Next Steps?

Pretty long buckle in!

I’m an introvert and I was wondering what other odd nursing jobs I can try and research on. I am also open to master degree suggestions as well!!

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Situation: this might be a bit dramatic but I’m a nurse in my 20’s and I feel like my life is over lol. Seems like a few RN’s i know in their 20’s are starting to travel, explore other routes, and I feel like I probably could be doing more as a nurse

Background: I’ve been in the OR for 2 years fresh out of nursing school and while it definitely is not the worst place to be I’m afraid I might be over it/burned out but I still am lucky to be there. The patients are pleasant and even the surgeons [I typically work with] but I’m starting to come to work dreading working with my coworkers. SOME of them pushy, territorial, a bit bossy, dramatic, nosey, and just all around exhausting to be in a room with for 10+ hours a day. I don’t see any upward mobility for me in the near future although I would love to stay there forever I have days were I wonder what would happen if I resigned and really use my potential and move states with a new nursing job? It’s crazy because I believe that I actually have the power to do it if I wanted. Moreover I’m a relatively introverted person and i know this might not be very trad nurse of me but I’d prefer to be given a task and complete it my own way independently. I’ve found that being NEWER in the OR you have to rely a lot on others which although isn’t a bad thing it’s still pretty embarrassing (one time I asked someone newer than me for assistance on a surgery I guess I should’ve known how to do but I didn’t do often and forgot and another person joked about how it should’ve been the other way around)

Assessment: I wish I could be like those young ICU nurses who are bosses and have better career prospects but I’m not sure id be able to handle it. I probably should be thinking about school but NP doesn’t seem all that appealing and I’m still a bit confused on how I would utilize a health administration degree. I definitely wouldn’t want to move OR’s because (and I’m not afraid to admit this) I am not that nurse who will deal with and “handle” old mean surgeons lol. The options look bleak and imposter syndrome is beginning to kick in (your friends are traveling, you are a fake nurse, maybe or nursing isn’t for you)

Recommendations: im open to different non traditional roles of nursing! I felt pretty unique choosing OR while in school when everyone else wanted to do L&D and ICU and I feel like my life is non traditional anyway. Maybe I could do education? My fear is I would end up like my professors in college (still having to work on the side to compensate pay) can nurses work in a lab? I’m not sure what informatics is? Would I really enjoy home health? Can I change my disposition to be a typical tik tok nurse? ICU > CCRN > CRNA ???