There can be many reasons why you come to
the realization that it’s time to move on from your current position. While in some geographical areas this might
not be a problem, in smaller cities or towns (those with fewer health care
facilities) this could prove to be a problem. In this article, we explore a few
of the reasons you might wish to change areas, and discuss why moving on isn’t
always a bad thing.
You’ve
Lost Your Passion
Although this is often associated with
having done the same job for many years, it’s just as likely to occur in
someone who has fairly recently qualified.
It can be as simple as realizing that you
have gone into the wrong specialty, and that there are other areas of nursing
that interest you more; perhaps, having gone into pediatrics you have realized
that you gained far more personal satisfaction from geriatric medicine.
You may recently have taken part in some
professional development courses which lead you to look into new areas of
nursing that you have not previously considered; while this might not present a
problem if you work in a large facility with multiple departments, or if the
area in which you would like to practice has a shortage of nurses, if that
isn’t the case you will probably need to look further afield.
You
Don’t Get Along With Your Boss
Not getting along with your boss can be a
huge issue, and cause massive personal, emotional and mental strain. While nobody is denying that you should
always try to resolve personal issues (particularly if you love the rest of
your job), it can get to the point where you have to recognize that you are not
able to salvage the relationship. If you
genuinely feel that this is where you are, it could be time to move.
Before looking for a nursing job
elsewhere, think about what it was that caused the problems with your previous
boss - did you have moral or ethical disagreements? Did you have issues with the way he or she
expected you to provide care for your patients?
Is important to address these points before you make any rash moves, or
you could end up in the same boat.
Use the time at the end of your interview
to ask lots of questions about what will be expected of you in your new
position - try to get a feel of where your prospective boss stands on the
issues that caused problems in your last placement. If you’re offered the job but are unsure that
it’s right for you, don’t feel obliged to accept - take the time to find an
environment that you feel that you can thrive in.
The
Figures Don’t Add Up...
Although nursing is a vocation and
passion for the majority of nurses, there can be little questions that feeling
that you are under-reimbursed for your work can be demoralizing.
If you are in a position where your
salary increases are non-existent or you are aware that other nurses doing the
same job in a different city or state are being paid considerably more, you may
have little option but to make a move.
This is particularly true if you are finding that you are only able to
scrape by month-to-month.
Vocational as nursing may be, it’s not
compulsory to accept low wages as a penance for your dedication. Constantly struggling financially is as
likely to eat away at your dedication as workplace conflict, and is unlikely to
resolve itself if your facility does not have a history of rewarding good nurses.
Boredom
or Lack of Responsibility
This is an issue that is frequently
reported by nurses where there is a good supply of quality nursing staff; if
all of the positions are filled by qualified, experienced staff, it can be
virtually impossible to get a toe hold to be given more responsibility.
If you are unable to do this, it’s
extremely hard to grow and challenge yourself, and the job that you loved can
quickly become a drudge affair. This
also has the knock on effect of not allowing you to accrue the experience that
is required to eventually gain promotion.
Again, this is not a situation that is
likely to spontaneously resolve - unless someone more senior than you leaves
their position (and if you haven't been able to gain on the job experience,
it’s questionable whether you would be promoted anyway), opportunities are
probably not going to suddenly open up.
If you know that you are in this
position, this is a great reason to look around surrounding cities and states
to see what opportunities and openings are available.
Ethical
Concerns
This is one of the hardest issues to
resolve while staying with the same employer - you might love your colleagues,
love your job and even the hospital itself, but if you feel that the management
of your facility do not align themselves with your ethical or moral position,
then yes...it’s time to move.
Many nurses have horror stories of
working for hospitals where decisions were being made that they believed were
unethical and in some cases even illegal.
This is a mental and physical strain that anyone can do without,
particularly if your job involves caring for sick people - nurses have enough
moral dilemmas in their day to day lives without having to worry about their
facility management.
If you find yourself in this position,
you may have little choice but to move further afield. Again, prior to accepting another
appointment, take time to read up on your prospective hospital - talk to their
staff and read up on them online or ask on nursing forums. How do their current staff feel about working
for them, and do they report any concerns?
If you’re considering moving in order to
take up a new position, it’s vitally important to know that you will be
comfortable and confident when you arrive.
Lack
of Support/Lack of Training
Training is critical as any type of
health professional. Lack of training
can be demoralizing and in some cases, dangerous.
You should always try to talk to your
administration prior to leaving your current position if you are generally
happy with your job; however, if they are not forthcoming, this is another
dilemma where your options are somewhat limited.
It may be beneficial for you to look for
a position in a teaching hospital, where training opportunities are
plentiful. Again, if you live in a small
town or city, this may not be possible and you may be looking towards the
larger States or cities for opportunities.
However, there can be little doubt that
landing a job where the training opportunities are good is beneficial for both
you and your patients. Not only will
training allow you to grow as a nurse, it will also ensure that you are able to
provide the best possible care for those that you are tasked with looking
after.
In
Summary?
There are many reasons that you might
wish to look for another job; not all of them will involve moving. However, you might find that opportunities in
your chosen area of specialism are thin on the ground where you currently live,
or that you’ve outgrown your current facility and no other positions are
available in your area.
If you do decide to make the move, look
on it as a new adventure - the road home is never barred if it doesn’t work
out, but it could be the start of a fantastic new career.
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