Yet another burned-out nurse question... - Page 3

This is my favorite post today!! I'm excited for you! You definitely have enough experience that a sabbatical will not hurt you professionally! Best wishes to you!!!!!!

Everything worked out great. I did use some of the time and money to get a board certification in Case Management and now have a great 9-5, M-F case management job. Also, beware COBRA. It's a sham. I bought myself a $100/mo health insurance policy from Anthem, it was just enough coverage for ER/Rx, and never had a problem (and no - I'm not young and healthy haha). Research your health ins. carefully.....you can totally do this and I WISH "sabbatical" like this was MANDATORY for every nurse, like every 5 to 7 years or something!!!

I went through burnout after working ICU. I can honestly say I was a complete mess. I got to the point that I couldn't sleep, couldn't handle anything, couldn't make decisions. I cried before my shifts. I had so much anxiety! I found a job doing telephone triage, and I did that for 3 years and it definitely helped, I worked from home from midnight to 8 AM. But my insomnia got worse and I slept about 1-2 hours for every 24 hrs. My doc checked my thyroid and everything, he advised to try and find a day shift job. I then started with Hospice and it was PERFECT for me. It was a dream job until we got a new manager and lost 80% of our employees. She is a total jerk and I cannot get along with her, and I can get along with anyone. She has a chronic problem of lying. So I now work as a nurse paraprofessional in a school setting. I love the hours and the stress is miniscule compared to all the other nursing jobs I have had. I plan to stay here as long as I can. They pay is 1/2 of what I was making as a hospice nurse with 20+ years of experience, but its worth it to me. I won't have to miss anymore of DS ballgames, I won't have to leave for work while the rest of the house is still asleep and get home from work when the rest of the house has already gone to bed.

If we can't make it financially I will have to find another line of work or else a higher paying nursing job. My DH has been selling real estate as a second job for a year so maybe that will pick up. We will have our mortgage paid off in one year and that will help too, with no other debt at all.

Good luck!!!!

I wish I could do this! Congratulations on being able to take care of yourself first, an enviable position. Enjoy!

Yay so happy for you! You're an inspiration to us all!

I know nurses who deal with the stress by spending every penny they have on stuff. Kudos to you for not having any debt and having savings!! You gave yourself the gift of freedom!

I'd love to teach English in Asia myself. Hopefully one day!

pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago... Google it, see The Way

Do it! Travel and enjoy your life. You have put in the work ie no debt or mortgage... make a list of things you want to do this year and do it, and when you are ready come back to nursing. Nursing is great now: you can do IT, your own consulting business, or consult for someone else, "telephone" nursing, administration, pharmecuticals...the list goes on

Or don't.

I say go for it. I wish I could do that. Perfect remedy for a burnt out nurse.