nurses with less than one year of experience. ugh. we push "patient-centered care," but all i see from this place is budget-centered care. we work with a skeleton crew and bust our butts just to get by...forget doing anything extra for our patients and their families. everyone in my unit wants to leave. i knew i hated nursing, but there is a lot outside of nursing that goes on in the hospital that makes me hate everything about health care. i'm drained in every sense of the word. i want out. if anyone has other options i could look into (nursing wise...or bsn wise) to get through this next 2.5 years, please let me know. i get physically sick to my stomach when i know i have to work.

thank you for telling me this and really opening my eyes...this is what i need! i need help and suggestions. so...tell me about this pre-operative clinic. what is that, and what is the job description? is it known by any other names? what can i do dealing with papers with a bsn and only 6 months of experience? i'd like to wear normal, dressy clothes and work 8-5 three days a week. haha.. i type that with a smile on my face.

I just sat here and read every post in this thread...because it pertains to me. I thought my nursing school was bad, but it seems that it's the same no matter where you go. In nursing school, I would write notes to my (now) husband that would say, "Why am I here?!" and "I hate this!" I kept on going, though, because it was what was familiar, and I was trying to make other people's goals my goals. I regret that every single day of my life. I can't stand my job. My advice is that if you absolutely can't stand nursing school, get out and do something different before you get in so deep that you graduate! I blindly signed this ridiculous contract with a local hospital for 3 years, and oh how I sorely regret that. I graduated in May of this year and took this job and have been at it for almost 6 months. I want out! I have to fulfill this contract, though, so I'm on the lookout for something within this hospital that I could tolerate for 2.5 more years...which seems like an absolute eternity. I want something out of direct patient care. I want something very simple and boring...(how about night shift OR?) Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I will look into some of the things already mentioned in this thread.

If the debate here is about calling CRNAs "Doctor" based on the degree, I'm fine without that higher level of education and just being referred to as "Master"...yes, that has a nice ring to it :trout:

I have two semesters left before earning my BSN, and during these two semesters I have to write a thesis for Honors based on a topic of my choice. Since I plan to enter CRNA school in the future, I would like my topic to be career-related. I need you all to offer some topic ideas since you are in the profession already. What are you passionate about regarding CRNAs? Any complaints? Unanswered questions? Anything you would like to know more about? Thank you in advance. I look forward to reading your replies.

Hello everyone! Could someone (preferrably many people) tell me about Hermosa Beach and Malibu (weather, crime, cost of living, good hospitals, night life)? I am in a nursing program (with my fiance) in Tennessee, and we are wanting to move to SoCal when we graduate. (We've got a fever that only Cali can cure;).) I would appreciate as MUCH information as can be possibly provided. We are wanting a quiet neighborhood just minutes from a bustling and "happening" (if you will) city with many shopping centers, fine dining, and of course a gorgeous beach. I thank you all in advance for your time and help!

Hello everyone! I have found a great wealth of information about many cities in Florida as I've read posts, but I have yet to know much about West Palm Beach. For those who know quite a deal about this area, I would LOVE to find out the cost of living, quality of beaches, number of hospitals and how prestigous they are, plus the pay scale for a critical care nurse (or really any nursing position). I live in TN but am looking for an unbelievable city on or near the beach to call home after I graduate nursing school. If anyone has any information about West Palm Beach or Palm Beach Gardens, please please share it with me. I need to find out as much as I possibly can. I thank you all in advance!

Thank you so much, lonestargas! It really helps to read your kind, encouraging words. Things like that keep me motivated. I would appreciate any other information you may think of that you (or anyone else) would like to post.

Hello everyone! I love the amount of knowledge you all share with one another! Maybe I can get help, too. It's a little early to be looking, I know, but I still would like to find out your opinions of respected/not so respected hospitals in the Hermosa Beach, Long Beach, or Venice areas. Basically, I want to be a short distance from LA area without actually living in LA (unless of course there are great hospitals and places to live within LA). A little about myself: I am a first year junior in a nursing program. I'm incredibly excited when I think of all the opportunities I will have as a RN when I finish school. I am from a very small town in TN, and even though I've spent my whole life in that little town, home is where the heart is, and my heart just isn't there...it's in California and has been for quite some time! I, along with my fiance, want to move to Cali as soon as school is finished and we take (and Lord willing pass) our NCLEX. To us, California is a dream state...the land of opportunity...the state that never sleeps...the state where the weather should be bottled and sold at high prices, etc. We want a piece of all that! We are always looking for things to get into (entertainment, fine dining), and I'm always looking for shopping. I'm just needing insight as to where to work and live. We want to be near the beach (or within 30-45 mins.) and near the LA area (or within 30-45 mins.). We want to live in a condo/apt. and are willing to penny pinch as much as humanly possible. Of course we want to work at a very well respected hospital in an ICU (because we are wanting to become CRNAs). I've been looking at Kaiser and Sutter, but created some very confusing scenarios for myself in the process. What is the difference in working for Kaiser/Sutter and just working? I hope that makes sense. Of course we want the best pay, benefits, hours, etc. (who doesn't), so which of the two (Kaiser/Sutter or just working) would provide that? I mean, I can read all I want on the other internet sites about all this, but I value far more the educated and experienced opinions of you all. Whew! Sorry this turned out to be so long. Perhaps I should jot down all my questions to make it a little easier to answer, rather than having you kind readers sift through all my words to find out what I'm asking. I think I shall do that if this thread doesn't do very well. Basically, I'm wanting a nice, clean area near the beach and the LA area with well respected hospitals and good pay, benefits, hours, etc. (this is where the Kaiser/Sutter question comes in), and an affordable condo/apt. in a safe and clean community. ANY advice would be overwhelmingly helpful!

Hi everyone! I am only a first semester junior in a nursing program; however, I've been looking up information about CRNAs for years (and am still craving the knowledge of the experienced). I am wanting to know exactly what (if you can name particulars) I should focus on while in nursing school to better prepare me for CRNA school (assuming I am accepted). I know my journey is young, and I have miles to travel before even reaching the application point, but any and all information would be much appreciated, even if it isn't relevant to the initial inquiry. Thank you all in advance!