Someone's got to love their job.. help

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I know lots of people hate to their guts what they do. I am definitely one of them and I can say that when I walk into my medsurg job, I can just tell all the joy, happiness and energy just being sucked out of my body. I don't understand the happiness or fulfillment you get when the "patients make your day" by smiling, talking, complimenting, thanking you etc etc. I am the type of person who does not get fulfillment from patient interaction at all; this is why I KNOW for fact that medsurg/bedside care is not my niche.

I do get kick out of hanging out with my friends or interacting with pleasant strangers, but do not get anything out of interacting with patients for some reason.

So after about 3 months, I plan to escape the medsurg and do something that I can at least say I somewhat like doing. I have done some serious research in this venue and found some soul searching of kind of nursing I like. I do not want to do anymore direct/bedside care with minimum patient interaction; preferably a work that matters something, not mundane stuff, treating frequent fliers or pushing narcotics to seekers, maybe even non-clinical setting.

I came to some lists: office job (but lower $), day surgery/outpt surgery, preop/pacu, endoscopy, GI/Cath lab, research nursing, clinic, and some corporate job. Hopefully there are some of you who found that patient care is not your niche and now do something that suits your boat. Let me know, Thanks.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Love my job. Work at a University as a research coordinator.

Definitely for the most part enjoyed my years of Ob/Gyn clinic nursing.

Reach for what you want. You have nothing to lose. I was not "qualified" for this job when I got hired, but I had many skills that i pointed out to them would be very helpful. I had a list and I went over each of them at the interview :)

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Sounds like OR would be your thing.

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@crunchRN: thanks! I actually took care of retired RN whose daughter worked as a research nurse for quite a while and said she definitely loved doing it; I understand that the paper work involved with research nursing takes you to a whole different dimension (lol), but research nursing is a venue I would definitely want to give a try! How did you get the job? I know it's very competitive.. :(

@notdoneyet: yeah, but then I was told that all you do is pass instruments and don't learn much; I doubt that this is true, as I believe that I will be pretty happy in OR also, the intensity, working close with docs, etc.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

It's a darn shame that OP didn't realize that dislike for actually interacting with patients prior to putting forth all the time and effort it takes to become a nurse. But I have a great admiration for the honesty & courage it takes to admit this. I hope that the Negative Nellies don't start throwing flames.

Best wishes for a smooth career transition to a happier place for the OP.

My job? The best one in the world. I'm a clinical education leader - working with the most amazing and talented group of nurse educators. . . and I get paid to do it!!

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@Houtx: my exact thoughts. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy interacting with people outside the job and won't mind lending a hand as a good samaritan, but it's somehow different in hospital setting with patients... It's not that I don't like people, I love people! I just don't get any good feeling interacting with patients, whether they are nice to me or not (always put up a smile though).

I admire educators, since teaching is not something I can do easily haha. Thank you for the support!

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Is this your first nursing job? If so realize that many nurses have a period of low morale once the newness of the job wears off. It does get better with time and experience.

Bravo on planning your escape plan. Nothing is as morale boosting as planning an escape. The options you list are good ones, but lots of nurses also want those same jobs, so it takes time to land a non-bedside jobs. Lots of experience,a BSN, ICU skills, and the right contacts help too.

Best of luck in finding your place in nursing.

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Specializes in CVICU.

When you are a new grad you first job usually sucks. The reason that unit had openings in the first place was probably for that reason having a lot of turnover. Just tough it out until what ever time period you committed to is over then start looking for another gig. Ideally you might be able to transfer to better digs in the organization you work in now. I hated my first job, but it took me in the direction I wanted to go. I was out of there 1 year to the day. I transferred to a different unit and my whole outlook on life was uplifted.

Remember that in your current position you are establishing a work history. Any future manager who is considering hiring you is going to look at that. If you have a good work history that is a big feather in your cap. Perhaps even more important than the skills or lack thereof to your next position. Managers are willing to overlook lack of skills if the employee appears to be a fast learner and has a good work ethic. That type of employee is far more desirable than someone who may possess the required skills but has a spotty work ethic.

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It was the shock of my professional life when I realized that my cherished dream job, critical care clinical specialist, was being eliminated in a budget cut while the hospital was en route to downsizing from a 180-bed general community hospital to a 50-bed satellite facility. I took what I thought would be a temporary job doing work comp case management while still suffering from head-spin over the suddenness of the loss of my decades-long ICU identity and change to business attire. But you know what? I think it was the best thing that ever happened to me professionally, and I wouldn't be where I am today if I hadn't done it ( or had it done to me), and I was solidly into middle age at the time.

Get out of your comfort zone and learn something entirely different. It's liberating. It opens doors you never knew existed. There is a huge, huge world of nursing expertise away from the bedside and you can have a helluva lot of fun exploring it.

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@RNperdiem: It's my second medsurg job and I guarantee it on my death bed it will be the last one also; just got to fill in 6 months as courtesy and to do internal transfer. I am used to the job and can adapt pretty quick (used 2 weeks orientation in this completely new hospital system). You are right though, good jobs come hard, but I am proactive about it; went to observe a cath lab procedure at my hospital since I knew a lady who works there; got to meet the team and the doc; LOVED it. They all seemed to enjoy what they were doing. Hopefully I can find a day to observe GI lab or day surgery.

@keepitreal: I consider myself pretty fast learner. But you're right, the phrase "you have to pay your dues" comes very true especially in nursing, and especially to the new grads. I know I will be working only 6 months here until I am actively searching to run away, but still, I don't want to hate my life because of my job :)

@GrnTea: Thank you for that advice! I very much agree with that idea. Sometimes I want to go into a venue that is completely different; for example, quality/risk management, research nursing, case management, corporate, etc etc; maybe after few more years in clinical setting, I will be able to find a cool office job like you :)

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Specializes in Anesthesia, ICU, PCU.

Imagine somebody wants to leave their first position, after a year, for another position more suited to their professional interests. Does that timer start at the date of hire, or the first day after orientation when you're actually in your position of hire?

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Specializes in CVICU.
Imagine somebody wants to leave their first position, after a year, for another position more suited to their professional interests. Does that timer start at the date of hire, or the first day after orientation when you're actually in your position of hire?
According to HR most places it is 365 days after your first day of hire. On the unit I used to work on, new grads were obligated to say 2 years and that is because their orientation lasted almost 6 months so there was only 1.5 years of productivity if they booked on their 731'st day.
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