The struggle is real!

[Eigy]

Alright nurse friends, I need some sound advice from fellow nurses who feel my struggle. Because the struggle is real for this new nurse.

I had work experience in the operating room as a Surgical Tech and that was my main reason for going back to school for my BSN. Well once I graduated I had the opportunity to stay in the OR but I felt like I should test the waters in med-surg first since it was engraved in my head all through nursing school that this was the only unit new nurses would either get employed on or should start their career on.

Well, needless to say after six long and stressful months I decided to leave med-surg and go back into the OR. The med-surg unit I was on was crazy busy, every bed always full and understaffed to the max; we were lucky to have one CNA all night and a HUC during the day. Our patients were pretty sick cardiac patients, on Cardizem drips and requiring constant respiratory consult and support.

I learned a ton and respected my fellow nurses on the unit and felt super inadequate as a new nurse. I often struggled with really having any interaction with my patients and their families because I was already behind before I punched in. I first thought it was my time management or prioritization but after talking with the seasoned staff, this is just what was to be expected of the unit. I don't know how so many of them have worked there for years, I could barely hack my 12 hours shift; when lets be real it ended up being more like 14.

So I thought, oh my goodness get me back to the OR stat, take me home :) And although I do love where I am at there (outpatient surgery), I feel like I am not utilizing my skills and not challenging myself enough. But at this point I don't know where I should go or what I should do. I am afraid I will hate everything as much as I did med-surg; that job messed with my mental mojo and confidence.

I am lost as to where I look next in my career, and I don't want to look like a job hopper searching around for something that I have a passion for. That's not my style, I was with my previous employer for almost 11 years; I have commitment for where I work but when I dreaded my Friday shift on a Monday already...it just wasn't good for my sanity nor my families.

I am asking for help, advice, anything to guide me from someone who knows what this is like. So please help this struggling nurse find her way!!

Thanks in advance :)

[Sour Lemon]

Six months is not very long in med/surg. They say it takes about 2 years to feel OK and about 7 years to feel pretty competent. That being said, it sounds like you're pretty at home in OR. Is there a reason you feel the need to "challenge yourself" by moving around to other specialties? Why did you decide to become a nurse and what are your long-term goals?

[Eigy]

Oh I am aware that six months is not a very long time and that it takes quite some fine to fell ok or competent on the unit. But trust me I have had a ton of clinical experience on med-surg and worked alone for an entire clinical and an ICU floor in a trauma hospital. I am aware of what it takes and the being comfortable wasn't the problem for me, it was the "tasks" that became my job that I did not like. I went into nursing to have more direct patient contact and to be involved in the bettering of a patient. I enjoy learning about medicine and what causes disease process' and what is involved in the treatment process. I wanted to help patients and their families but once I was familiar with my job as a nurse on the med surg unit I felt a huge disconnect. I no longer could have those relationships with patients or their families because there wasn't enough time in the day. My day consisted of passing meds and counteracting interactions from the meds and trying to talk to the hospitalist about my patients that they barely saw and were directing care on. It was a daily struggle and I just came to the point that I dreaded the work I was doing and the type of care I was giving; I spoke to the seasoned staff about it and they were just as stressed as I was; it wasn't a "new nurse" thing at that point.

I want to do more and continuously learn; I like to be in the know about diseases and treatments and knowing what symptomology they present with. I want to be involved and knowledgeable. I am comfortable and confident in the OR, it's just second nature to me. And I realize it is a specialty that I am good at and maybe not all nurses would be.

I don't know where to look to and was just trying to find some advice before taking the next step, whatever that may be.

[Eigy]

Oh I am aware that six months is not a very long time and that it takes quite some fine to feel ok or competent on the unit. But trust me I have had a lot of clinical experience on med-surg and worked my ICU clinical alone in a trauma hospital. I am comfortable in stressful situations and my work history in the OR has me well prepared to work in an unpredictable and changing environment. I am aware of what it takes and the being comfortable wasn't the problem for me, it was the "tasks" that became my job that I did not like. I went into nursing to have more direct patient contact and to be involved in the bettering of a patient. I enjoy learning about medicine and what causes disease process' and what is involved in the treatment process. I wanted to help patients and their families but once I was familiar with my job as a nurse on the med surg unit I felt a huge disconnect. I no longer could have those relationships with patients or their families because there wasn't enough time in the day. My day consisted of passing meds and counteracting interactions from the meds and trying to talk to the hospitalist about my patients that they barely saw and were directing care on. It was a daily struggle and I just came to the point that I dreaded the work I was doing and the type of care I was giving; I spoke to the seasoned staff about it and they were just as stressed as I was; it wasn't a "new nurse" thing at that point.

I want to do more and continuously learn; I like to be in the know about diseases and treatments and knowing what symptomology they present with. I want to be involved and knowledgeable. I am comfortable and confident in the OR, it's just second nature to me. And I realize it is a specialty that I am good at and maybe not all nurses would be. This feeling of being too comfortable as a new nurse has me feeling stuck per say; like I am settling not just because I love it but because it's easy. And easy isn't why I struggled through nursing school in my thirties, married with three kids and with the student loan debt to prove it.

I don't know where to look to and was just trying to find some advice before taking the next step, whatever that may be.