Still hate my job after two years, advice?

[0ldsoulss]

Hi everyone,

I am a registered nurse working on an acute medical floor for two years now. The floor I work on has a reputation within the hospital I work at of being unsafe and mismanaged. For this reason we end up getting a lot of new graduates, since a lot of the "old new staff" (people with 1-2 years experience) leave for less stressful and better positions within the hospital, and no else applies for their open lines leaving them filled with the new grads.

Since working on my floor I have loathed my job from day one. Prior to even getting the offer for the position, I was told my numerous other nurses to avoid this floor since someone is going to end up losing their license on it. I have also developed both anxiety and depression from this position. I thought I would grow to like this position as I gained more experience but it never happened. I took this spot to get into my hospital system and the plan was go always to apply somewhere less stressful and more safe. I also plan to go back for my masters next year for my NP (which you need two years nursing experience for in Canada) and would like to get a better position that would allow me to do this while continuing to work full time. Right now on my days off I am a zombie, and am basically useless between stressing about work and being drained from my set.

I have applied to a few postings over the past two years but haven't really heard much of anything, and have turned down a few due to them being a longer commute. I recently applied to a position at one of our community hospitals and was offered a temporary full-time position for the next five months. In Canada we are unionized so I would default back to my permanent full-time position once this temporary position ends. I know this seems like a no brainer, but I am seriously debating if this should be the position I make the move for, or if I should hold out for something better. I don't really have anywhere I want to work too badly, my end goal for nursing is going to NP route so I don't really crave ER, ICU or LDR. Although I have applied to a few recent ER postings at my current hospital for a change.

I'm just wondering if I should make this jump now, temporarily, and see if something better comes along while working in this new hospital? The position I was offered is a LTC/Medical floor with only 15 beds. The acuity at this hospital is low and it is a hospital I always wanted to work at as a lot of the nurses from my floor have gone here and loved it. The manager hiring me is the manager for all the medical floors as well at this hospital, so after this position ends, if I apply for an acute medical floor here I feel it may give me a leg up with getting hired here in the future. The only real con is that this hospital will be a 20 minute commute, whereas my current hospital is ~5 minutes.

Sorry about the length, but I don't really want to ask my fellow nurse irl about this since I'm trying to keep me being offered this a secret until I decide.

[Subee2, BSN, MSN, CRNA]

20 minute commute? I thought you were talking about an hour commute which is normal for lots of people. 20 minutes for a pleasant working environment? Where do I sign?

[Wuzzie]

11 hours ago, 0ldsoulss said:

The only real con is that this hospital will be a 20 minute commute,

Shoot it takes me 20 minutes to go 5 miles where I live.

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

I'm curious- has anyone lost their license on your floor? I've been hearing that old saw for YEARS and never actually heard about it happening to someone.

(In the situation you've described...)

[FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN]

I see no reason not to take the temp job.

Take it.

[amoLucia]

On ‎6‎/‎24‎/‎2020 at 8:08 AM, Undercat said:

20 minute commute? I thought you were talking about an hour commute which is normal for lots of people. 20 minutes for a pleasant working environment? Where do I sign?

DITTO!

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

I think even though you "loathe" your position.. you are comfortable there. It's "better the devil you know". Take the plunge, learn and grow in the next 5 months. All the while keeping your eyes open for something else if need be.

Good luck.