Still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up

[nursex23, BSN, RN]

I think I just need a minute to whine, or maybe I need career advice, or maybe I need some tough love. I’ve been a nurse for a year and four months now and I’m worried maybe I picked the wrong career. When I first started, I wanted to be a NICU nurse. The only place that would hire me out of school was an LTACH so the plan was to do that for a year and try to find a job in a nursery or NICU. Over the year, I became interested in women’s health and NICU but as time went on, I realized I absolutely hated doing 3 12s especially on weekends and holidays. I also cannot take the constant stress of unstable patients. After about 6-7 months I had shaken that “new grad” feeling but then came the “I really don’t like the field I’m working in” feelings. As I was coming up on my 1 year, I applied to some L&D units with no luck. I also tried doctor’s offices and schools. A school hired me pretty quickly and I’ve been here for a month now. I don’t hate it but I’m not particularly passionate about it either. The schedule is exactly what I want and I genuinely enjoy helping my asthmatic or diabetic students or the ones who need some first aid. However, there are overwhelmingly more students who are just trying to get out of class and give me a hard time when I tell them they are fine to go back. All day, I am calling for an administrator to remove these students from my office. A job recently opened up as a nurse reviewer for an insurance company. Much of it appeals to me, especially the opportunity to work from home. I’m a homebody and absolutely don’t mind spending hours alone and not leaving the house. This is partially why I feel nursing may have been a bad choice for me as a career. I worry about leaving this position now, burning this bridge, and I’m even more unhappy with the insurance company. I feel very lost when I think about my future – I feel like I don’t know what I want to do with my life for the next 40-45 years. I do see myself teaching one day, especially online. I would love to read academic papers and discussion posts and provide feedback. I feel like by now I should have a basic idea of where I want my career to go and I’m worried I’m setting myself up for failure long term. If anyone can give me some advice or perspective. Thanks.

["nursy", RN]

Be very careful with the insurance position, they are very strict with your time and they have quotas. If you ultimately want to teach, you will ultimately have to get more hands on experience. I don't think you have a very realistic view of what teaching entails. However, I don't know if it's necessarily true that you should have an idea where you want your career to go, or that you are setting yourself up for failure. It's very hard when you start out, can't get in where you want, then settle for something less. Keep looking. A lot of finding your niche is being in the right place at the right time. Also, when you apply to something you really like, and don't hear back, follow up. After not hearing back for one position, I followed up, and the nurse I had spoken to lost my paperwork. They were thrilled that I followed up and I got the position. Also, nursing is always evolving. When I started (40 years ago), there was no such thing as nurses who did PICC lines, or infomatics as an example.