Should I walk away from nursing or keep trying?

Maybe a PRN position would be a good fit for you. You'd have more control over your schedule and less obligation, but a foot in the door and some money coming in.

It sounds like you're still learning what being an adult is all about. Very few people skip around the halls with a song in their heart while they're out earning a living. If it were that great, they wouldn't pay us to keep showing up.

I think you may be giving up on hospital work a bit too soon. Lots of families have to celebrate Christmas a few days early or late (police, firefighters, soldiers, pilots, flight attendants, retail workers, etc.) I think celebrating holidays a bit late or early is a small price to pay for a good-paying job that you enjoy. Perhaps you would feel less stressed if you worked in a Pediatric department instead of the NICU. Pediatrics is full of babies, but they are not usually critically ill as in NICU. You could work back up to NICU when you gain more experience and confidence. You are a bit short on experience for a clinic nurse job, especially if there is triage or case management involved. I think you should go back to the hospital for a couple of years, perhaps in Pediatrics or Labor & Delivery. With a bit more experience, you will have more confidence and you will be in a better position to change jobs if that's what you want to do. There is also school nursing and public health nursing if you really want holidays off (possibly a good choice if you plan to have kids soon). Just my thoughts. Good luck with your choice.

If you're able to get back in the hospital I would go for it. Get your experience and with that will come confidence. Then you can try for a clinic job if you still feel like that's what you want to do. As far as the hours and missing holidays, I've had jobs RN jobs that are 9-5 M-F, and more traditional nursing hours (3 12's or 4 10's). They both have their pros and cons, it's a personal preference and what works best for you. Don't give up just yet and good luck!

It sounds like you really have not found your niche yet. I would speak to the hospital recruiter and really let her know your experiences and that you would like to shadow a few nurses in different departments. Have them help you. Another possibility is going to a smaller critical access hospital. Here you have to be knowledgeable with many specialties. You may end up finding what you want to do from this.

Like the last poster mentioned, you should see if you can shadow different departments in the hospital. I worked in three (very) different nursing specialties before finding my niche- and I am a new nurse as well! Do not give up hope! :)

There are many options in nursing! If the hospital setting isn't for you.. no problem. There is home care, long term care.

In home care with your NICU experience, You could go into new mothers homes, and assist with their babies tube feeds, and dressing changes after heart surgeries. Make up your own schedule that works for you.

Don't give up on nursing. You've explored one aspect. Find what's right for you, and hey, you could always start out per diem... work your way up to FT if its something you like.