Why is it so hard to leave where you are comfortable?

I've discovered that nursing is really just a journey, and you pick which road to take, there is no right way, just the way you choose.

For your plan to get into flight nursing you will need ER and trauma experience. I thought I wanted to do flight nursing, but after doing a tour of the chopper and speaking with the staff that deliver the traumas to us, I found out that it's not for me. I love the ER and trauma, but I'll skip the flight side of things. I work with a lot of nurses that do flight nursing to the caribbean, I love their stories, it's exciting but also confirmed to me, that it isn't that path I want.

Now back to you, if you feel uncomfortable transitioning straight to a trauma facility, why don't you get into the small ER at your current place of work, and do OT on your floor. Anyone going to the ER will feel overwhelmed at first, the process is different. Get into the smaller ER, get in your groove, then make the move to the trauma facility.

Whatever you decide, there is no right or wrong answer, do what makes you happy and you'll end up where you want to be. Best of luck!

I am in a very similar situation right now. I've been a RN for almost 2 years on a tele floor. The same floor I worked as a tech on through nursing school. I've always wanted to work ICU or ER. As such, I take every chance I get to float to the ICU (which is fairly frequent). I had applied for an ICU position a few months ago. I had been passed over for the day position (it was given to an external hire who has ICU experience) and I was offered nights. I work days now, so I passed knowing that it wasn't a good fit for me right now. Then 6 weeks ago I floated to the ER and it was like finding my people! I was offered a spot within a few weeks of floating and start down there Sunday. I've been picking up shifts down there to help them out and am feeling very self sufficient. But I can't help but feel a little freaked out as my last day approaches. I'm leaving the only unit I've ever known. I float to all the units regularly (I love to challenge myself by learning new things, so I will volunteer to float if someone doesn't want to), but knowing that I can come home to my tele unit is comforting. Now I have to create new work relationships with the nurses and the docs. I'm most nervous about leaving my physicians. The cardiologists and hospitalists I work with are amazing and we have developed an excellent communication system. They know me, I know them, and as such I believe my patients get better care. I can anticipate their orders before I even get them and they truly listen to me when I think there is something wrong with a patient. That's not always the case for nurses and especially one with relatively little experience. I'm hoping I get to that point in the ER as well.

Anyway, my point of that whole rant was that I totally understand where you are coming from. Nursing continually pushes us outside of our comfort zone, so I figure this is just the next step in the journey. Good luck!

OP: Human nature is the answer. Just ask some of the old crones who have been at one job site in one specialty for a dog's age, act like they single-handedly run the place and drive off fresh talent like they own the means of production.

It all comes down to the often cited expression "the devil you know is better than the one you don't." Been this way for years. Don't expect it to change unless robots take over patient care; in which case they'll most likely program at least one with a personality described above.