Beachbum29

Thanks for the advice. My specialty is newborn nursery and postpartum. I've been a nurse for 2 years. I'm trying to transfer to NICU. I have been allowed to do so I'm just waiting for a position to pop up at my facility so I can transfer units. Means my dog is only 5lb so no worries on her weight :-) and what do you mean by maintaining ties? Still receiving mail at the address or that it is actually occupied by me in between assignments?

Hi hun, I can 100% relate to how you are feeling and have felt this way many times in my 2 years of being a nurse. Nursing can often times be a thankless job and it is a profession that is hard on your mind, body and spirit. However, from my personal experiences, my outlook and feelings have been very dependent on the facility I work at. I have been at my current position for over a year and it is postpartum and newborn nursery. Many people including myself thought at one time this was an "easy" area of nursing. I now can say it isn't. I work at an inner city hospital with an impoverished patient population and my job is extremely difficult. I have wanted to walk away and quit on the spot many times. But my fellow nursing staff make it tolerable and I have had so much experience that I've gained that I would do my time over if I had to. Other places the work was easy but the staff and management made it hard. It's one of those things where you have to find a good balance. One thing I've done that has helped has been to remind myself of why I became a nurse in the first place. My reason for entering the field has always been a greater motivation that could not be faltered by a bad day at work. Another is that I leave my work where I find it. I don't take it home with me. I have an active social life and do NOT speak of work when I'm not there. This has helped immensely especially since most of my friends aren't in healthcare and cannot comprehend or appreciate the struggles nurses go through. I've also quit a job on my 3rd day of work. I literally left. It was because the facility was giving care I believed to be unethical and went against my personal beliefs and my conscience so I decided I did not want to be an active participant. Some people have an idea that nursing is a glorified job and that it is flowers and rainbows. It isn't. It's up to you to find what works for you and what doesn't. I enjoy what I do but to be honest I have discovered a total different love that I want to explore and start a second career. Nursing does not have to be your life forever. It may not be mine forever either. But I know that I am doing something that I enjoy and it is rewarding to me right now. If you are truly unhappy you need to change your situation. Perhaps it's not for you that happens to people every day and not just in nursing. And it's ok. That's a part of life. We are ever changing creatures and our wants and needs and desires will change as we grow and go through life. But if you feel you can tough it out then find a way that works for you so you can cope. One thing I always tell myself when I have a bad day is "nothing lasts forever and in 12 hours it will be over". Sent from my iPhone using allnurses

Hi everyone, I'm considering doing travel nursing beginning next year and I wanted to hear from those that are actively traveling or have done so in the past. I'm 26, no children, single and not currently involved/dating. It's just me and my dog so I have nothing to hold me back or hinder me from doing as much traveling as possible. I'm about to get personal but I also am $70K in debt from student loans. I went to a private university and was enrolled longer than planned. I also owe $19K on my car. I eventually would like to own a home and be debt free quicker than working a regular staff nurse position full time. I don't want to go back to school yet due to my debt I already have. I work now with a nurse who has traveled and she has said numerous times she was able to buy her home outright, paid off all her debt and send her daughter to college. I am wondering if there's really that much money in it? That's not my only motivation but a big part of it. I also want to travel more and see different parts of the country before I do ever get married or have children. My family members are supportive and will allow me to stay with them in between assignments if necessary. If anyone has any experience or has been able to pay off large sums of money first hand from travel nursing I'd love to hear back. I would rather not be owing Sallie Mae for the next 25 years. Sent from my iPhone using allnurses