have any of you left nursing

Recovering_RN · Jan 1, 2016

I definitely considered leaving nursing after getting caught for diversion, but not because of the issues you mentioned. For me it was more the humiliation of what I'd done and having people I respected finding out. I never admitted to anything at work but I always had the feeling that "everyone" knew.

Now im glad that I didnt quit. There's so many other avenues to explore in nursing that you really need to try to find one that works better for you. For me, if I'd quit nursing, the accusations would still be discoverable by anyone who cares to look me up on the board of nursing website in my state. (And you know how many petty and spiteful people are out there that would definitely do that!) I originally thought that it would just say "license surrendered" but it doesn't. At least not in Texas. There are detailed accounts of what investigations the hospital did that caused them to fire the nurses and report them to the BON (since I'm in tpapn my details are not on there but they would be if I surrendered my license). Plus there will always be people, all your life, asking why you quit. Do you want to tell this story of addiction and getting caught and fired or have to lie and make up a story to tell, for the rest of your life?

So be honest with yourself as to the reasons you're considering leaving nursing. If it's the trauma of getting caught, rethink it. And if it's the stress of your previous job and all the other things you mentioned, rethink it too!

There are LOTS of other types of nursing that you could try. This might just be the turning point in your life that will allow you to pick a different nursing specialty. Yeah, not right now when you're going to have to take just about any type of nursing job that you can because of the restrictions of your monitoring program and having to explain what happened in your last job, but after you're out of the program you'll have a lot more options to try a new type of nursing.

I was in ER nursing and never wanted to do anything else. Now I'm getting ready to start home health nursing. I was not excited about the change of specialities at first, and even felt like I'd settled for a "lesser" specialty, (although don't get me wrong I am super grateful that they're willing to hire me!) but now I'm excited to see what it's like and I've learned that there are LOTS of home health nurses who love their jobs and feel it's very satisfying.

And there's school nursing and camp nursing and peds and oncology and hospice and etc etc etc! Go take a look at the allnurses.com speciality forums and you'll find a ton of specialties that you never even thought of before.

I'm really trying to consider this a golden opportunity to check out a totally different path for me they I would never have gone down otherwise. Maybe you could try to look at it that way?

lillyflow · Jan 1, 2016

I quit my LTC job, I am 68, started there 3 weeks ago, the classroom orientation was good but once I got on the floor I was pretty much on my own with occasional supervision, 33 patients, one with a trach with frequent suctioning and ngt feedings she was down at the end of the hall. the rest of the patients on the hall all had to have their meds crushed, passing meds all shift, admissions on paper no computer, hundreds of paper used for 1 admission. Meanwhile I have a brittle diabetic with a blood sugar of 25, trying to us the universal tx of orange juice milk, calling the Dr. for orders, then I received a new admission from Saginaw. just to stressful I couldn't compromise my standards of nursing care

CryssyD · Jan 2, 2016

You know, there is a very bright, happy future just around the corner for you, if you will only take the necessary steps to get there.

You need to find someone to talk to--friend, minister, counselor, anyone--who can help you figure out why you are so stressed and unhappy; then you can develop a plan to get out of that unhappy place and move on to better things.

If you read through a lot of these threads, you will see how so many people have been in terrible situations but managed to get through them and are so much happier, healthier, and more whole than they ever thought they could be. I know that's how it happened for me--I was in a really bad place, very depressed, just kind of totally lost...but I got better; I got away from a bad situation, I got away from drugs, and I got into counseling, which I badly needed. And here I am, feeling more alive than I ever thought possible! It can happen like that for you, too--reach out to others, ask for help if you need it, and love yourself enough to do what's best for you.

You may or may not need to leave nursing. You definitely need to take care of yourself--you sound stressed and depressed, and that's not how you want to be. Get yourself some help, and become a healthier, happier you! Let us know how you're doing--we care about you! :yes:

StillRN · Jan 5, 2016

Thank you Chryssy D.. that was pretty spot on. I am very stressed and depressed and have been for a very long time now. It just got so bad the past few months that I started slipping down a very steep slope. Im trying very hard to see the silver lining.. Had I not been caught, something really terrible could have, and likely would have happened. I would not have left that job on my own and would have continued down the same path of destruction. Im hoping this door that was just slammed in my face turns out to be the thing that I needed to move on to better places.. both mentally and physically. I need to find a happy place..wherever or whatever that may be. I think it is a difficult task to learn to like yourself when you have felt the opposite for so long.. Seems nearly impossible.. to me at least. But, for the first time in a long time.. i have hope. I never would have sought counseling or self help on my own. Crossing fingers the state insurance accepts me!

NurseDiane · Jan 8, 2016

I've been a nurse since 1985, in some capacity or other, LPN, RN, CRNA. I have seen the downward decline of nursing and healthcare in general. I used to love going to work, I used to love my job. But, with the prominence of insurance companies and Medicare/Medicaid running the show now, it has killed the entire industry. It has become nothing but a volume based, profit-driven business-----not a "calling" or "profession" like it used to be.

I actually used to CARE for my patients----walk them in the hallways post-op, give them back rubs before bedtime, talk to their families. Now nurses are so busy running around throwing meds at the patients, doing an inordinate amount of charting and worrying about if the patient is going to give them a bad "survey". Healthcare has turned into a service industry, and that's wrong. You can't compare health care to a vacation. We go on vacation because we want to get away. We don't go to a hospital to be admitted by choice. We're there because we have to be. We can thank the leadership in Washington for this travesty. Basing reimbursement on satisfaction surveys is asinine.

I worked at a big NYC hospital many years ago. There was a cardiothoracic surgeon who had the temperament like the sole of a shoe----he was miserable, loud, bossy. He had poor bedside manner and would send the residents and fellows to speak with the family members. I didn't like him. However, I would let that man put a scalpel to my chest any day of the week----he was a spectacular surgeon. What is most important in healthcare? Being treated by competent caregivers so that you recover and get better, or being fed a line of cheery B.S.? I'm not saying that a nurse should go around and talk to patients like dirt. However, nurses should not be afraid that if they don't meet a patient with a cheery smile and scripted comment every single time that they're going to get a bad survey. That C.V. surgeon would definitely have not gotten positive surveys for his attitude, that's for sure. But he was one of the most pre-eminent C.V. surgeons in the world.

If I knew then what I know now (back then, if you told anyone that in 25 or 30 years, nurses wouldn't be able to get jobs, they'd think you were crazy, but it's happening), I would never have gone into nursing. If I wanted a customer service job, that's what I would have gone into. If I had to do it all over again, I would do something with animals-----a vet, maybe.

1sttime · Jan 11, 2016

I left nursing after 15 years- I continue in the RAMP program to keep my license valid and free from discipline.

-What I have learned in my time away from nursing is that I can be successful in another career.

-It is nice to work with people who aren't sick

-The reflection of other people in my new profession illuminates just how competent I am as a health professional

I would recommend any nurse who is feeling burnout make a change before it takes its toll on you. For me I started having physical manifestations of the stress (Daily Migraine). My MD prescribed opiates and told me I had to take them to "break the pain cycle", this led me down the rabbit hole of addiction.

While you might not go down the same path, it sounds like you are having a lot of problems with your health. Do something for yourself before illness decides to do it for you.

lvnpredicament · Apr 29, 2016

I've been a nurse for 18 years. I have thought about leaving nursing about a dozen times. I joined the Army at 17yrs old and went straight into LVN school through the Army. My plan wasn't to do nursing forever, just a stepping stone. Problem I have is...I don't know what else to do now!? I have no other skills. I'm 37 years old, I have 4 kids and honestly, I need my job. Of course I have good days and bad days, but if someone were to say "you never have to nurse again" I think I'd be happy about that. I love my patients, I love my coworkers, but I feel its a constant battle in my head as to what I should do next....