Will I be seen as a "Job Hopper"?

Nurses Job Hunt

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I'm currently working on a unit where the acuity of my patients with the low support that the RN's get....in addition to the needs of the hospital/protocols are actually kind of affecting my mental health and possibly putting my license at risk at times.

Lately I've needed to take anxiety medication to prepare for work, despite the fact that I've finished my "year". I do feel like a worse nurse now than ever before. We're very short staffed, and caring for 6 step-down ICU patients without cna assistance...has led me to having a needle stick injury, crying when i get home, and overall bugging the heck out of my family and friends! haha :) I guess this is just how nursing is these days...and I haven't given up on nursing yet, because the truth is I love being a nurse, and I love my patients.

So, there is an opening on a unit (in the same hospital) that I feel will sort of...feed my little RN soul. It focuses on patient teaching and preventative care, which is right up my alley! So, I'm applying for it. My concern is...

Do I look like a "job hopper" if I switch from unit after a little more than a year, to another unit for a few months before moving? I'm planning on moving as soon as I get a job, and I don't want to appear as a "job hopper" and ruin my chances.

Is it better to stay and try to stick it out?

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You have to do what is best or you!! I have been in 8 departments in 6 years and have currently settled in dialysis. I have been here for 4 years and have lately wondered again if it is time for a change. You clearly love nursing but YOUR mental health is the most important thing. If you feel a change is what you need then go for it. Don't worry about what others think. They are not you. Good luck.

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OP, I completely understand what you are going through, because I am experiencing the same thing right now at my job. Unfortunately I am forced to stay at my current job because I signed a contract (which is luckily over this November). Life is too short to be so unhappy. Try to see if you can transfer to the unit that you feel would be beneficial to your mental health and nursing experience. Even if it is only for a few months, you can learn a lot and be re-energized for your next nursing job before you move. However, if you feel guilty for transferring and then leaving only a few months later, see if you can go part time on your current unit and then get a PRN job to supplement. Not the most ideal situation, but it may help cut down on your stress. I hope everything works out for you. Good luck!

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You are fine. You are leaving a floor, not a company. Good luck.

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