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| |  I Quit
I have been a nurse for 3 years, 25 yo, no kids, no life (all I did was sleep and work). My background is rehab, med-surg, and travel nursing. This year I was working on a med-surg unit. I had too many patients, family members was bugging me, post ops coming left and right, CNA's no where to be found and the new schedule came out and I was working 3 week-end out of the month. I went home and thought about my life and decided this is not what I want in my life. Now I have had bad days before and this was not my worse day in nursing. I think I finally had it. I was tired of talking to the scheduler and manger about these hours. After careful consideration, the next week I gave my 3 week notice. I'm currently doing agency to make my ends meet.
My question is that I don't know what to do with this BSN degree. I have gotten use to my financial security from nursing. I don't want to deal with bedside nursing. I don't feel safe going into people's houses. I don't want to have some scheduler controlling my life. I thought about going for nursing informaic (spelling error) since I love computers or going for computers all together and starting my own business. I don't know what to do and I'm kind of scared of the unknown. I'm sorry if I'm rambling.
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| | Advertisement Sponsored Links | | | | No. 1 | 
Aug 11, 2005, 10:47 AM
You could try community health or school nursing since you no longer want to work at the bedside.
| | No. 2 |
Aug 11, 2005, 10:49 AM
Thanks for the reply. I have thought about it community nursing
| | No. 3 |
Aug 11, 2005, 10:51 AM
You're not rambling Nicmac- just thinking out loud and trying to find a place for yourself after all of the hard work that has gone into your career. I hope that you don't mind if I put my 2 cents in here  . Did you have a favourite instructor/professor at the college/university where you got your degree - would you consider contacting them for a lunch meeting (people usually are more chatty when there is food involved). I was thinking that perhaps someone from outside of the system of hospital nursing can help you to find your place - or at least give you some new ideas to consider. Have you thought about working as a sales rep, or perhaps you could just go through the specialty nursing forums here on Allnurses and see if there is any place that looks interesting. Perhaps you could start reading nursing journals from the library at your old college to see if there is something that interests you - informatics certainly is changing the face of nursing and there are conventions every year in the US and Canada about computers in nursing.
I have found that a smaller hospital has actually given me a lot more freedom - I work ICU/ER - we are all able to switch shifts and we cover for each other - especially when we feel a bit hard done by - I don't care too much about working weekends - no husband or kids - but for those who do, we swap off - and no words from management or staffing when we do - they know that they would have really big problems if they did make a comment....
I wish you all the best - it sounds as though you really tried to make a go of nursing - take heart. There is a place out there for you! 
Rae
| | No. 4 |
Aug 11, 2005, 11:01 AM
So sorry to read about this, maybe you need to get out of the monotomy of your schedule and a sweet vacation to think and decide what you want to do. Good luck to you.  | | No. 5 |
Aug 11, 2005, 11:08 AM
Originally Posted by Nicmac4 I have been a nurse for 3 years, 25 yo, no kids, no life (all I did was sleep and work). My background is rehab, med-surg, and travel nursing. This year I was working on a med-surg unit. I had too many patients, family members was bugging me, post ops coming left and right, CNA's no where to be found and the new schedule came out and I was working 3 week-end out of the month. I went home and thought about my life and decided this is not what I want in my life. Now I have had bad days before and this was not my worse day in nursing. I think I finally had it. I was tired of talking to the scheduler and manger about these hours. After careful consideration, the next week I gave my 3 week notice. I'm currently doing agency to make my ends meet.
My question is that I don't know what to do with this BSN degree. I have gotten use to my financial security from nursing. I don't want to deal with bedside nursing. I don't feel safe going into people's houses. I don't want to have some scheduler controlling my life. I thought about going for nursing informaic (spelling error) since I love computers or going for computers all together and starting my own business. I don't know what to do and I'm kind of scared of the unknown. I'm sorry if I'm rambling. Have you considered the legal side of nursing? Get certified and use your experience and start your own business.
| | No. 6 |
Aug 11, 2005, 11:09 AM
Thank you. My favorite professor in college taught Community Health. I stayed in contact with her during my first year of nursing, but when I tried to contact her this year I found out that she retired recently. My aunt through marriage is a dean of nursing in Georgia and she always gave great advice. She jumped around a lot in her nursing career and stayed in education then became dean. I subcribed to nursing mags. I'm currenly reading this book called Nursing Against the Odds by Suzanne Gordon. It has opened my eyes about this nursing shortage. I came into nursing to help people, but sometimes I don't feel like I'm doing that. I don't have time to sit and listen to them. I feel rushed. I give pills, get post ops, monitor vs, chart, d/c and the list goes on. I want to have time with them and not just treat the problem. Sometimes I see nurses looking right through patients, like that is not somebody's relative or friend. I see nurses so stressed out that they yell at patients. I never want to get like that.
I need to... I don't know
But thank you for your advice
| | No. 7 |
Aug 11, 2005, 11:46 AM
moving? Originally Posted by Nicmac4 Thank you. My favorite professor in college taught Community Health. I stayed in contact with her during my first year of nursing, but when I tried to contact her this year I found out that she retired recently. My aunt through marriage is a dean of nursing in Georgia and she always gave great advice. She jumped around a lot in her nursing career and stayed in education then became dean. I subcribed to nursing mags. I'm currenly reading this book called Nursing Against the Odds by Suzanne Gordon. It has opened my eyes about this nursing shortage. I came into nursing to help people, but sometimes I don't feel like I'm doing that. I don't have time to sit and listen to them. I feel rushed. I give pills, get post ops, monitor vs, chart, d/c and the list goes on. I want to have time with them and not just treat the problem. Sometimes I see nurses looking right through patients, like that is not somebody's relative or friend. I see nurses so stressed out that they yell at patients. I never want to get like that.
I need to... I don't know
But thank you for your advice
have you thought about moving to another state? My girlfriend works at baptist hospital in Winston-Salem, NC and they make their own schedules--and she only works one weekend per month--good luck//there are many opportunities--you don't have to just settle for leftovers 
best, heather/
| | No. 8 |
Aug 11, 2005, 11:47 AM
Originally Posted by siri Have you considered the legal side of nursing? Get certified and use your experience and start your own business.
No I haven't. I have never met anybody in that field to ask questions. Do you work in that field
| | No. 9 |
Aug 12, 2005, 01:18 AM
There are SO many avenues you can take as a BSN that do not require you to work as a floor nurse or even in a hospital. Just do a search on monster.com. There are positions with insurance companies, medical device companies, pharmaceuticals, private clinics, public clinics, prisons, flight nursing...it is almost limitless! You just have to find your niche! I have been a BSN for 10 yrs...and found that I really prefer not to work med surg and that i enjoy triage/public clinics. I plan to try different areas of nursing when my children are a little older and I probably won't ever stay in the same thing forever.
Good luck
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