I’ve been mulling this over for while.
A little while ago I was seconded for a couple of weeks to do some adminstrative-type duties (some of which will be subjects of future posts) and in the middle of this the manager pulls me aside and says she wants to recommend me — she’ll be on the hiring panel — to do a temporary managerial position doing xyz related to a Ministry of Health project.
The deal is that if I do it, I will probably lose my charge nurse position — which I really like and worked hard to get — if I return to the staff nursing at the end of the contract. (I won’t lose my union seniority because it’s a temporary contract.)
The general snake pit of management politics at Acme Regional bothers me little. And I have been down this road before. But not as candidate du jour.
However, the job itself sounds very cool and right up my alley, and also slightly out of my comfort zone; further, it may well lead to other possibilities.
I should mention also, because this is not unrelated, that I am thinking seriously about crossing over to the dark side and getting my MScN. Not doing, mind you, but thinking.
Do I make the jump? Yea or nay?
Those Emergency Blues 
#1 by Jenn Jilks on Monday 10 January 2011 - 1917
You go, girl. Like I said in our chats… we need women like you, a mover and a shaker. SOmeone who will speak truth to power, or at least to Dr. Schmeanus, or whoever you named him!
M.Sc.N. You can’t have too much education. Think of the opportunities it might lead to. These days having a Master’s. of anything, is the new B.A.! I don’t regret my M.Ed., my daughter has her M.Sc. and got a job right out of university.
Re: secondment, it often leads to networking opportunities, but they may not pan out. Bird in the hand? I loved the lead up to your new job. I was excited for you!
/two cents
#2 by artdoctor on Monday 10 January 2011 - 1938
Congratulations!
If it’s exponentially more money, benefits, has good RRSP in-comparison to your current position, and if they will contribute to the cost of your MScN, then yes.
Won’t you miss the health care side of nursing, though?
#3 by Joni Watson on Monday 10 January 2011 - 2004
Bravo! I commisserate with Jenn. Expand your education, enter your new role, find new ways to impact nursing and patient care.
I receive the same question often as artdoctor posed to you. “Don’t you miss patient care? Don’t you miss nursing?” I *am* still a nurse. My nursing practice role has simply changed, & while I may not physically touch patients, I see the impact of my nursing practice every day still.
The (cough cough) “dark side” is pretty Jedi, actually. May the force be with you – whatever you decide.
#4 by Sean on Monday 10 January 2011 - 2225
It sounds to me, as if you’ve made your decision. :)
Look at it this way, what would be worse – missing an opportunity that could lead to other great things, or missing out on the charge nurse position.
I think this is an easy decision.
Do you plan on being charge nurse all your life?
#5 by onlinenursing on Tuesday 11 January 2011 - 1732
You will always wonder ‘what if’. I agree with Sean, it sounds as though the decision is already made in your heart. As for continuing your education, let me just give you a piece of advice my husband gave me when I was pondering the next nursing degree the (Pile it Higher and Deeper degree)… “In 5 years you will be the same age regardless of what you do. Do you want to be 5 years older and wonder if you should have done it, or would you rather do it and see where it takes you?” …. He was right, the 5 years took the same amount of time and if I hadn’t been doing school I would have burdened myself with other extra tasks like organizations, leading at work, writing (does that sound familiar)?
You are phenomenal and have much to offer health care and nursing.
#6 by DOEcomic on Thursday 13 January 2011 - 2151
Rally my vote in line with everyone else. Even though I am in the infancy of my career, my long term plans include a masters (and by the time I’m ready, probably a doctorate to become a nurse practitioner). Expanding your education is never the dark side. It is (and be prepared for a bad pun) the enLIGHTened side…. Go for it!