General Forums >> Ask A Nurse >> Discouraged Nurse Looking for New Job
Discouraged Nurse Looking for New Job
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Posted almost 4 years ago I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice. It would be greatly appreciated. After I graduated from nursing school, I accepted a job on an oncology unit. After 3 months, I discovered it wasn't for me. Besides a BSN, I also have a BA in psych. I had been interested in child psych for a long time, so I took a nursing position on a child psych unit. I was there for 2 years. It's a long story, but after awhile, I developed an interest in neonatal intensive care. I didn't think a NICU would hire me with really only having psych experience. However, I found a job located out of my home state that would hire me and train me. Well, after four months of orientation, my manager told me that based upon my past experience as a peds psych nurse, it just wasn't working out for me on the NICU. I was let go. So, besides feeling discouraged and humiliated, I don't have a job. Some days, I don't know what I am interested in anymore. I was a really good peds psych nurse, but I don't know if I should go back or not. Furthermore, based on my past experience, I feel like I have a really lackluster resume. I don't even know who would hire me. Any suggestions? |
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| Posted almost 4 years ago You are in my prayers. God will help you through this tough time A good man loves other. A better man loves God. A great man loves God and lives well among others! I miss you daddy!
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| Posted almost 4 years ago What did your manager mean by "it just wasn't working out for you"? |
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| Posted almost 4 years ago My manager said that since my experience was primarily in pediatric psych that I didn't have the critical thinking skills for NICU. OUCH!! She told me that this didn't mean I could never be a NICU nurse, and she suggested I go to med-surg. I thought this was weird, but she told me, "You are going to make a great nurse one day." I don't think she realized what she said. In my mind I was thinking "Wait, but I am a nurse!" |
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| Posted almost 4 years ago Pysch is a far cry from NICU. You moved from a speciality where you primarily communicate and medicate your patients to one that is highly focused on homeostasis, with lots of technical bells and whistles. Try not to be discouraged. She probably shouldn't have hired you in the first place with no med surg experience. That doesn't mean you are not a good nurse; you probably are. Work med surg for a year, then get a job in a regular newborn nursery. Working with babies is a lot different than adults. Alternatives, see if you can get a job on a pediatric unit. With your psych experience you'd probably be a good fit. Then work the nursery, and THEN move up to NICU. I think if you take a longer path, you will find yourself better prepared with you do get there. |
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| Posted almost 4 years ago Thanks, Theala! You gave me some really great advice. I have actually had some other people tell me that going from psych to NICU was just too much, and this manager should not have hired me with only psych experience. I guess it was just a bad decision on my part to take the job. I don't know what I was thinking. I have thought about just going back to pediatric psych. I am good at it, and I am interested in it. I'm even taking a graduate course in major psychopathological disorders, because I am thinking about going back to grad school to be a child and family psychiatric NP. However, there is a little part of me that still worries that if I give up on bedside nursing now, I may never have a chance to go back. It would be nice to have those bedside nursing skills in my pocket and be able to do psych as well. I had an interview for a pediatric oncology position, and I liked the unit and the staff. However, during my peer interview, one of the nurses said the unit can be like intensive care. My heart dropped, because I don't want to wind up in another NICU situation where I am drowning. I think this whole thing with the NICU has me worried about making another bad choice. |
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| Posted almost 4 years ago Listen to your heart, Katrepton. Really and truly listen. It won't lead you wrong. |
