PLease, please, please, can I start this topic again? Except for the last post I saw, I thought this thread had some great discussion.
I am going through this matter right now....almost off of orientation and considering a move outside of the hospital. It's not that I absolutely hate the hospital, but I KNOW that I want to work in community health. I already have worked in CH, and it's the whole reason I got into nursing. However, I thought I'd do my year of med-surg, etc first. But now I know of opportunities at the health department that I am completely qualified for, and acute experience doesn't really come into play.
So do I go for my original dream? I have always been the type of person to hold out and stick with something, even if I am miserable. BUt maybe it's time to change that, and just go for what I want.
Perhaps I could continue hospital and get a part time position in CHN? or maybe that's asking way too much of myself.
I hope we can continue this discussion again, and keep it on topic and keep it friendly.
I feel the same way you do...I really don't care for acute care...would rather do community health...because that is what I really enjoyed in clinicals...But I too feel like maybe I should pay my dues in acute care...I know I do need some kind of experience.... But if this job is something you really want to do...I would go for it...I'm sure you won't be the first to have quit a job after orientation or the last.
You should go for that CH job. If you don't you will likely regret it....and I doubt if you get it you will regret quitting the hospital! As nurses we all know how fragile life is. Don't stay in a job that you don't like. Especially if what you really want to do has a position that is open...how often does that happen??? Take the opportunity and go submit your resume. By the way, do you let them know you are orienting somewhere presently?
The problem with community health as a new grad is you don't have other people around to "ask questions." You're expected to go out there and function independently. You need to have the clinical and assessment skills to be able to "work without a net." You're going to be out there as the eyes and ears of the pts' doctors, so you really do need to know what you're doing.
Of course, if you're convinced you already have the knowledge and experience you need, go ahead and apply. Just bear in mind that if you do go into community health, you're going to see pts who are just as sick as those in the hospital. So you have to be prepared to care for a wide variety of illnesses and acuity levels.
I think it would be much better for you to get a year of m/s in, but in reading some of your other posts, it looks like you've made up your mind. I hope it works out for you.
may i present a small story? my best friend and i graduated from the same school at the same time. she went to one hospital and i to another. i was in love and she was miserable. why? she had been a tech at a dialysis unit for years before going into nursing. that is all she ever wanted to do. she too thought she had to pay her dues for a year but the dialysis unit manager called her and said she had an rn position coming open and she wanted my friend to take it.
my friend is a true blue kinda person and was really torn about this situation. she felt she would be doing the hospital and injustice by quitting during orientation. but she really wanted to take the other position. so, we talked it out.
me: what do you see yourself doing 5 or 10 years from now?
her: working in dialysis
me: do you see yourself ever working outside of dialysis?
her: no, in one way or another i will always stay there.
me: then why do you think you should stay at a job you don't like. what purpose will it serve to your dreams and patients?
her: i don't know
she took the other job and is soo very happy. remember, if you were to ever go back to acute care anywhere they would retrain you.
Definitely go after the job you feel you would love. Don't burn your bridges, though- make sure you work out a notice. Two weeks would be good, three even better. In your resignation letter I would just thank the medsurg unit for the experience and that you feel your calling is in another field. Don't worry about needing a year of medsurg, if you truly want to work in CHN then spending that year IN CHN would help more than medsurg!
I am in my 2-3rd week of orientation on an unit, which is 30-40 mins away from my home. Recently, I had an interview with the another unit, which belongs to the same health system. I would love to work on the latter because I heard it is good and I really like the specialty. Furthermore, it is just 10-15 mins away from home. I think this would be easier for me as I would be working nights. The latter's manager knows that I am orienting in another unit.
I find it really hard to bring this topic to my present manager. How could I discuss with her? A manager will naturally be pissed when the orientee asks to transfer to another unit after just 2-3 weeks of orientation. I feel really bad.
Rose, more people will see your question if you start a new topic when you ask one. But as far as your question here is my opinion.
Orientation for new grads is not only to orient you to the floor but to see if you are a "fit" for that floor. Not all new grads know where they want to be right after graduation.
Managers may not want to lose orientees but they sure don't want to put six months worth of effort into a new hire and then lose them:uhoh21:
If you are sure you have the cardiac position then you could just resign your current position and simply explain to your manager what you told us. 1. much closer to home 2. you LOVE cardiac 3. you like nights
blueiwahine
203 Posts
I feel the same way you do...I really don't care for acute care...would rather do community health...because that is what I really enjoyed in clinicals...But I too feel like maybe I should pay my dues in acute care...I know I do need some kind of experience.... But if this job is something you really want to do...I would go for it...I'm sure you won't be the first to have quit a job after orientation or the last.