unhappy and don't know what to do next

[ChocoholicRN]

I have been a med-surg nurse for about 1.5 years and I am extremely unhappy. I need some unbiased opinions, so please just take a few minutes to read my thoughts and provide some feedback. I work at a top hospital in a large city, it's my first nursing job although I worked as a tech for a few years before getting into nursing. I knew I wouldn't be doing med-surg forever, I just thought I would feel burned out already. The aides are of very little help and I (and the other nurses) often have to fight with them to do their job and we're lucky if they even do what we ask half the time. The floor I work on is so busy that I feel like one of the nurses that is just a "pill passer" because I barely have time for much else! I am at the point where I dread going to work each day. I know that at some point in the near future I would like to do critical care nursing. There are 2 options that I am considering and I need to make a decision soon.

The first option I am strongly considering is working as a per diem float nurse at the hospital where I am now. I have spoken to many per diem nurses who are all thrilled with working per diem. It offers flexibility, the chance to work on many different floors, higher pay, and no required holidays or weekends. There are no benefits, so here's the twist: I am getting married in the fall and would have to wait (or it would be smart to wait) until I am married and can go under my husbands benefits. It would be too costly to pay for health insurance on my own. I just don't know if I can last another 6 months in my current position.

The second option is to possibly work in a critical care floor. I have an interview in about a week, but the position is for the night shift and I really don't want to do that again. I may not even get the job, but I need to think through this as if I am going to get an offer. I will be back on the totem pole as far as vacations and scheduling, but I will be off the med-surg floor I am on now. I am done with the wedding plans so no stress with that. And I already have the time off for my wedding and honeymoon so no worries about that, if I stay on the med-surg floor. Should I suck it up and stay in my current position till after I'm married, switch sooner and pay my own benefits for a few months, or possibly take a critical care position even though its on the night shift? I appreciate any and all feedback, positive and negative. Thank you in advance!!!

[Magsulfate, BSN, RN]

While I agree with the other posters, I must say that with no critical care experience, sometimes you gotta take night shift just to get your foot in the door. I know that when I took the plunge and switched it was like a total transformation in my outlook on work. In ICU you actually have time to care for your patients. You know your patients. You will stay busy but it is a different kind of busy. You're not running down the hallway throwing pills into patients, you're assessing and reassessing your patients while providing the care that they need. That's what you went to nursing school for right?

So you'll have to do night shift for a year, it is well worth the sacrifice just to get into critical care. Once you have that critical care experience, your marketability goes through the roof. Good luck in your decision. :)

[ChocoholicRN]

I have asked all the per diem nurses I've met at my hospital about how often they get canceled or if they are able to get 3-4 days of work per week. They all said they had no problems getting full time hours and rarely got canceled. If they did get canceled, they would just put their name down for a day later in the week to make up for it (unless of course they were canceled at the end of the week).

As for the night shift, I have worked it before on my floor. While there are less meds and no PT, OT, tests, etc, the night nurses that I work with are absolute witches!! Everyone knows it, including the nurses themselves, and it just makes the job even worse. While there was a differential in pay, it was not worth the life style change for me. I was never able to adjust to sleeping during the day, I was always exhausted on my days off, and I gained more weight in 5 months than I had over the past few years. I know that when I do switch to an ICU position or any new position besides per diem, I will be back on nights for a while. I'm just not ready to do that right now.

[Winnie04]

Hi, this suggestion might seem a little un-traditional and isn't for everyone; but if the insurance issue is the major problem for you, you could consider getting married before your wedding...at city hall or something, so that you can get on your husband's insurance ASAP. I know a few different people who have gotten legally married well before their church ceremony and wedding date, for various reasons. Just an option.

[BROKEN HEART]

My advice is try to focus on your recent job and interest with it

[marie-francoise]

If I were you, I'd look into the costs of an individual health insurance plan. I'm on one now. You don't have kids, so you have flexibility. Kids change everything. So, maybe take advantage of your single state w/o dependents while it lasts.

[yelnikmcwawa]

Has your fiance asked his human resources rep if you can get on thier HI policy now? Many companies these days allow for life patners to get HI benefits. Or...and I know this is silly but it's an option...Get married now at the Justice of the Peace so you can get on your fiance's health insurance, switch jobs, and then celebrate your marriage at your fall "wedding". I know it might sound silly, but if you don't have a problem with this plan, then go for it!!!