Very tired of NICU job. What to do?

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Hello friends,

I'm hoping someone can offer me some advice/encouragement. I am a new nurse, I've been at my current (first) nursing job for almost a year and a half now and I'm tired of it. I work in a very stressful NICU and I've given it my best shot. I just don't like going to work. I find myself looking forward to my sick days. I have so much anxiety related to my job and I feel that it's a generally negative environment. Not because I don't have support, but because I don't like being there. I don't like critical care. I like working with the babies, but the parents are too much to handle. The technical stuff is too much to handle.

So, I know this is not the area of nursing for me. I would like to use my degree for something else, but I'm not sure what. Should I stay until I reach 1 1/2 years? Or should I try to stick it out to make it to 2 years? I've thought about psych and CD. I love working with developmentally disabled kiddos too.I just don't want to deal with vents, lines, IVs and all that other critical care stuff. What are my other options?

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with a nursing degree you can do anything. what about working in a regular newborn nursery? or PSA - pediatric services of america - i dont know too much about it but it is a daycare center that takes care of children with special medical needs. they might have a branch where you live. if you dont like your job and it is eating you alive then there is no point staying any longer than you need to. you could also do something like peds OR or PACU. check out what jobs are available in your area and go from there.

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Specializes in Public Health.

Well, you gave it a year, which seems like an honest shot. If you don't want to stay where you are now, waiting an extra few months might start affecting your job performance. I'm a new nurse myself, so I don't necessarily have the experience that some other have here, but I would guess a job on a general pediatric floor might be better for you.

Have you thought about becoming a school nurse, and maybe even using that to get a job at a school for disabled children? Just some thoughts.

Good luck with your decision.

Kevin

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Specializes in Acute Hemodialysis, Cardiac, ICU, OR.

Man, nothing worse than hating going to work... You've tried -- 1-1/2 years is a good, solid try, to be sure -- and this just isn't the spot for you. No shame in that -- that's one of the great things about Nursing, all the opportunities and specialties.

You're in a big city, so take a look around. There are probably several positions available that you haven't thought of yet -- working with kids, but not too technical... hmm...

How about School Nurse? Or a Physician's office? Are there any Long Term Care facilities that center on Children (we have one of those here)? Is there a children's hospital that provides outpatient services?

Hope some of this helps... The most important thing is that you have recognized that you're not happy, and are willing to do something about it. Too often we just 'accept' the position we are in and drive ourselves into a deep and needless depression. Job satisfaction is VERY important, and I wish you luck in finding that 'perfect' position. It took me five years to find mine, and this is the 4th nursing specialty I've tried -- and one I would never have considered at graduation. View it as shopping for the perfect gift for yourself. Happy Job Hunting!:twocents:

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Thank you all for the time you took to reply. I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do yet, but you've got me thinking!

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