6th nursing job in 4 years?

[rjstrickland23]

I've been a nurse for 4 years. I began my career on a rehab/skilled unit in 2012. I worked on that unit for 1 year. After that I went to a different, bigger hospital further from home on a step-down unit. I only worked there for 5 months before going back to the previous hospital I worked for taking a float/pool position. It was a big jump in pay but I never felt I was competent enough for the position. I had a lot of anxiety related to the job. I was scheduled for 24 hours per week but got cancelled a lot. Pay was inconsistent. I called in a lot r/t anxiety. I got pregnant during the first few months of that job and that gave me an even better reason to call in. I went back to work at 6 weeks postpartum. Continued anxiety r/the work. I eventually had to find a new job before I was terminated due to call ins. I then worked at a clinic for 10 months. My mom was diagnosed with cancer and I missed work to be with her at appointments and in the hospital. They fired me without any warning. I then took a part time job doing L&D, PP, and nursery. I've been there for just over 3 months. I'm contemplating leaving this position. I have an interview for a full-time desk job doing over the phone insurance preauthorizations and such. Hours are Monday - Friday, 11a - 8p. No holidays or weekends. Hourly wage is the same as what I make now. I also have an interview next week for a job with an agency thag strictly works for a specific Healthcare company. I would only be working for one company (Norton Healthcare) but it would be at their various facilities on various med/surg tele and step down units. I think it's PRN and I think the pay would be really good. I'm torn about leaving my current job and if I do, which position I would take. I don't really want to work full time but maybe it would be good for me. I'm in school online getting my BSN also. I just want some thoughts and advice from fellow nurses. Thank you.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I'd stay put...you are currently on the job-hopping carousel and your track record of 6 jobs in 4 years is not stellar at the present time.

If you do not want to work full-time, why would you consider leaving your current part-time job in a coveted specialty for a full-time job you are unsure you want in the first place? Perhaps it is time to slow down, stay at the same part-time job for a couple of years, then reassess the situation.

Good luck to you!

[THELIVINGWORST, ASN, RN]

You are coming off as very flippant about employment. I would personally not hire you because they would spend time training you and you'd be looking for another job in just a few months. Why are you even applying to new jobs if you've only been in this job for three months??

[rjstrickland23]

I've been feeling very overwhelmed at my current job trying to learn all areas of the unit, that's why I started to reconsider if this position was a good fit for me. I feel it's too much for one nurse to be expected to know all areas of the unit. At a larger hospital I would only be expected to know L&D, couplet care, newborn nursery, postpartum care, or NICU. At the small facility I'm at right now I'm expected to be able to do all of these areas. It's very overwhelming. I struggle with anxiety and depression and I feel my current job is contributing to these issues.

[RescueNinjaKy]

I feel that you will always struggle with these issues the way that you're doing things. You have the habit of avoiding the issue instead of dealing with it. You keep feeling overwhelmed but what are you doing to fix it?

It takes time to get used to anything and you're leaving before you have the chance to get used to it. You should definitely work on your issues of being overwhelmed/anxious/stressed/depressed. Because with the history you've given us, it seems like you feel that way about every single job you've had so far.

[nutella, MSN, RN]

I've been feeling very overwhelmed at my current job trying to learn all areas of the unit, that's why I started to reconsider if this position was a good fit for me. I feel it's too much for one nurse to be expected to know all areas of the unit. At a larger hospital I would only be expected to know L&D, couplet care, newborn nursery, postpartum care, or NICU. At the small facility I'm at right now I'm expected to be able to do all of these areas. It's very overwhelming. I struggle with anxiety and depression and I feel my current job is contributing to these issues.

I can see how your personal situation (anxiety and depression) makes it hard to keep a job or work certain jobs. I think that with anxiety and depression as a baseline there will be difficult times at every job but you can certainly do a couple of things to reduce your stress as anxiety and depression will make it harder to deal with stress/coping and also stress will make those things worse - a bit like catch 22.

When people are depressed/anxious they feel overwhelmed more easy, when those things are under control, people tend to do better with any kind of stress.

I think it is great you are in school for your BSN - so you have to find a job that is compatible with that.

In addition, you should address your anxiety and depression and see if you can improve that situation - a mental health specialist could be helpful.

Of course you do not have a great track record of staying with a job right now but only you can know if your current job is not possible. If on the other hand you have felt ok about it but now perhaps have an exacerbation of anxiety/depression that makes you feel worse in general you may want to wait it out some more. But if you really need a low stress job like phone insurance and are satisfied with pay and work hours that may be the way to go.

Good luck!

[RNperdiem, RN]

Feeling overwhelmed in a new type of nursing is normal. Once you gain experience and learn the work, the feeling fades. It sounds like you have not given yourself that chance. Feeling competent in a position is something you earn.

Unless you have a real reason to leave a potentially rewarding and in-demand nursing job, stay there. Gaining confidence is a buffer to anxiety.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

The full time desk job would be your answer to the anxiety. Be prepared to explain your frequency in changing jobs.

[klone, MSN, RN]

I've been feeling very overwhelmed at my current job trying to learn all areas of the unit, that's why I started to reconsider if this position was a good fit for me. I feel it's too much for one nurse to be expected to know all areas of the unit. At a larger hospital I would only be expected to know L&D, couplet care, newborn nursery, postpartum care, or NICU. At the small facility I'm at right now I'm expected to be able to do all of these areas. It's very overwhelming. I struggle with anxiety and depression and I feel my current job is contributing to these issues.

No, it's really not too much for one nurse to learn. That's how MANY smaller OB units operate, and nurses do it all the time. I think that maybe you have an unrealistic idea of how a new grad (and that's essentially what you are due to hopping from one specialty to another) feels. It's NORMAL to feel overwhelmed and unsure for a good long while. You have to work through that to a place where you start to feel competent and confident. If you keep job hopping, you will never get to that place.

And consider an SSRI. (not medical advice, but as someone who has GAD, an SSRI has been a lifesaver)

[dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN]

I wouldn't take the PRN agency position. You tried that once with the hospital float pool and got fired and now you're overwhelmed with learning 3 different areas in OB. You're just making the same mistake over again if you take that position.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

Insurance job. Take it if it is offered.

[rjstrickland23]

Interview went well today. 15 days of paid vacation per year. No holidays or weekends. Same hourly wage as my current job. I would be welcoming new patients to the program and answering questions about a specific RA injectable medication. Said they have a few other people to interview and would know within a few weeks.