I am trying to get out of nursing. My parents will feel terrible if I do.

[NursingBro]

Long story short. I have been a self taught web designer and computer programmer for many years. I am making just as much as I am right now as a Nurse. I am still doing both jobs at the same time and I feel like nursing is just taking too much of my life away.

When I am at work I feel like a slave. My schedule when I work:

1. Wake up at 5:30 a.m go to work.

2. Home by 7:30. Too mentally and physically tired to do anything. 12 hours of stress and suffering.

3. Sleep at 10 and repeat the cycle the next day.

What I am trying to do is make as much money as possible with my web design business. I also have a big business plan that I am working on. I do not want to say what is it. I believe it will be very profitable.

My question is. Do I wait for this new online business to start bringing in additional revenue before I quit nursing?

Also my dads main concern about staying with nursing is the insurance (medicare and retirement etc..). I really want to get out of nursing so badly. Is there any other insurance plan and retirement plan I can get myself?

I feel like getting into nursing was the worst mistake I ever did in my entire life. I feel like a very stressed slave. Help me please.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

Nursing in general is stressful.. This is true for just about all major areas of nursing from the ED, floor, ICU, LTC, urgent care as well as offices.. When dealing with sick people, or people in general; stress is part of it :) You can try different areas of nursing before you decide too.

Often the problem is not so much with patients but with coworkers, equipment, and with policies procedures that are written by people who do not actually do the job. I love some of my coworkers, others I would cheer if I never had to see them again. And we bedside workers are never asked our opinion on changes. We are just ordered to change something. Yes, I know that the bosses have to follow laws and corporate rulings. I would just like to at least be asked or not be viewed as a rebel or troublemaker if I state an opinion in a nice, mature way.

For OP: Of course you should care what your parents think, no matter your age. They are your parents and you should be respectful of them if they aren't abusive/didn't beat you, etc. You should consider their views, as they love you (I assume) and have your best interest at heart.

Of course you can find other insurance. Call several insurance brokers and see what companies the represent. You might be able to COBRA, also.

Just do all the research, don't run to other work because you hate nursing. Never let your nursing license lapse. You never know when you might need it again.

If I had it to do over, I'd have become something other than a nurse, but there are many good aspects of nursing, too. Any way you can work a couple of days each month via agency or your current employer? Just don't throw the whole thing away is my best advice. And I wish you really well in all of your endeavors.

[wanderlust99]

If I had other skills like you do I'd get out of nursing too. I'm your age and my parents still push too much. Parents don't always know best.

[Emilynn09]

I didn't read any of the other comments, but I just want to say that life is too short to be stuck in a career that you don't like. Nursing is hard both physically and emotionally. I can't imagine having to go to work day in and day out and not really enjoying it. I think the best thing you can do for yourself is to find something that you love doing, that will make you happy. Stop trying to please others, including your parents.

[gcupid]

If you are self employed or working as an independent contractor for a client, and paying the taxes on your income, you should be paying medicare and SS tax as part of that. (That's why self employed people often pay a larger percentage of their income in taxes)

As far as health insurance, once the ACA kicks in and the exchanges are in place in your state, you should be able to purchase somewhat affordable insurance on an individual basis. (You'll pay a lot more than you would if you were receiving health insurance through an actual employer)

I'm assuming that you are an adult, so your parents wishes really don't matter.

Now, with that out of the way, if you hate nursing that much, and you can support yourself with the web design / programing gigs, then please, get out of nursing. Nothing personal, but if you are that unhappy, it probably shows in the care you are giving, or in the way you interact with patients / families / co-workers.

Why be miserable when it's obviously not what you really love doing? Life is too short to spend time doing something you hate.

There are lot of people out there who are nurses because they love the profession, and are looking for jobs. Make room for one and go do what YOU want to do.

I hate when people assume that bc you don't like nursing it shows in your care. Recently, I have had several patients tell me that "you must LOVE what you do bc you are good, I can tell the ones that are just here for money." and I remain speechless. I also have had a patient asked me, do you love your job bc you seem to genuinely care? My response was "No, it's stressful..."

I try to do the best I can with whatever resources i have. I also take into account that if one of my family member's become sick I'd like for them to receive quality nursing services. Karma is real. So every patient is imagined as an AUnt, Uncle, niece, nephew, grandma's best friend, or cousin in order to perform nicely.

The truth is nursing does not pay enough but pays too much for me to leave in order to the minimum lifestyle I'm willing to accept at this time. I'm repeatedly told that in order to get a descent paying job that I will have to spend more time in school and also invest more money into education...

[c.kelly20]

Consider yourself lucky with that schedule. I have to wake up at 4:30, drive an hour away from home to get to my work, work 12 and a half hours, get off at 7:30, and if I'm lucky and can beat traffic, I'm home by 8:45pm. Just to go to bed and do it all over again. It is stressful, but I do it because I enjoy my job.

But I agree with what someone else said-- if you're truly unhappy, then get out of nursing -- do it for your patients. It's like any other job in that way- if you don't like it or care for it, it will show through in your work and your mannerisms. And given our line of work, that just isn't safe practice.

I do wish you the utmost luck in your business! I understand that nursing isn't for everyone and am happy you may have found something that makes you as happy as nursing makes us. Good luck!!

[lsh984]

I understand this 100%. I too have received numerous compliments from my peers, administration, and the patients I work with, have never had anything less than a "very satisfied" rating on any patient satisfaction survey. I have worked very hard to keep the smile on my face, be helpful, supportive, maintain the upbeat attitude that's expected of me and not show now completely and totally dissatisfied I am with what I do.

The problem with that - it takes a lot of energy to do this (something that's already in very short supply) and I end up working harder to keep up the act than I do actually working the job (and in an insanely busy ICU, that's really saying something).

I admit it, I hung there too long but after 30 years I recently threw in the towel and am doing something else and am not planning on renewing my license next year. Do I get as much money, have really good health insurance or retirement? No, but at least the job isn't killing me and my chances of having a complete and total nervous breakdown or dropping dead at the bedside from stress have diminished considerably.

If you have something else you want to do, take my advice and get out now before you end up an old, withered, bitter, jaded, mentally and physically exhausted shell. Like me.

You'll figure out the retirement and insurance later.

[swansonplace]

I would consider working less hours as a nurse, or working in a different nursing environment. The business may take a while to get off the floor.

Also, would consider nursing informatics. It leverages you nursing and computer knowledge, and may get you in a less people stress type of environment.

I would also consider taking some class to teach you to handle the stress depending on the source. For example: communication, management, assertive communication, etc. Just looking for some tools to help to decrease and understand the stress.

When I was working as a programmer, I had a mentor that was able to guide me. He taught me how he handled the stress which really made a difference in my professional life. So a mentor always is a great help.