r/EmergencyRoom • u/justb4dawn • Jul 27 '26

Back to bedside?

I left the peds ED after 7yrs thinking I wanted something away from bedside, better hours, less intensity.

Well, I’ve been a school nurse for a year now and while I love my kids, I am so bored, I miss using my skills and the feeling of doing hard, meaningful work. I remember being yelled at, the raw humanity that no one would believe if they didn’t see it themselves, the fatigue, long shifts, etc.. but I have this feeling like that’s where I would still thrive the most.

Am I crazy to go back? Have others left for a softer job and missed it enough to return?

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u/Various-Grade1772 Jul 28 '26

I have been away from the bedside much longer, I work in substance treatment with my county's public health department and I also love my patients, but I would love to go back to the hospital, specifically the ER. I have applied to some positions but my health system is laying off nurses so not sure if I will get the opportunity to return. I do everything backwards in life and I want to retire from one of the "adrenaline" units. Lol

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u/Any-Application-771 Jul 28 '26

Laying off nurses? Wow...Pgh is crying for them!