Stay or go?

[ZenRN20]

I've been an RN for about 5 years with most experience being in medical nursing with my most recent experience 2.5 years in ICU. I have always loved psychology and am interested in going back to get my PMHNP. So 6 months ago I left ICU and accepted a position as an RN at a partial hospitalization program. Totally love mental health more now than I did and feel like I am certain I want to go the psych NP route. I LOVE doing groups, educating patients, and seeing people actually get better. I love talking about these interesting patients and their diagnoses. I love it far more than anything medical I have done.

Sounds all fine and dandy but I have some concerns. I am starting to miss working with other nurses in a hospital setting and I miss the flexibility of the old hospital I worked at. I am the only nurse here and there is very little in terms of management (sounds great but I sometimes feel I am in over my head.) Lately we have been slow which has been the other extreme of feeling very bored and isolated alone in my office with no other RNs and the other staff being in group. Typically we are very busy and then it feels I am swamped. I am doing 2-3 groups a day, charting 20 plus notes, calling in scripts, screening new patients, discharging, admitting, running insurances. It gets hectic and again, I feel a bit alone. Also there is also a lot of staff turnover and overall bad morale. But, I love mental health and also the fact that this is a day shift position as well (every in patient job where I live is rotating nights and days and I am not willing to do this anymore after years of it causing me problems).

I am looking into an outpatient infusion job at the old hospital I worked at. It would be more flexible with hours (2 8s and 2 10s) all days, I'd be working with a team of nurses, it would be more flexible for when I do go back to school. I have an interview next week for this infusion job and am suddenly freaked out. I feel like I just started this job (about 5 months so far) and am giving up to soon. I love mental health and the crux of what I am doing, but it's missing some factors that are important to me in a job. I would normally never leave so soon (especially since I do love the work underneath it all) but I worry that it would better to leave sooner rather than later. Going back to a medical job after a time away is hard enough.

Family (not nurses!) thinks it's a no brainer to go and get a more flexible job that only requires I work 4 days a week and that will offer better vacation overall. Also, I will have the support of other nurses. But I won't be running groups and helping people work through mental health and addiction problems. I also worry this will hurt my chances getting into school.

I realize this is a good problem to have and am very grateful for both opportunities. Any thoughts out there? Words of wisdom?

[OldDude]

"family" - remember that. Their needs first, your wants second.

[Zyprexa_Ho]

Why not look for another job in the mental health field?

[Marshall1]

Go to the interview..you have nothing to lose in checking out what they offer...depending..you can decide what works best for you/your family..if the infusion job is the choice, maybe you can remain PRN where you are now.