Unemployed M/S nurse looking at job options...

[Gamecock73]

I had posted before about leaving my previous job due to burnout a couple of weeks ago. Since then, I've been networking with my old classmates/coworkers and applying like crazy for jobs. Even though I have almost 3 years' med/surg experience, I'm not sure that's where I want to stay.

I had an interview last week with the new manager on my old floor at my previous employer. As much as I have a built-in comfort level with the people I'd be working with and the patient population, the new manager wasn't sold on me and I wasn't entirely happy with her demeanor either.

I'm getting nibbles here and there for general med/surg floor nursing, but that's honestly what burned me out in the first place. I'd love to get away from patient care entirely and do case management or insurance work for a while, but at this point it doesn't look like that's a possibility since I don't have a BSN or the experience required. I'm interested in home hospice/health, OR, or even a specialty unit where the patient load is lower and I'd get to see and do more.

What's making it worse is I live with a Type A boyfriend who's always been incredibly supportive of me but finds it inexcusable for me to be out of work and is pushing me with hints and hard nudges to just take the first job I'm offered. As much as I tried to explain to him the stress level at my last job, he never really "got it". I'm looking at my next job as a way to expand on my med/surg base and trying to be thoughtful in my search, but I think he wants me to just go for the lowest-hanging fruit.

Comments/thoughts would be appreciated. :)

[llg, PhD, RN]

You need to have a heart-to-heart with your boyfriend -- and tell him the same things that you just told us here. If he doesn't listen and/or doesn't value your mental health, then you will need to get a new boyfriend.

Then you need to do clear your head and start some serious reflection on your career path. Look at ALL of your options and identify which compromises you can make to move forward to build for the future. For example, maybe you could tolerate another M/S job similar to the one you left ... if you could do it on a part time basis while you went back to school. Getting additional education may open up more opportunities for you and be worth it. Or maybe working M/S for an agency while you went back to school would be tolerable because you wouldn't be working in the same environment every day and you would appreciate the increased flexibility of your schedule.

Sometimes, you need to take a step sideways (or even back a bit) before you can move forward. Don't make the mistake of believing you NEXT job has to be ideal. You might just need a basic short-term job to give you some income (and benefits) while you prepare for the next phase of your career. You don't want to do too much damage to your finances while you wait for perfection to magically appear.

[Gamecock73]

Thanks, LLG. While I would normally advise to dump someone unsupportive, this is the same guy who stood by me through breast cancer. He cared for me through chemo (with full hair loss) and mastectomy. He's normally very attentive to me and fully supportive. I just think he's afraid I'm just gonna sit on my butt forever. (Which the answer would be a resounding NO; although I like tending house, staying here all day cleaning is starting to drive me a little nutty.) He's normally very attuned to subtle changes in me, so I don't know why he didn't pick up on the fact that work at my previous employer was draining me.

I've thought of doing travel M/S work, but I worry I don't have enough well-rounded experience to handle it. There's a lot of stuff I haven't seen and handled enough to be comfortable with (chest tubes and trachs, for instance), and I feel like beyond the stress of a new environment I would be overwhelmed with anxiety. I'm not looking for the perfect job, just one I feel like I'm comfortable in and can contribute something good and positive.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

How about local agency work while you search?

[conscientiousnurse]

In our area, home health and hospice agencies seem to be really looking for people with Med/Surg background (although not sure if they want ADN). And have you ever thought of dialysis? There's also flu clinics around now, which might be a good temporary job while you're seeking something else.

[Gamecock73]

As an update: I have two interesting job options dangling in front of me at the moment. Both are centered around the hospital I worked at prior to my last job. I have the option of working PRN or a full-time position at the rehab facility.

With the PRN position, I would be straight nights, working as much or as little as I wanted to. (I don't mind nights, and have never worked a day position since I started nursing. Day shift kinda intimidates me.) I would make at least $35 an hour, but I would not have health insurance. With my history as a cancer survivor, this is not a small consideration. I would get 401k, though. In addition, I would be subject to being "pulled" to anywhere in the hospital there is a need. If staffing is considered adequate on my home floor, I might be pulled to any other floor in the hospital system.

Full-time would mean 3 days/nights a week. (I use the slash because it is a rotating position. One week days, the next nights.) Less likelihood of being pulled, and health insurance to boot. But I'd probably start at $22.00/hour, which is $3 less than I had in my last job.

At this point in my nursing career, I really value different experiences and being exposed to new things. At the same time, I'm kind of afraid to try new things. Part of my problem is that I feel like I'm an inadequate nurse. I have the schooling, but I still need to be able to go to someone else and ask if they'll take a second look at a problem patient. Although I almost have 3 years of nursing under my belt, I am still second-guessing myself.

I'm just wondering which is the best path to take....