I work in Canadian hospital in Sub acute medicine unit for one year now and also start my NP online program May 7th at Athabasca University. Since I graduated I had burning desire to work in high acuity floor and learn the highest level of medical knowledge in the scope of practice for RNs.
After I graduated in 2008 with my 4 months old baby and with great support from my husband I was able to secure a job in a long term care in 2009 ( had to take 1 year off due to baby, and didnt find hospital job due to recession). Worked there for about a year and then went off to 2nd mat leave from may 2010 to april 2011. Finally was offered a dream job (i.e. a full time hospital job) but in Sub scute medicine unit (consisting geriatric population who is too weak or unstable to go home or retirement home and would wait on our unit until nursing home bed offered).
I applied to ICU few months ago with internal hospital posting and was denied the position as I was competing with other nurses who had experience in acute floors.So if I want to apply again I should be working on any acute floor.
I keep wanting to leave this floor because I feel like I am not going to get ahead and be able to work in high acuity nursing ever. My floor is physically a bit heavy but very much stress free. During 12 hours night shifts, after performing my complete patient care including q hours checks on them I would be able to spare easily 7-8 hours to do my school readings (currently I read threads on allnurses.com in my free time during night shift :)).
Now, given the stress free environment of this job my very close reletives and friends are suggesting to stay on this floor while I go to school (thinking practical). But I keep wanting to move on. I also know that any acute floors I may be going to will have very crazy busy days and busy nights too. Also more chances of making medical errors due to pressure of work.
Staying on this floor makes me wonder did I go to nursing school for 4 years so that 75% of my job would include doing personal hygene for the patients, feeding them, assisting their heavy weak bodies getting in and out of bed to chair and chair to bed for most meals and dealing with harassment and abuse due to mental disorders r/t aging...and much more? Please dont get me wrong, I do not mind what I do and I always keep in mind that when pt. behaves in certain way its due to their underlying condition. But, isnt it time to move on for me and apply in my practice what I learned in my final year of BScN rather than what I learned in my 1st year?
Should it matter that I am starting a masters course in nursing, which itself is stressful and have 2 little girls at home who need my attention and except being physically heavy this floor is stress free? or Is it worth transfering to high acuity floor right now to satisfy my hunger of working in an acute floor, but at the same time feel a high stress of learning new skills, learing to work in a fast phased enironment, more chnces of making errors and possibly not having that extra time during night shifts to do some school readings so I can spend few extra hours at home with my daughters?
I am not a very good writer but I hope you understand my situation. I will appriciate your input so much. flipping the coin has not helped me so far. I need practical answer. PLEASE PLEASE HELP.
Oh my thanks for this message in disguise. I was considering the same thing. I work in a small hospital and sometimes its repetitive and i was thinking of moving to ER or ICU to gian more experience. I will be starting NP program next month
Well Kookie, you asked a question and others are benefiting from it.
honeykrown, MSN, NP
385 Posts
Oh my thanks for this message in disguise. I was considering the same thing. I work in a small hospital and sometimes its repetitive and i was thinking of moving to ER or ICU to gian more experience. I will be starting NP program next month
Well Kookie, you asked a question and others are benefiting from it.
Thanks a lot guys