At a crossroad...

1 I have been a registered nurse for three years and I am at a crossroad. I dislike (bedside?) nursing. Several weeks ago, I began applying for other positions, including a few in the emergency room because I thought it would be less patient care and a valuable skill set to possess. I was offered (and accepted) a position within an emergency room, but I am having second thoughts. I am one year into a Master of Public Health program and I do not see the point in learning about dysrhythmias, ACLS, and PALS if, for example, in the Congo they have no heart monitors, etc. The programs grooms use to ultimately be administrators and managers. My current position, working steady nights on a non-monitored orthopedics unit, requires very little of me and I am really bored and unfulfilled. I have been at the same hourly rate for 18 months and the emergency room position is a lateral move (i.e. the same hourly rate). So, I cannot justify stressing myself out to balance learning about dysrhythmias, ACLS, and PALS (since I do not plan on staying any longer than April 2011) with graduate school when I could be sitting in front of the computer and reading allnurses, etc. all night. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
If you are having a gut feeling about staying put, then I would keep the position on the ortho floor. School is stressful enough and, in my humble opinion, you don't need to add to it by giving up your seemingly lower-stress bedside position on the orthopedics unit.

You say you are bored and dislike "bedside" nursing. IDK. I'm not an expert on what it is like in the ER, but the bedside care is certainly different. Less "Nurse nurse nurse......put my head down." I've had ER nurses tell me they can't deal with that stuff. In the ER, you can write off things as not being life treatening, not so on an orto. or M/S unit. You may find the pace and approach to care more to your liking. Ask some of the ER nurses in here what they think of it.I'm a believer in "knowledge is power". Even though you may not see a direct link between learning from the ER courses and your future goals, I don't think it can hurt either. Never know what little bit of experience you have that may come in handy in the future. I'd make the move. You are already hired for it, your current manager now knows you are looking to move on and, well, something made you apply for the position soooo.........Just my opinion though.

One of the reasons I am leaving my current position is because I am casual (but working 3 12-hour night shifts per week). As a result, I have no benefits and, once summer vacations are done, there is no guarantee that I'll receive full-time hours in the fall. So, I NEED to find something else. In addition, I have been working steady nights for three years and it is taking its toll on my body AND mind. I am tempted to call my contact at another hospital within the system and see if she has anything on a M/S unit (ortho or otherwise) that is days or both days and nights. @eriksoln, I certainly see the value in learning something new, stepping outside of one's comfort zone, etc. I would hope the ER position would decrease the amount of time I have to spend with patients. I know that sounds terrible, but I know A LOT of nurses who work in the ICU BECAUSE of that reason. I've become a "just the facts, ma'am" sort of guy.

Quote from AWanderingMinstralI would hope the ER position would decrease the amount of time I have to spend with patients. I know that sounds terrible, but I know A LOT of nurses who work in the ICU BECAUSE of that reason. I've become a "just the facts, ma'am" sort of guy.

Quote from AWanderingMinstralOne of the reasons I am leaving my current position is because I am casual (but working 3 12-hour night shifts per week). As a result, I have no benefits and, once summer vacations are done, there is no guarantee that I'll receive full-time hours in the fall. So, I NEED to find something else. In addition, I have been working steady nights for three years and it is taking its toll on my body AND mind. I am tempted to call my contact at another hospital within the system and see if she has anything on a M/S unit (ortho or otherwise) that is days or both days and nights. @eriksoln, I certainly see the value in learning something new, stepping outside of one's comfort zone, etc. I would hope the ER position would decrease the amount of time I have to spend with patients. I know that sounds terrible, but I know A LOT of nurses who work in the ICU BECAUSE of that reason. I've become a "just the facts, ma'am" sort of guy.

Quote from eriksolnYes. This is exactly why I want to go to the ICU. There just has to be more to nursing than chasing granny around the bed in circles telling her to lay down and fetching gingerale for AOx3 ambulatory patients.

Quote from HoozdoYeah, but the big drawback of ICU is the 7/24 visitation. Every family is incrisis and it impacts your work tremendously. Many times I have problemseven GETTING to the patient! Sometimes you have to spend way more timewith the family than on patient care, (which is not ideal for the patient or thenurse.)But you know - we have to get those high customer satisfaction scores. Theactual ICU patient is not going to fill out the Press-Gainey or Studer satisfactionscores. The FAMILY will. God forbid I did not priortize getting them a blanket or makinga pot of coffee fast enough. Oh, so sorry, was coding my patient next door.

If you go into a stressful job like working in an ER/ED whilst studying, I can almost guarantee you you will get more stressed, and may even fail.I worked long hours full time (in large, extremely busy teaching hospitals) whilst studying full time, & I nearly had a nervous, exhaustive breakdown. I had to take nearly 2 full months off after I graduated cos I got so ill - I felt weak & sick everyday, had constant colds/coughs/viruses I couldn't shake, & generally felt achy and just yuck. Nothing showed up on bloods/tests done. My Dr said I was simply very run down (living in a really cold environment didn't help). So now I have decided my study comes first, not work (unless the bills pile up), & I am moving on to do less intense nursing or something else or similar. I'm hoping soon to get a nursing/admin/clerical job where I can work pretty much set hours so I can concentrate on my study. I failed one unit due to shiftwork & stress/depression, & I am NOT failing again. This agency recruits for permanent jobs - so I have my fingers crossed..The point is you need to decide what is more important - work or study. I know you need to work - we all do. Can you handle being stressed doing different shifts, as you said you just do nights now? I hated it & won't do it again - it wrecks my sleep; I CAN'T sleep at all between lates/earlies, I had nil social life, hated having to work certain days, & was too tired / disillusioned to study. Some people say you should learn anything you can, but sometimes you can get off track. I don't see the point in learning all that stuff if you don't need it. Can you look for a position closer to what you will be doing in the future?

I have been spending a little time reviewing various dysrhythms, etc. I need to realize that there are less capable individuals working in ERs across the country. I am going to put my best foot forward and, if it is not a match, then I will move on. : )

Are you going to be practicing in the Congo in the future?

CrazierThanYou, I was in the Peace Corps prior to becoming a nurse and I am earning a Master of Public Health degree. So, it IS quite possible that I may find myself in the Congo. : )

Quote from AWanderingMinstralCrazierThanYou, I was in the Peace Corps prior to becoming a nurse and I am earning a Master of Public Health degree. So, it IS quite possible that I may find myself in the Congo. : )