Anyone Else Feel Trapped in Nursing?

[westieluv]

I have been an RN for 22 years. I have not worked consistently over that period of time, but in spurts of four years, a year, a couple of years, etc., always on a contingent basis, and taking breaks in between to be at home with our kids.

Fast forward to today, our kids are now 18 and 20 and I began a full-time 7p-7a Med/Surg job almost two months ago. I told my husband that I feel that it is my turn to work full-time now, to help out with expenses, especially with two kids in college. He still works full-time too. The problem is, I am finding that I hate what I do! I love talking to the patients and offering them support and comfort, but I hate passing meds, calling doctors, being short staffed, and running my legs off every night. I did work a part-time office job as an intake nurse for much of last year, but sitting in an office all day and dealing with stressful situations and short staffing didn't agree with me either.

I guess what I'm saying is, I LOVE the people part of nursing, but I hate the technical, stressful part of it, and now I feel trapped into working full-time for the foreseeable future doing something that makes me dread every shift. The only thing that keeps me going is that I'm only working three nights a week.

Anyone else in this predicament? Any suggestions? If you think I sound like a big baby, I won't necessarily disagree with you, but how do you know if something is just undesirable because it's stressful or if you are truly doing the wrong thing with your life?

[PrettyPlease88]

i also feel trapped. School and work have taken over everything. I just got a job a patient tech at my schools hospital in june. Between 40 hr nightshifts and trying to catch up on readings. Its almost impossible. I don't have kids, spouse, etc. I'm paying for school out of pocket right now, over 7grand this semester. I have to make that same amount by jan of next year. I started saving that 7 grand at the beginning of the year too!! I'm in my 2nd year and there's so much busy work it ****** me off. Long gone of the days of just reading the text and taking tests every few weeks. I hate school, I dread going there. I just want to quit and just focus on work and making money but I dont want to be stuck as a patient tech for life. I want more out of life than being angry and p&^% off all the time:mad:

I had to make sure this wasnt an old post of mine we are going through the same exact situation if u ever need someone to talk to please do not hesitate to send me a

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[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

Well, here's another wrench in the works; over the past couple of weeks, I have developed increasing pain in my shoulder and arm from an old cervical disc injury for which I have had two surgeries in the past. I have not had these types of symptoms in over four years, but now that I'm working full-time on a busy Med/Surg unit, I am in pretty much constant pain. I am scheduled for an MRI next week to see what is causing the pain, but I know that I probably can't keep doing this job with things like this. However, I just started a couple of months ago, and I hate to let my supervisor, who is very nice, down, and right after they finished training me. I would like to go back to the hospice company that I worked for a couple of years ago and ask if they would take me back, but I will feel like a big loser if I quit this job already, and especially if I let my new supervisor down.

Can anyone offer any suggestions? I am almost in tears over feeling like I am letting my boss down (I had to call off for tonight), not to mention disappointing my husband, and yet I am in a lot of pain at the same time. It literally feels like someone is standing on my shoulder and there is a hot wire running through my shoulder blade. Help!

You have to do what is best for YOU. I just put in two weeks after going off of my orientation in a SNF (and the very nice HR manager called, asking me to reconsider because they really want me to stay, talk about feeling guilty!).. but I, like you, DREAD going to work. I have been offered a CM position in hospice, and this is where I've wanted to be since nursing school... so while I hated letting my new job down, I also have to look out for what is best for me. Trust me, in the end, the hospital you work at wouldn't hesitate to cut you loose if it was in THEIR interests to do so.