Second guessing? Anyone else feel the same?

Flatline, BSN, RN · Dec 14, 2017

Being a nurse does not mean being a hospital bedside nurse on your unit.

What your subconscious is telling you is that you are on the wrong unit, in the wrong specialty, wrong hospital, or just wrong job.

The beauty of nursing is that there are a bazillion different specialties and jobs.

I know nurses that;

Write for a living,

Work from home reviewing charts,

Work from home reviewing medical complaints,

Develop products,

Educate,

Speak for a living,

Conduct research,

Perform statistical analysis,

Work in outpatient settings,

Work in home health,

Work in home infusion,

Work at fire departments,

Work in procedural units,

Teach nurses how to use products,

Consult on clinical matters,

etc.

Find your niche.

EGspirit · Dec 14, 2017

Hi everyone. So it's almost been a year since I've started working as a nurse in a hospital setting. I don't know if it's just me, but I feel like I'm already experiencing nursing burnout and I am really not happy with what I'm doing at times. Yes I love helping people but there's rarely any rewarding days. I question every day whether or not I wanna do this for the rest of my life, but I worked so hard for it and I was once so passionate about nursing until I realized it's not all what I thought it'd be like. Does anyone else ever have second thoughts?

Nothing ever is what it seems. I used to own a sailboat. Why? Because sailing, when you see it from a bridge out your car window looks so freakin cool. And then there's that Christopher Cross song, and "Southern Cross" by Crosby, Stills, and Nash--and the next thing you know you're getting a boat.

Then you realize what sailing really is...maintenance, no wind, too much wind, cold, hot, wet, work, dock rent, boat payments, etc. And then when you go out, and people see you with your sails up, they say, "Man, that looks cool as hell. Now that's happiness!"

ruby_jane, BSN, RN · Dec 14, 2017

Hi everyone. So it's almost been a year since I've started working as a nurse in a hospital setting.

YAY! You are almost to the point where you can literally get a job (almost) anywhere.

Perhaps the unit you're on is not for you. But you've got the GOLDEN year of acute care experience. Not all your days will be sunshine and roses, but you can start looking (perhaps in hospital first) to see if there's something else.

My favorite manager used to say that it takes a year to get competent and another year to get good at any nursing gig. Hang in there.

amoLucia · Dec 14, 2017

To Flatline - I like the way you listed the possible outside-the-box opportunities avail for nurses. I'd like to add:

- edit and/or review nsg/medical/healthcare articles written by others for publication;

- TV reporter for healthcare related issues. Channel 6 WPVI-Philadelphia has Ali Gorman, RN, who does just that. I think she has the coolest job!