SOOO indecisive

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To all you OHN's out there, I am kindly asking for your input. I am in a very difficult position right now trying to decide whether or not to leave critical care nursing for an OHN job at a wonderful company. It would be a completly different career path for me as I've only been a nurse for only a couple years. What do you love and hate about your job????

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Specializes in Mostly: Occup Health; ER; Informatics.

Speaking for myself:

Like: Nearly everything...independence, slower pace, less burdensome documentation, walkie-talkie clients, lots of variety, involvement in business areas, seeing a client for months or years (compared to a few hours, in the E.R.)

Dislike: Being the only healthcare person in the building on my shift; M-F schedule (I'd prefer three 12's); atrophy of hospital skills; the initial need to be an instant expert on OSHA, WorkerComp, Pulmonary Function Tests, HAZWOPER, ...

Good luck with your decision.

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I LOVE being off weekends and holidays. The company I work for shuts down the week of Christmas/New Year's. I don't get paid but at least I don't have to worry about how my working on a holiday will affect my kids. I also love getting to spend more time with the associates and developing a relationship. I do not miss being around condescending MDs who treat me like I don't know anything and love being around people who appreciate my knowledge and willingness to listen and care. And I love having time to care for them!

I very much miss the clinical setting. I like the hospital but not the crazy way it treats nurses. Recently another nurse and I almost fought over a patient who needed a blood draw, ha ha! And I was in heaven during the flu vax clinics. Worker's Comp can be frustrating, but a lot of that depends on how your company chooses to handle things. There's not a whole lot I don't like!

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Thank you both for the useful replies. Being the only nurse and so independant, do you feel that you hold greater liability than in the hospital?

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Not me, because the associates aren't that sick. I come from an oncology background where many of my patients were literally a heartbeat away from death. The associates I see now come in with back pain, headache, something in their eye, a splinter, etc. with an occasional emergency for which we will call an ambulance after we've assessed them.

I'm also lucky because on my day shift, there are nurses at other on-site clinics (different plant).

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