To all my non-hospital nurses

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Specializes in Cardiac, ER, Pediatrics, Corrections.

Hello!! Hated the hospital? Clinicals bored you? HAVE NO FEAR! Nurses are needed EVERYWHERE.

This is meant to inspire my new nurses who are scared they'll never find a job, or a job that suits them, or never found their niche etc.

I knew I NEVER wanted to be in the hospital. N-O. Boring to me. But that is the BEAUTY of nursing. So many options for us non-hospitals RNs.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE working in a prison. It's what I've always wanted and now what I am doing. Prison nurses have autonomy and see pretty much everything. Not a day goes by that is boring. It is also nice to be a positive influence to those who need it most.

Hated the hospital? Have no fear!! There are PLENTY of options. Doctors offices, LTC, dermatology, prisons, research nurses, public health, mental health, infectious disease, diabetic education, home health, and SO MUCH MORE!!!

You can make a difference as a nurse outside of the hospital :)

Cheers to all my non-hospital nurses!

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I'm so glad you posted this I've been thinking idk if I want to be in the hospital whenever I finish nursing school. BUT I haven't even started yet so my mind may change while in clinicals.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

Thanks for this. I have heard many say that unless you do acute care, you are not a real nurse. But I know that we cannot all work in the hospital setting. I tried after passing the boards and did not get picked up at any acute care hospital in my area. I applied everywhere I got very discouraged. I became an RN for the flexibility of the profession. So I am thinking that the rejection I faced from acute care could be a blessing in disguise. The only downfall is many other nursing positions require 1-2 years of acute care experience, sometimes 5 years =/ I hope to find my niche soon!

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Specializes in family practice and school nursing.

only worked in a hospital for 18 months, drs office in primary care for 15yrs.. now school nursing for 14 yrs. many options for nurses! Good luck!

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Specializes in Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgical.

I love clinic nursing- better hours (1st shift/9-5), I actually see my husband, I'm learning new skills, and the staff works really well together. I'm not entirely opposed to returning to the hospital, but I'm tired of seeing hospital nursing held up as the gold standard in our profession.

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Specializes in Psych, Substance Abuse.

I work in a residential drug rehab facility. I don't waste energy looking all over for IV poles, running back and forth to central supply, or hunting down the all too elusive Accucheck meters and Dynamaps.

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I hated med/surg clinicals during school. I just knew it wasn't for me. I wasn't bored with it. I was actually terrified of it. Psych clinical was boring as all hell but I figured it was a better fit for me than medical. I admire all the medical nurses out there....they can turn their noses up from me all they want for being a psych nurse....I still respect all of them :cat:

I worked on a forensic unit as my first job. I loved it. Miss it a lot. Now, Ive been on a sustained care psych unit. It sucks for its own reasons...if I worked on a true mental health unit, I know I'd love my job a lot more. But I'm not too shabby as a psych nurse. I think I've made a difference once or twice :)

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I recently started working as an Apheresis nurse in a blood center and deliver therapeutic treatments in center and in hospitals. I really like my job. I feel like it's taken a while to find the right fit. I did not enjoy being a staff nurse in the hospital. I loved the nurses I worked with and the teamwork but the shifts and the nature of the job wore me down quickly. I only stayed for 2 yrs and 1 of those years was prn. I think I cried before going to work most of the shifts that first year just because I dreaded it, and I wondered if nursing was the right career. This was a med surg unit so I can't speak for other types of units that function differently. So for those who don't want to stay in the hospital, don't be discouraged. There are nursing jobs you probably have never even heard of.

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Specializes in Telemetry, IMCU.

Pediatric PDN here and love it!

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Specializes in ninja nursing.

My plan is to somehow merge my past career of IT with nursing after I've worked on the floor for possibly two more years. I liked the posts above. I'm always networking and find new companies that need nurses--cruise lines, automotive companies, airlines, Microsoft even has a massive clinic in Seattle that hires nurses! So many opportunities out there guys!

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When I dreamed of nursing, I dreamt of working with non profits, the homeless, and children. I got my first job in the hospital and I hated it for various reasons. I quit a few months in which is a deadly career choice but I was psychologically in the worst place I have ever been. I don't know if I want to work in a hospital ever again.

How I regret taking that job! I am now applying to non hospital l jobs all throughout my state.

I am hoping and praying something good pops up within the next few months or else it's back to school for me.

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Working with the disabilities population is what made me decide what to do with my life...lead me to nursing. Since I've become a nurse, I worked in LTAC and now in a retirement home but I've always wanted to get back with my developmental disabilities patients - especially in a home type setting. And I've searched high and low and finally found a place that's hiring! I'm praying they let me interview there.

I do have other aspirations, though. I love wound care, and eventually I'd like to get a certification and in some capacity do that. I'd also like to spend some time working in a veterans hospital. Guess it's a good thing that I'm young, and have lots of time to get where I'd like. :)

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