Scared of Making the Wrong Decision- long

[Jean1313]

I have posted on here before about my struggles with med-surg nursing. Everyone has been very supportive, thank you all!

So now I am almost to my 6 months. I am able to apply for new jobs (to transfer within the system) on that exact day. It happens to be Easter Sunday, interesting how it is a time of new hope!

I know that I have to transfer. Med-surg really isn't for me. To make matters worse, they just changed the pt population we serve, without any real education for the RNs. We get little info sessions a few times a month while we have already started care of these pts. It makes me nervous. Also, they ask me to stay after my 12hr night shift for these sessions, and I am exhausted already. I have no idea how much I am retaining.

I am struggling with my next move. I don't know what type of nursing to try next, and I am terrified of choosing the wrong specialty. My interests have always been towards women's health (I always wanted to be a L&D RN) but I like the OR as well. I am told that the L&D units in my system are for high risk cases (not exactly what I had in mind) and the consensus from the OR RN advice seem to be that you need a certain personality to "make it" there. I don't know if I will fit there or not. I have the option of going back to Psych, and while I don't mind going back, I feel like I want to give my other interests a shot.

So here's where I really need the advice, especially from managers. I am afraid that if this next job doesn't work out (i.e. I don't have the "right" personality for the OR, or L&D is more intense than enjoyable) it will look bad on my resume. You know, 1+ year, 6 mos, then ?

I stayed at my first RN job for a year and a couple of months, which I like well enough. I had wanted to stay at this job for a year, but I realized that with the above issues I can't do that. I don't expect a job to be perfect, Psych had its drawbacks too. But I only left Psych so that I could have "medical experience." I'm leaving this current job because it's not a good fit.

But I don't want managers to look at my resume and toss it. I don't want to jump around forever. I want to get into a nursing specialty that I am passionate about and stay!

Managers, would this scare you off? Staff RNs, how long did it take you to find your niche? Did anyone else try a couple things, or did you stay for years despite knowing it wasn't for you?

Thanks in advance!

[rn undisclosed name]

I dont' necessarily think you should leave having only been there for 6 months. Why exactly is it that you want to leave? Do you feel like your license is in jeopardy and everyday you go to work you are risking your license? Well, then run and don't walk.

Otherwise try and stick it out for another 6 months. I personally think you get a good basis for nursing in med-surg. I have never done strictly med-surg but right now I am working on an oncology/telemetry floor and from the med-surg aspect of it I have learned quite a bit. Prior to that I did strictly tele. I think you see a lot more with m/s than tele. A lot of the tele stuff you see over and over (cath, new pacemaker, chf, etc.).

I agree with the above poster who stated that her specialty is her niche while working on a good unit. I currently love my unit b/c of the teamwork from the nurses I work with. I generally don't have a problem getting help with something and we're always asking each other how our days are going and if anyone needs help. It's one of the reasons I don't want to leave my unit. The grass is not always greener on the other side. Try to think of the things you like about your unit.

[Valerie Salva, BSN, RN]

To me, it doesn't sound like med surg is not necessarily your niche-

It seems more like overwork, inapproriate pts on the unit and unsupportive mgmt are the problem.

Your perceptions and opinions of a specific type of nursing can vary greatly depending on how well or how poorly a unit is managed.

It took me years to find my niche- but when I find myself in a crappy unit, that ruins it for me. My specialty is only my niche when I'm working in a good unit.