Should I Stay or Should I Go?

[KLG2004]

I am finishing my LVN/RN bridge program next week and I am really struggling with my move from here. I have been practicing for 10 years with 6 months in tele/med/surg and 9 1/2 years in pediatric home health. As crazy as it may sound, I'd like to go back to a hospital setting. To stay in peds, I have basically 2 choices in Dallas, Medical City Children's and Children's Medical Center. Both are BSN crazy and I won't have that until this time next year.

The reason(s) I'd like to move on from phh. . . I find myself less and less stimulated and challenged professionally. (I am not saying that I know everything there is to know, I never will, but this I know well.) Getting to comfortable isn't a good thing, that's when mistakes happen. When I first started, I enjoyed the autonomy and learned a great deal by being on my own. I still enjoy the autonomy, but I miss working closely with a team (my team is based in offices 20 miles away).

I desperately craving stimulation and challenge, but I don't want to give up working with children as I am truly passionate about it. I have applied at both Children's and Medical City and haven't heard a thing, except crickets. The only feedback I have gotten is to continue doing what I am doing and build a strong foundation of pediatric assessment skills and get vent experience. (HELLO! What do you think I have been doing five days a week for the last 9 1/2 years.) To be honest, I don't think my resume is actually being read because my resume reflects several years experience with both of those things specifically.

My husband thinks I should just take anything, peds or not, that comes my way as he thinks I am burning out. I can assure you that I am hungry to learn new things, but I'm not burned out. Should I stay in phh until I get something from Children's or Medical City, or do I take my husband's advice and just grab the first opportunity that heads my way? Thanks in advance.

Best,

-K

[Prettyladie]

Not to cause a riot between you and your husband, but I think that's a terrible decision. You wil essentially hate our job. I only wanted ER when I graduated, and at all costs, so ultimately I ended up having to move outside of Dallas for a year, and now I'm coming back actually next week! So if Peds is what you want stay with it. I think you should stay, and wait until you hear back, if essentially you are ot burned out. Trust and assure, you will be burned out quicker in a specialty you don't want before you will staying with your job which essentially is evolved around pediatrics. Just my opinion.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Have you applied at Cooks Childrens Hospital in Fort Worth, or is that too difficult of a commute for you?

[KLG2004]

Commuter,

Yes, I did apply at Cook's and was passed over.

I am in no way suggesting that I am a rock star, I've got A LOT to learn and will continue to learn throughout my career, but I have been a bit surpised that I have been passed up considering I come with experience essential to being successful in pediatrics.

I've got some soul searching to do. . .

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Will you have an ADN or BSN when you finish your bridge program? That will make a difference, as most of the larger organizations are hiring only BSNs in order to ramp up to the "80% BSN" goal established by both Magnet & the IOM recommendation (#4).

What about looking at smaller or community-based hospitals that may have a department that provides pedi care? You may have to switch back and forth - caring for adult pts - if their pedi census is low, but those types of settings could provide a valuable source of acute care experience for you. After you have logged 2 years of experience as an RN, you become eligible to sit for the ANCC Pedi Certification (Pediatric Nursing Certification Eligibility Criteria - American Nurses Credentialing Center - ANCC) ... this would also be a plus that would open doors for you.