So confused unhappy in rehab/ med surg, maybe PICU?

[Lizabeth RN]

Hii all,

I am new to allnurses but I often read posts that hepl me sort through my worries....I am a new nurse. I work on a med surg rehab floor. I have been there one year. I have loans and bills.........So as a med surg rehab nurse I guess I just feel I am not as happy as Id like to be. The floor is well run by a good manager but I just dont enjoy my job, I feel I do to much lifting, cleaning up people and am exhausted....I know I have options and just mostly want to learn and be happy, with a goal in site of getting a good travel job...I dont know if med surg rehab has many tavel positions...I am unsure about either staying on my floor being its not super stressful and putting in two years on my floor, or making the big move of switching to and ICU, Im thinking the PICU because I like kids and I dont think Ill lift as much? I am just looking for guidance in making the best career move? I am eager to learn, but dont enjoy and dirty work ( as awful as that sounds) I know there is always some but I feel med surg has soo much of it...Any suggestions of a specialty I may like and be happy? Is going to an ICU a better move career wise than staying on my floor an additional year. There are many ICU opportunities at my hospital.

[79Tango]

I would suggest maybe waiting on a travel assignment.. First, the money "aint all that" & second, as a MedSurg traveler, you will end up doing the majority of the "dirty work."

[Lizabeth RN]

I am wondering if there are specialties that maybe better. I am interested in Labor and delivery but there are no jobs I know of. I am interested in PICU but unsure. I I like my floor manager and dont know if I am jumping the gun to quick by trying to transfer floors, but I really am uninterested in med surg period. I want to find a specialty where I do less dirty work and grow as a professional.

[dixRN]

You will never be bored with PICU. It is one of the most diverse units to work in & you will acquire a very wide range of skills as you are dealing with all sizes of children from babies to older teenagers. PICU nurses usually work together if there is a larger child as far as moving them. It can be heartbreakong though as the worst child abuse cases are in the PICU but you have to keep in mind that you are really helping that child. Also PICU nurses are in BIG demand in the travel world & are usually one of the higher paid travel nursing jobs. Start reading the PICU threads here on allnurses to give you a better idea. You need at least 2 years in your specialty before you start travelling. You need to really know your stuff as they are paying for an experienced RN that can hit the ground running.