What should I do?

I have been a nurse for almost 2 years now. I have worked as a school nurse, did flu clinics, spent a short time on post partum[had to leave r/t health reasons] and now home health/private duty for past 8 months. I like home health and plan on keeping one of my private duty pediatric clients for a few hours/week. But, I need to make a change. First, prn private duty pays well, but, no benefits and very unpredictable with hours. Second, would like more of a challenge and would love to actually have sick and vaccation time. I have been offered a position on a surgical unit 7a-7p, 3 12's. My first love is Maternity/NICU, but positions are very hard to come by and when openings exist, they are usually filled from within or want someone with tons of experience. Anyway, thought I would start on the surgical floor, gain some acute experience and wait to see if a position opens up on maternity and then go for it. I am a little nervous about going to a surgical floor, r/t all the horror stories told about med/surge. Also, not sure if it will be too much going back to nights and 12 hour shifts, since I have never worked a 12 hour shift in the hospital before. I am so confused about what to do. I also have the option of working OB in a community health center for three days a week, and keeping my private duty for the rest. I have been so undecided about this and don't want to make the wrong choice. Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

[ljds]

If they typically hire from within the organization, I'd get a job in the organization.

If you want to work maternity/NICU, those pts are going to have surgeries, too. Depending upon how large your hospital is, mother/baby also sometimes staffs peds (it does at our hospital) including postop. So you would be gathering valuable experience for a future position.

I LOVE working med floor. I'm getting used to floating to surgical. I definately learn alot every time I float.

I, too, have a soft spot for L&D. I worked for 4 years as a nurse in a birth center, and my medical floor experience was extremely helpful.

I've had a really positive experience working med/surg, and I plan onstaying on the med floor for a while. I don't really like how L&D is done in the hospital, but I can see eventually doing mother/baby. But you don't practice in a vacuum--those p eople have chronic medical conditions and sometimes need surgical procedures after the birth--your surgical experience willcome in handy!

Good luck!

Lori

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

Just wondering if the health related problem that caused you to have to leave L/D was still a concern?

If it is you may want to consider a more stable unit. Surgical floors tend to be hectic to say the least. It is doable, just wondering if you may be taking a risk with your health to go back to a surgical floor. If you may be, it might not be worth the risk.

[RN123456789]

Well, my lower back was the problem at the time. But, since then I have lost 70lbs, starting working out, and went through therapy. I now know my limits, like when not to stretch across a patient's bed to get to an IV{something that I did during clinical rotations and almost cost me another year] I alraedy had a bad back to begin with, but the extra weight made it much worse. If I feel it tighten up on me now, I stretch it out. Loosing the weight via gastric bypass has been the best thing I have ever done for myself! I am 4 months out and still have some more to loose to get to my goal weight. But, I feel absolutely fantastic. I now can run 30 minutes on the treadmill and still have energy for the rest of the day. But, can I handle the floor? I guess I will just have to try it out and see what happens.