What To Do?
So many nurses that I work with are in the MSN program. They want to teach, be nurse practitioners or management. I haven't heard too many mention CRNA school, but I know they are out there as well. I know I can't work in the ED forever. I will turn into what I hate... bitter, unhappy old battle axes that forgot what they love about emergency nursing.
I hated nursing school with a passion. It wasn't hard.... it was boring as hell. I did very well, with little effort. The instructors even mentioned that the only time I paid attention was Critical Care and Emergency. Nothing else did it for me. So do I want to teach? Fuck NO! Not in the classroom anyway. I don't give a shit about care plans, concept maps and all that other crap. Nurse practitioner's seem to have some autonomy, but when it boils down to it... its the same old crap day after day. Even the acute care NP's (cardiology, trauma) usually get stuck with the crap that the doc's don't want to do. I think I would be bored as shit. CRNA's seem to have a good life. Normal hours, good money lots of autonomy. Two years of school, you can't work while you are in the program.... so we would have to live on a cop's salary for two years. Not exactly feasible. Then I would get to stay in an OR, within four walls behind a sheet. Does that appeal to me??? Fuck no!
So where does that leave me? I don't want to teach within a school, I don't want to do someone else's scut work (even advanced scut!) and I would be miserable trapped in the OR day in and day out.. no matter what I got paid. I wonder what is out there for me? I love flying, but I know that even that isn't a job you end a career with (not that I am ANYWHERE near the end!). As a dual provider will that open some more doors? Who the hell knows. There are days when I see the residents and think to myself... "I can do that." But do I really want to? I'm not interested in giving up another 7 years of my life.
If I could travel, maybe do (pseudo-advanced) medical care in places far away. I think that is what might suit me. Any suggestions?
On a lighter note... I overheard this the other night when I was in charge.
Doctor: "Ms Smith we think you have had a small heart attack, so you will be here for the duration."
Patient's Adult Child (after Dr leaves): "Mama... whats a duration?"
I hated nursing school with a passion. It wasn't hard.... it was boring as hell. I did very well, with little effort. The instructors even mentioned that the only time I paid attention was Critical Care and Emergency. Nothing else did it for me. So do I want to teach? Fuck NO! Not in the classroom anyway. I don't give a shit about care plans, concept maps and all that other crap. Nurse practitioner's seem to have some autonomy, but when it boils down to it... its the same old crap day after day. Even the acute care NP's (cardiology, trauma) usually get stuck with the crap that the doc's don't want to do. I think I would be bored as shit. CRNA's seem to have a good life. Normal hours, good money lots of autonomy. Two years of school, you can't work while you are in the program.... so we would have to live on a cop's salary for two years. Not exactly feasible. Then I would get to stay in an OR, within four walls behind a sheet. Does that appeal to me??? Fuck no!
So where does that leave me? I don't want to teach within a school, I don't want to do someone else's scut work (even advanced scut!) and I would be miserable trapped in the OR day in and day out.. no matter what I got paid. I wonder what is out there for me? I love flying, but I know that even that isn't a job you end a career with (not that I am ANYWHERE near the end!). As a dual provider will that open some more doors? Who the hell knows. There are days when I see the residents and think to myself... "I can do that." But do I really want to? I'm not interested in giving up another 7 years of my life.
If I could travel, maybe do (pseudo-advanced) medical care in places far away. I think that is what might suit me. Any suggestions?
On a lighter note... I overheard this the other night when I was in charge.
Doctor: "Ms Smith we think you have had a small heart attack, so you will be here for the duration."
Patient's Adult Child (after Dr leaves): "Mama... whats a duration?"
posted by jeepgirl at 10:21
2 Comments:
So I'm not an ER nurse...I live in L&D (but I think I feel about it the same way you feel about ED...that was the ONLY class that near peaked my interest in nursing school...which as a whole I also found quite boring...). I've only been out of school a little over a year and already people are asking me when I'm going to go back and get my MSN. I totally relate to your feelings...I'd be bored as heck doing anesthesia, I couldn't stand to work as a NP in an office, and I don't think teaching is really my thing either. I for sure know I'm not into the management thing either. So pretty much, I know what you're saying! I've told people that the more letters you end up with after your name, the less time you get to spend with the patients...and that's why I became a nurse. Hang in there, keep doing what you love!!
I feel your pain. I've been an ER nurse for 25+ (!!!!!) years. Lots of my coworkers are also in MSN programs, and also like you, I can't think of anything I'd rather do. I have gone from staff nurse to management and back several times; I think I'd hate teaching, think anesthesia would be interesting for only a year or so, and don't particularly want to be a CRNP. Added to the fact that at 56, I just don't really want to go back to school, at least not in nursing. Law school, maybe; or better yet veterinary school, but by the time I graduated, I'd be almost too old to practice. So for now, I'm just hanging in there, trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up.
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