feeling burned out on bedside nursing

So I've been a nurse for almost 2 and a half years now...18 monthsas a LPN in LTC and a RN for 9 months in acute care. I work a floor that staffs both an intermediate surgical stepdown unit and a general surgical floor. For about the first 5 or 6 months as a RN I enjoyed my job. I was constantly learning new things. I am still learning but I'm be coming bored. I'm tired of charting assessments, tired of giving countless meds, tired of the call light going off constantly and the needy patient or the patient that is constantly pooping in the bed etc. I do enjoy interacting with my patients and it is gratifying when they thank me for the care I give them.

I once was sure I wanted to give ICU or ER a try but I'm not as sure now. I don't know if its bedside nursing I'm really tired of or if I need a change. Working 12 hour shifts and weekends doesn't help, but I know that's part of hospital nursing. I think I would enjoy something like PACU or ER where you have brief but meaningful encounters with patients but don't have to juggle the needs of the same 4 or 5 patients for a whole shift.
I think I would outpatient work better too.

I love psych and I'm in a psych NP program and won't be done for 3 years. Psych RN jobs are hard to find in my area so I need something both tolerable and flexible with my school until I'm done. My current position is flexible but becoming harder to deal with. Also bad staffing issues on my floor. 4 to 5 patients on a stepdown unit isn't safe. I think in the hospital I would be better at administrative stuff. Anyone else figure out early on they don't like bedside nursing?
I had the same issues as you about a year after becoming an RN on an acute surgical floor (same floor I worked on while a student). I recently left acute care and went to Endoscopy. I work mon-fri (on call 1-2 weekend days a month). Stress level is much lower, patients are generally nicer. We also do inpatient scopes under anesthesia so I still have acute care type patients (and we go to the ICU to scope vented patients). I am a little worried I might get bored sometimes but there is a ton to learn and the stress is just so different than working on the floor. I come home with energy and I am not constantly running around answering ridiculous call lights. Maybe look into something like this? Especially since you're in school.

Thanks for the advce. Isn't endocopy center work Monday through Friday? Or are there part time gigs available?

I work Mon-Fri but some of the RNs I work with work 3 12s or 4 10's or part time.

Quote from srleslie I think I would enjoy something like PACU or ER where you have brief but meaningful encounters with patients but don't have to juggle the needs of the same 4 or 5 patients for a whole shift.

Quote from ~*Stargazer*~ But I will echo what many others on this forum have said, which is that getting out of the hospital was one of the best things I ever did for myself and my sanity.

I'm starting to Hate bedside nursing. In the same boat as you. Hopefully, something will change soon.

Don't. Jobs outside the hospital generally pay less?

Not mine. I was transferred to an outpatient position within the same organization, so my rate of pay and health insurance benefits remained the same, and I got to keep the hours in my PTO bank. Only the union bargaining unit is different, but that has had no major impact on me.