To stay or to go...

Nothing wrong in deciding a nursing area isn't for you. Getting that ICU experience will make you a better ED nurse though.

As the traumaRUs said, giving a proper notice and working until the end should be fine, but really depends on your area.

If it were me I would follow them old work rules and stick around and rough it out for at least 18 months, get that limited experience then go... unless there were some really bad interpersonal/management/staffing issues. Ten months isn't that long.

I think you'd be fine just giving appropriate notice and leaving! Best of luck!

I would leave if it is not for you. I did something similar before. Left job I like to try something new, It wasnt for me, I left after 6 months and returned to previous position. I wasnt concerned about burning bridges because I was 100% sure I won't be ever back to that place. However, one thing to remember, you will likely not return to exactly same place you left. Staff move on, new people arrive in meantime..

I have quit a couple jobs in my nursing career and in hindsight found those decisions led to so much better, even though at the time it felt like fear and failure. Rely on faith to guide you. Trust yourself. You know you. And remember, employers don't care about you. They'll throw you under the bus in a heartbeat. Give them two weeks notice as a courtesy to coworkers and the scheduler....heck I gave 24 hrs notice one time, just long enough to finish my mountain of paperwork, because that was the best for all involved. Your loyalty is to your own mental health, and to your patients.

If the ED makes you happy and you already have the opportunity to go back, take it. Life is too short to spend three 12-hour shifts a week in a unit that does not feel right to you.

Leaving under a year does not automatically burn a bridge if you handle the exit professionally. Give standard notice, work your remaining scheduled shifts, and keep your resignation letter simple and polite. Some hospital systems have administrative rules about rehire eligibility for employees who leave before 12 months, but staying in a specialty you do not enjoy just to hit an arbitrary timeline usually leads to unnecessary stress.

You tried something new, learned what fits your working style, and now you can return to a role you actually enjoy. That is a successful experiment, not a failure.