I'm quitting nursing

Nurses General Nursing

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After losing my chosen job in Plastics because my ward got shut down and trying other surgical posts I got a relevation of sorts last night.

I was emptying a bedpan at the time and the thought struck me that why the hell do I need a degree to deal with ****?.

I have had enough of this poorly-paid dirty job. I'm fed up with rude and nasty patients and I cannot stand whining relatives. I'm fed up with sub-standard nursing care because of cost restrictions.

I'm basically disenchanted with nursing. I want out.

For the people that say "try school nursing, try public health, etc".....those jobs are FEW and FAR BETWEEN. Not something you can just go switch to like that. There is nothing wrong if you decide you don't like nursing. Just get out of it and find something that will make you happy.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
Probably so. It's just that I've noticed several dramatic "I'm leaving nursing forever" threads since I've been here.

I've posted on some other forums before, and I notice that people do do these melodramitc exits. One site was a religious one and people are unkind on religious sites, and people would say that they were leaving forever because of mean posts and such. Then they'd be back in a week with a dramatic "I'm back" thread.

While I've never done a melodrdamatic "I'm leaving nursing" there have been days when it could have ben me saying such things. This week for instance Sunday at the end of the day I was dog tired, we were two nurses and two techs short........."I'm so sick of this place, sick of working short, sick of not being able to take care of my patients properly, at the same time the patients and families are whining and complaining about every little thing, and they want us to go to those freakin' customer service meetings.........humph!"

Seriously that was me Sunday. If one of my coworkers or anyone would have said "what's the point of being so negative" I probably would have decked them. Fortunately people were supportive. I've rested and I'm ready to go back. But the current environment in some places can snap even the best of us. I totally relate to the op's post.

Sometimes the rant and the negativity is only part of the picture. After my rant, I've regrouped and am ready to go back and face the challenges with a positive rose-colored glasses attitude again.....I'll probably snap again sooner or later. Sometimes when I rant, I usually just tell my charge nurse "you don't have to do or say anything, just nod your head that you heard me and I'll be o.k." :)

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While I've never done a melodrdamatic "I'm leaving nursing" there have been days when it could have ben me saying such things. This week for instance Sunday at the end of the day I was dog tired, we were two nurses and two techs short........."I'm so sick of this place, sick of working short, sick of not being able to take care of my patients properly, at the same time the patients and families are whining and complaining about every little thing, and they want us to go to those freakin' customer service meetings.........humph!"

Seriously that was me Sunday. If one of my coworkers or anyone would have said "what's the point of being so negative" I probably would have decked them. Fortunately people were supportive. I've rested and I'm ready to go back. But the current environment in some places can snap even the best of us. I totally relate to the op's post.

Sometimes the rant and the negativity is only part of the picture. After my rant, I've regrouped and am ready to go back and face the challenges with a positive rose-colored glasses attitude again.....I'll probably snap again sooner or later. Sometimes when I rant, I usually just tell my charge nurse "you don't have to do or say anything, just nod your head that you heard me and I'll be o.k." :)

You're very sensible Tweety. Actually, you should have seen me last summer, I was ready to cash it in myself. I was so p1ssed off about my place of employment because of the continual uproar there due to crazy management decisions...:uhoh3:

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Good luck in your new career.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
You're very sensible Tweety. Actually, you should have seen me last summer, I was ready to cash it in myself. I was so p1ssed off about my place of employment because of the continual uproar there due to crazy management decisions...:uhoh3:

I hear ya. Thanks for understanding. I think most of us have had our "drama queen" moments of near burnout and frustration from time to time. I know I have. :lol2:

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Specializes in Going to Peds!.

I think sometimes it's good to recognize that a particular profession just isn't for you.

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I don't think it's overly dramatic to voice an opinion like the OP did here. I do think this is an appropriate forum; who better to understand and perhaps guide a burned-out, struggling nurse than....other nurses?

I am a new nurse. I work in med-surge, and the workload I have had lately is practically unbearable. Everyone says "it gets better, hang in there"....and then others (who are probably telling the truth, actually) say "it doesn't get better, this is it, but you do get used to it".

How used to it we get, I suppose, determines whether we thrive, survive, or completely spin out into the ocean.

Me, I really like my job. I really hate the nurse to patient ratios, but it doesn't look like there's help on the way: everywhere is short-staffed. The original poster, however, is also sick and tired of the type of care and, well..."services" we provide, and I can relate to that, too. I never dreamed I'd be wiping the butt of someone who frankly should be wiping her OWN butt (we all know that story) but there it is. I always remember the number of times I gave valuable help to my patients over the number of times I was asked to straighten blankets and fix a pillow for the person who had just climbed out of bed and back in easily, no mobility problems.

I only hope and pray that I have the fortitude to get through 12 years, like the OP, before *I* say "that's it"!

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Specializes in Telemetry, Med-Surg, Long Term,Ortho.

Sorry you feel like getting out maybe try something else(different area of nursing). However if you feel nursing isn't for you try something else. Life is too short to be unhappy at work. Like my mother told me "This isn't a dress rehearsal"(meaning life). Good Luck I wish you the very best.

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Specializes in everything but OR.
What interests me is why anyone thinks nursing holds the moral high ground,

Why would it? It is just a job. A dirty one at that.

It does not give you moral superiority for liking it.

I nursed for 12 years.

You're right MVH119. Why stay in a line of work that makes you unhappy..life is too short. Good for you..you made a decision many unhappy nurses are afraid to make. All the best.

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For the people that say "try school nursing, try public health, etc".....those jobs are FEW and FAR BETWEEN. Not something you can just go switch to like that. There is nothing wrong if you decide you don't like nursing. Just get out of it and find something that will make you happy.

There are SO many different areas of nursing. Advice Nurse, Home Health, Laser Skin Clinic, Infertility Clininc, Private Doctors Office, etc. My best friend burned out on Med-Surg. Like a previous poster, she was taking anxiety meds to deal with the stress. Then she switched over to L&D, and now she is happy to go to work.

We work so hard for our liscenses, so it would be a shame to get out of nursing entirely.

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I think most of us have had our "drama queen" moments of near burnout and frustration from time to time.

Yep. I'm just lucky to have a good manager to vent to from time to time.

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One of the problems is that people are disillusioned by the profession. For whatever reason, they think that it is glamorous...or something. So, they sink all their money into a college education and because they are poor to begin with, they have to borrow money to pay the tuition, etc. So then they graduate and the only way they can pay back the loans, is to make the money that nursing pays. I know of many nurses in this situation and I'm one of them. The other thing that happens is you get used to a lifestyle on your nursing salary and then it is hard to quit because you cannot work for less. I know many nurses in this situation also. So, if you are not deep into debt from college and you have found that you absolutely hate this profession, by all means, get out while you can. You will spend many years miserable if you don't. However, before you decide to hang up your hat after putting so much hard work into it....look at other areas you may be interested in. There are so many and you may find an area you absolutey love. I hope it works out for you.

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