Moving is difficult, whether it is moving to a new home or a new place of employment. There is almost always a period of adjustment during which we feel a bit stressed, frustrated, and even overwhelmed. One of the most wonderful things about nursing is that we have so many options to choose from in terms of nursing career path and area of practice.
Consequently, most nurses change jobs several times during their years of practice. Reasons for seeking a new position range from wanting a higher salary, the chance for a better schedule, feeling “burned out”, or just desiring a change and new challenges. It may not be necessary to change employers; there may be an opportunity on another nursing unit in the same facility.
Relocating to a new unit may sound as though it won’t be too difficult, since you already are familiar with the facility and its staff, policies, etc. There may be expected or unexpected hurdles, however.
- Established friendships and good working relationships with staff on the unit you are leaving. It is important to communicate to them that these friendships can be maintained, and hopefully they can be happy for you as you continue your own professional growth.
- Operational challenges of just learning where things are located. This sounds simple, but not all units in the same facility are designed the same and therefore supplies and other resources may be located in different areas than you are used to. One way that you can overcome this hurdle is to find a “buddy” or “nurse mentor” among the staff who you can go to with questions. This person can be helpful to you with a variety of issues and can help make your transition go more smoothly.
- Your new manager’s approach to leadership and management isn’t consistent with yours. Just remember that it is also important to be a good follower. Likewise, the vision for the nursing unit may also be at odds with what you think it should be. Overcoming this hurdle may be as simple as asking for more information about the way the unit functions and taking the time to evaluate your own feelings and opinions and why they may be in conflict. As nurses we are nothing if not flexible, and this may be a good opportunity to exercise that quality instead of “shutting down” to the notion of new ideas and processes.
- Socializing with the culture and individuals of the new unit. We are who we are, and the same is true for others. Each unit, even within the same facility, has its own culture of sorts which is based in large part upon the individuals who work there and the leadership style of the nurse manager. There will likely always be nursing co-workers of which you aren’t particularly fond, and there’s nothing wrong with that. What matters is that you can all remain professional and work together as a team with the common goal of providing optimal care to your patients.
You can never really know what someplace is like until you work there. What sounds like a wonderful opportunity may not live up to your expectations for a variety of reasons. Focus on the positive aspects of the change and give the new environment and staff a chance. It may be worth it after all, or it may be appropriate to set some specific and realistic goals and time frames for evaluation of your decision and whether perhaps another change may be needed. At any rate, relocating to a new nursing unit gives us the opportunity to learn new information and skills whether the move is voluntary or involuntary. Hopefully we can take away positive things from this experience.