Career change?

rick.s.lpn · Jan 2, 2013

Hello, i joke of getting a job at Walmart when i having a bad night, but don't really mean it, just venting but also have given serious thought to a career change at times but haven't done anything about it. I am in my early fifties and it is a little late for me. There are low stress nursing jobs though, such as private duty or maybe a desk job such as a mds coordinator. I have gone to the night shift (11-7) and most of the time it is not too bad. Another option is a small ALF. I worked at one of those once with a census of 18 and it was light compared to a nursing home. Any way, good luck in what ever you choose,

andreasmom02 · Jan 2, 2013

Thanks rick, yeah, maybe I'm just venting! lol I love nursing, but hate that every nursing job I've had has been a stressful enviroment, low pay, & bad hours that don't work with my home life. I've been considering trying to find a job as an LPN doing wellness screenings for companies. It's a "set your own hours" kind of job that might work better for my home life. Plus, it would be less stress.

My sister in law is a biology teacher. My in laws pushed her to be a teacher when she went to college because she couldn't decide on a career. She graduated college with straight A's & honors. However, when she started teaching she hated it! She said she always felt like she was "on stage" & didn't have much patience with disruptive kids. She quit her job after a few months and became a stay at home mom. Now she works at a grocery store as a cashier & subsitutes part time/PRN. She said she has never been happier. I guess we all need to do what makes us happy in life... :) Thanks again, good luck in your career decisions as well! :)

Medsport, LPN · Jan 4, 2013

I'm thinking of switching as well. I've only had "full-time" hours maybe 2 years out of the 5 I've been a nurse. I'm now at 72 hours a pay and they consider it full-time, but it was 84 when I hired in, then went down to 80 with new management and now down to 72. I can't quite make it on that being single with car payment, house, H.E. and student loans. If it wasn't for the student loans I might be able to break even, but I've got like 16.5 years left and I already started deferring them again with the day being cut. I tried finding a part-time job for about 3 months, but about to give up as only a few interview and they never chose me. I even applied to some pizza places and retail and nothing there. I would imagine its my rotating 3rd shift schedule they don't want to work around. As a last resort I may try the local fast food places. I don't know what I could switch to to make at least 15/hr though. I thought about truck driving, but I don't want to do OTR and new drivers usually have to start there. Someone mentioned A/V on another site, but I don't know about just taking a few classes and finding something around here that even does that. I really don't know what I'm going to do...

andreasmom02 · Jan 7, 2013

I definitely understand your frustration. I don't know what I'm going to do either. I would love to work full time, but with two kids & home responsibilities, I can't. I'm having no luck finding a part time or PRN "low stress" LPN job. I live in a rural area, and it's "slim pickins" when it come to nursing jobs. Most hospitals in our area want RNs now. The LPNs that most places hire here, need several years experience, and they are usually for full time float position jobs in clinics/hospitals. I'm not interested in floating, & can't work full time. My husband and I have little childcare help with our kids. Plus, this is such a backwoods/hick town that I live in, you have to know somebody or be somebody's cousin to get a nursing job! It's almost comical.. lol I have put in three job applications in the last month for part time LPN positions in clinic settings, and not one call.

I love helping people, and nursing in itself, but hate all of the stressors that go along with it. Every job I've tried, I've worked with the grouchiest, foul-mouthed, unstable nurses & MAs, I've ever seen in my entire life! lol I know not every nurse is grouchy, & not every workplace is negative, I just can't seem to find a good place to work. I can't work a job like that, & come home to housework & two young kids. I know many LPNs & RNs work in very stressful enviroments sometimes, then come home to be a wife & mom, and I commend them for it. I just don't like bringing job-stress home with me.

It's not nursing in itself that stresses me out, it's the coworkers with poor attitudes, & all of the drama that goes along with it. The last job I had was in a clinic setting, and it was just a constant cat-fight at that place every day! I am not in to drama at work, and couldn't take anymore & left the position. I have high BP, & was coming home every day from that job with high BP readings. I'm on Toprol XL 50 mg once daily, and it was still running high from work stress.

One thing I realized while working that last job, was how stressed out we nurses were, but how unstressed our receptionists at the office were. While we were running our legs off, stressing over everything, they were sitting in their comfy chairs eatings cake doughnuts, making about the same pay we nurses were (that clinic did not pay nurses well).It definitely got me thinking, is nursing really for me? I just don't know anymore. I'm definitely going to have to do some heavy thinking on it.

I'm thinking of switching as well. I've only had "full-time" hours maybe 2 years out of the 5 I've been a nurse. I'm now at 72 hours a pay and they consider it full-time, but it was 84 when I hired in, then went down to 80 with new management and now down to 72. I can't quite make it on that being single with car payment, house, H.E. and student loans. If it wasn't for the student loans I might be able to break even, but I've got like 16.5 years left and I already started deferring them again with the day being cut. I tried finding a part-time job for about 3 months, but about to give up as only a few interview and they never chose me. I even applied to some pizza places and retail and nothing there. I would imagine its my rotating 3rd shift schedule they don't want to work around. As a last resort I may try the local fast food places. I don't know what I could switch to to make at least 15/hr though. I thought about truck driving, but I don't want to do OTR and new drivers usually have to start there. Someone mentioned A/V on another site, but I don't know about just taking a few classes and finding something around here that even does that. I really don't know what I'm going to do...

andreasmom02 · Jan 10, 2013

UPDATE: OK, maybe the dark cloud is lifting a little over my nursing career, and sunny skies are moving in! lol I got a call today for an interview for a part time nursing job at a clinic about 30 min. from my house. I had put in an application with this place a couple of months ago for a different location, but never heard anything. They called today & asked if I was interested in interviewing again. :) I'm hoping it's good hours, in a low stress enviroment, but we'll see. I've done a lot of thinking the last couple of days... I've realized that I have so much time, & school in nursing, I should keep fighting for the job I want & nurse I want to be. I hope to have my RN someday (only need 2 more nursing classes to have it, but can't without one full year of clinical experience), but need to work as an LPN for a while before becoming an RN. Anyway, I'm hoping things will look up & I'll finally find a part time LPN job I like soon...