Finding my "nitch" as a nurse.

1 [font=system]after 14 years of nursing i am changing jobs again. i began my medical career as an adrenaline junkie (paramedic), attended a community college for my adn [font=system]and my first nursing job was in med/surg then moved on to icu then flight team within 4 years. also i tried travel nurse in ccu, neuro and trauma. now after 5 years of geriatrics as clinical coordinator and bedside nurse i am back to the hospital on a telemetry unit. does anyone else change jobs as their interests wander? i just love the new challenges and new faces i encounter each time i move along my winding path.
I have just started my nursing career and admire nurses like you who are so well versed in all aspects of our profession. I can only wish to gain that vast experience.
Each speciality is a new experience for me. I left ICU 5 years ago, attempted to re-enter it.... found its not for me anymore, that is why I am in a telemetry unit! wow and nursing allows you to move around, where else can one degree get you so much variety?
Yep, that is the truth.
I, too, am a gypsy in life. I like variety, and couldn't stay at any one place of employment longer than a couple years. I've been moved around all my life, and don't have a bone of stability in me. It makes it rough explaining why I move a lot, but it's who I am, what I like doing, and couldn't stand it if I couldn't move about when I feel like it. Employers aren't so forgiving when it comes to interviewing "movers and shakers" like me, but I have to stay true to myself always. I've worked in various areas of nursing, but mostly med/surg, or strictly post-op surgical units. I've worked with newborns, pediatrics for a year in a military hospital, prn float nurse between medical units, surgical units, and post-partum; worked a lot as a travel nurse, and agency nursing for the flexibility that I like having with my life. I like being able to control my own time instead of allowing someone else to tell me when I can or can't do something.
I know how you feel, I've done med/surg, telementry, home health, psych, worked in a lock down unit with kids in custody and am now back in LTC. Gotta be true to yourself to be happy.
Im 41 and and been a nurse since i graduated 21 years ago and i love exploring the profession from non critical , CCU nurse, neuro med nurse, oncolgy and bone marrow nurse.....i just get hooked on it & now im on my 3rd year as an Occupational Health Nurse......still learning and enjoying.....:roll :flowersfo :yeahthat:
I am a very excited soon-to-be-nursing-student and one of the aspects of the profession that appealed to me was its variety. There are so many paths a nurse can walk! I can't wait to get started in my program this fall...
Congrats to you cfrimer, choosing nursing takes a unique person.
Quote from cfrimerI am a very excited soon-to-be-nursing-student and one of the aspects of the profession that appealed to me was its variety. There are so many paths a nurse can walk! I can't wait to get started in my program this fall...
I am a TOTAL Paramedic wannabe, where as my hubby who is a paramedic is a TOTAL RN wannabe...wish we had the money for both of us to go back to school!Have fun! I love my ride alongs and CME that I am fortunate to get from my hubbys paramedic company (they love me!)....
I have many reasons for changing careers and going into nursing. I am almost through my first semester and am just so psyched to be finally working toward it. I am so excited for the variety of the field. I have known I wanted to be a nurse since graduating from college in 2000 but, lacked the motivation for 4 more years of school at that point (and the money ) I love the science, the aspect of being usefull to society and helping people, the freedom that you all have expressed in this thread is going to fit me well. I don't know which aspect of nursing I will get into (probably many)! I know it will be hard but it will be important and it will be worth it. Thanks for the topic! Duckzoom
One of the things that I love about nursing is that it is so diversified. As a person who gets bored easily I have worked in many different fields, rehab, pediatrics, critical care, med surg, clinics, home health, addictions, and psych. I think that i have found my niche(for right now) in psych. I also just took a position as a "patient care coordinator"(glorified name for shift supervisor) and have found that i enjoy supervising. I had a DON who said that no matter where you go "nursing is nursing" that is true while the specifics and the actual things you do vary in the amount of technology etc.. the basics are the basics (ie nursing process, care of the "whole" person, advocacy)I am fortunate to be in a profession where i can explore and find the right setting for me and if it doesn't "fit" there are always other options