Question:
Dear Donna,
I read your book and am having a hard time deciding what specialty is right for me. I was an ED nurse for two years right after graduating. I thought I was doing well and liked the position. Then I had an incident where no patient was harmed, but my response was to let another RN take the lead, which left me feeling very uncomfortable. After three sleepless nights, I thought I had come to terms with it until management approached me. After that I felt incompetent and was asked to print reports of cases that were interesting so we could review them. I am not sure if this was meant to help me or impel me to leave, even though my yearly review was good.
I did leave to work at a surgical office, but did not care for the slow pace. I left that position and am now in orientation for another specialty. However, I am not sure this is right either. I don’t want to keep switching jobs. I did like the fast pace of the ED, but left because of the nightly chaos and lack of proper staff. I am 43 and sometimes feel like my age is against me. I pick up things quickly but it is harder for me to remember certain things. I am not sure if this is normal for an ED nurse. I’ve been out of the ED six months now but would like to possibly go back if I decide that is what interests me the most.
Do you have any advice to help me figure out what nursing area suits my interests?
Stacey
Dear Donna,
I read your book and am having a hard time deciding what specialty is right for me. I was an ED nurse for two years right after graduating. I thought I was doing well and liked the position. Then I had an incident where no patient was harmed, but my response was to let another RN take the lead, which left me feeling very uncomfortable. After three sleepless nights, I thought I had come to terms with it until management approached me. After that I felt incompetent and was asked to print reports of cases that were interesting so we could review them. I am not sure if this was meant to help me or impel me to leave, even though my yearly review was good.
I did leave to work at a surgical office, but did not care for the slow pace. I left that position and am now in orientation for another specialty. However, I am not sure this is right either. I don’t want to keep switching jobs. I did like the fast pace of the ED, but left because of the nightly chaos and lack of proper staff. I am 43 and sometimes feel like my age is against me. I pick up things quickly but it is harder for me to remember certain things. I am not sure if this is normal for an ED nurse. I’ve been out of the ED six months now but would like to possibly go back if I decide that is what interests me the most.
Do you have any advice to help me figure out what nursing area suits my interests?
Stacey
Dear Donna replies:
Dear Stacey,
It sounds like a nontraditional nursing job might be best for you. The hospital isn't right for everyone, and based on your recent work experience and the above post, it doesn’t seem like it’s right for you. It's not always about finding the right specialty but rather about finding the right type of work setting.
If you are currently unemployed, I recommend that you start volunteering as a nurse in a healthcare setting as soon as possible. Consider a local public health department, hospice, free clinic, blood bank or the American Heart Association. Volunteering is a good way to expand your professional network, keep old skills fresh and learn new ones, it often leads to paid employment.
It would be ideal if you could attend one of my upcoming “Career Alternatives for Nurses” seminars to fully explore your options. See what’s scheduled at http://www.nurse.com/CEseminars/.
You also should attend area nursing career fairs (http://www.nurse.com/CareerFairs/ ). If you already have my book, “The ULTIMATE Career Guide for Nurses,” review the section on how to get the most out of attending a career fair. Nontraditional employers are often at these events, as well as staffing agencies that offer nontraditional opportunities. In fact, you should consider doing part-time and temporary work now to earn some money, accumulate experience, and see what interests you. Temporary work often leads to regular employment.
Best wishes,
Donna
Dear Stacey,
It sounds like a nontraditional nursing job might be best for you. The hospital isn't right for everyone, and based on your recent work experience and the above post, it doesn’t seem like it’s right for you. It's not always about finding the right specialty but rather about finding the right type of work setting.
If you are currently unemployed, I recommend that you start volunteering as a nurse in a healthcare setting as soon as possible. Consider a local public health department, hospice, free clinic, blood bank or the American Heart Association. Volunteering is a good way to expand your professional network, keep old skills fresh and learn new ones, it often leads to paid employment.
It would be ideal if you could attend one of my upcoming “Career Alternatives for Nurses” seminars to fully explore your options. See what’s scheduled at http://www.nurse.com/CEseminars/.
You also should attend area nursing career fairs (http://www.nurse.com/CareerFairs/ ). If you already have my book, “The ULTIMATE Career Guide for Nurses,” review the section on how to get the most out of attending a career fair. Nontraditional employers are often at these events, as well as staffing agencies that offer nontraditional opportunities. In fact, you should consider doing part-time and temporary work now to earn some money, accumulate experience, and see what interests you. Temporary work often leads to regular employment.
Best wishes,
Donna
Donna Cardillo, RN, MA, well-known career guru, is Nursing Spectrum/NurseWeek’s “Dear Donna” and author of “Your First Year as a Nurse: Making the Transition from Total Novice to Successful Professional” and “The ULTIMATE Career Guide for Nurses: Practical Advice for Thriving at Every Stage of Your Career.” Information about the books is available at www.Nurse.com/CE/7010 and www.Nurse.com/CE/7250, respectively. To ask Donna your question, go to www.Nurse.com/asktheexperts/deardonna. Find a “Dear Donna” seminar near you: Call 800-866-0919 or visit http://events.nursingspectrum.com/Seminar.
