3 Years In ER, now Critical Care

[Amem92730]

Hi all! Little backstory on myself. Graduated in 2015 from BSN program. Started in med/surg then quickly transitioned to ED. Spent three years in a high acuity, high volume community hospital. Recently started a job as a Critical Care resource nurse. The job entails never taking an assignment and basically assessing patients who could potentially need ICU level of care/caring for them if they no ICU beds, put IVs in, help with ICU transports.

Basically, my issue is I'm pretty bored. Coming from the ED, I always had something to do because I was always needed. This job is need based...and you're not always needed. And then the other issue is I keep getting told by some of my other coworkers that I should have never been hired for this position in the first place...because according to them, ED isn't critical care. Which of course, in some respects, is true. Some days you get nothing but stubbed toe patients. Other days, every patient you have is an ICU player.

I guess my issue is that now that I'm two months into the position (almost done orientation) I feel like I'm not completely qualified for the position/I'm not sure if I really like the position.

One of my coworkers was like "you shouldn't be doing this. You should be taking care of these sick patients and learning. Not sitting around waiting for something to happen". And i feel like she's right.

What do you guys think?

[Sassy-RN]

First off... you say Graduating in 2015 ? You are new to nursing! You have time to figure out where you feel most comfortable. Many nurses work in various areas before they find their "home."

You saying you are "bored" is an indicator that you need more of a challenge.

Saying y

[offlabel]

That sounds like a cool job.

[Pheebz777, BSN, RN]

When I'm in retiring age, that's probably a job I would want.

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

I think your experience in ER probably makes you well qualified for the position you described. You triage people all the time and have definitely take care of critical patients. We recently had positions created in our hospital that sound similar, I know a few people that took those positions. The only people that questioned their qualifications and decisions are those that were jealous that they didn't get the position. So you shouldn't be worried about whether you can DO the job, but it is reasonable to be considering whether you really WANT the job. My experience with the ER nurses is that the pace of the work is what keeps them most interested. You may or may not settle into a potentially slower paced position, only you can answer that. Good luck deciding what's best for your, with your background and experience I'm sure you've got plenty of options and there's no rule that you can't change your mind. Part of the beauty of nursing- lots of options.