Unhappy RN with 14 Years of Experience - Looking for the right path to pursue

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Hello Nurse Beth,

I have been an RN (have my BSN) for 14 years. I worked in Oncology for the first 10 years and loved it; just wanted to expand my skill set after that amount of time so I went to ICU. I worked in a level II trauma center ICU for 3 years, and constantly felt stressed out and overwhelmed in that environment. I left ICU a year ago, and now I currently work as a charge nurse on a Surgical Unit. I am bored to death at work, and feel I am not in the right place for my life/career. I feel like I am seeking more of a challenge, but do not want to go back to ICU. I have considered looking into Dialysis, possibly going back to school, and leaving nursing altogether since I am so unhappy right now. I felt for years that nursing was my calling, and now I just feel like I am earning a paycheck and nothing more. Any insight on what might be the right direction for me to pursue next?

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Dear Unhappy,

With your credentials you have so many options. There is no need to throw away 14 years of experience. It's a matter of finding what is right for you now, and tackling burnout.

You are not being challenged in your current position as Charge Nurse and you're burnt out. It doesn't mean you've lost your calling. It means it's time to re-charge your career.

When you are burned out, some things that help are:

• Attending a conference. You will be re-energized and realize you are not alone
  
• Achieving a unique skill. Become the unit ninja on ABG interpretation, or 12 lead EKGs
  
• Mentoring or precepting other nurses
  
• Volunteering. Helping someone else is rejuvenating
  
• Getting your national certification
  
• Going back to school for your advanced degree. Renew your love for learning
  
• Increase your involvement at work by serving on a committee
  

You say you loved your time spent in Oncology, have you considered returning? You do not like the Charge Nurse position, so maybe patient care and the connection with patients is what you need.

If you are ready to venture away from the bedside, there's case management, telephonic nursing, informatics, infection prevention, and more.

Do you enjoy teaching? You could get your Masters degree in Education. Have you thought about becoming a Nurse Practitioner (NP)? Or a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)? CRNAs earn a high income, are well respected, and enjoy autonomy.

Start looking at Masters programs online to get an idea of what's available and what captures your interest.

Look here on site on the Nursing Specialty Forum to chat with nurses from other specialties.

Best of luck. Keep us posted on your next phase.

Nurse Beth

[sherri64]

I just want to add to Beth's comments about being burned out. Because you liked Oncology so much, what about Hospice? You would be an asset there with your background and it may renew your feelings of why you liked nursing so much. If you need a challenge and want to learn something new, check out MDS Coordinator certification. There are two good programs out there. AANAC is the oldest of the two, but equally as good is Assessment & Intelligence Systems (AIS) (now under Relias Learning). Another option is Legal Nurse Consulting and probably the most popular certification is provided through Vickie Milazzo's Texas based program. There are seminars all over the country. If you enjoy computers, there are many on-line Nursing sites that often need help. Or you can take some classes on Nursing Informatics and help teach EMR's to people or create one that really meets the needs of nurses in a user-friendly format. Best of luck to you. You will find the right thing.

[Axgrinder]

Have you ever considered cardiac cath lab, GI lab, special procedures, or flight nursing? It's something to think about.

I found that the thing I thought I really wanted to do in nursing was just an illusion - the proverbial carrot dangling just out of reach for me. I landed a telephone triage nurse gig 2 1/2 years ago, working from home - and love it. If you had asked me while I was still in nursing school whether I had any interest in telephone triage nursing, I would have probably snorted - or at the very least asked what it actually entailed. I didn't really find it - it found me instead.

In nursing school (and a couple of years thereafter) I really wanted to work in a normal newborn nursery … 5 years later I yearned for a nurse liaison position, or clinical research nurse. I never landed any of those positions - even with some serious effort involved. I was funneled instead into adult ICU (MICU & SICU). Talk about rough! But I sure gained some excellent and varied experience for my resume.

I hope whatever area of nursing you are destined to be in - wherever makes you feel excited, fulfilled and gratified, is just around the corner for you. Whatever you are searching for is searching for you right back. Just remember this before you throw in the towel in regard to nursing: you graduated from a rigorous nursing program, and passed your state boards. If you can do that, you can move the world my friend.

[TheSocialMediaCoach]

There are many Nurses who have started businesses as Health + Wellness coaches. They saw complications of preventable illness and wanted to help. The options of how you could package and market our expertise are endless!

[little_nursey]

Have you thought about PACU? That could be a wonderful option with more flexible hours, use of your critical care skills, and probably a calmer environment that the average floor unit (depending on the specific hospital of course).

Cardiac cath lab, hospice, or home health could be other options.

Lastly, thank you for your dedicated service as a nurse. You have given so much to other people for many years. Best wishes for the next step in your journey!