Want out of bedside... not sure to stay for experience or leave now

Nurses Career Support

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Specializes in LTC and School Health.

I'm so over the politics, drama, and cattiness I've seen in bedside. Tired of staffing, low morale, and disrespect between nurses. Tired of nurses eating their young and young eating the old. Tired of trying to play nice even though some nurses will hate you for no reason anyway. Really tired of bedside period.

Truth is: I don't know if I should stay or leave. I don't have much bedside experience. I've done LTC for 2.5 years as a LPN, now I'm in ICU as a new grad RN. I love ICU but once, again its' the dynamics I hate.

All I want to do is care for people. Why is that so hard? Never, had a problem with getting along with people until I got in bedside.

I've always been passive and kind at work, now I feel myself putting up a wall to defend myself.

Now, I'm labeled as having a "mouth" because I decided to stand up for myself against a nurse with 20+ experience who wanted me to do something illegal.

I've also done school health and substance abuse and looooved it!

Being a bedside nurse has caused me depression, moodiness, and overall unhappiness. I love nursing, I love the art and science of nursing but that is just 5 %, the other 95 % is dealing with unruly coworkers. Its' not the patients, its not family members, its not the long working hours and working conditions, its is the staff.

Really need encouragement. Should I stay or leave while I can?

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

well it is not the same everywhere. If jobs are scare in your area ask for a transfer to another unit. You have too much to offer to just quit

would you think you would like one on one being in home care or a private care nurse? You get to still be at bedside and be with your patients and their family but many times you are on your own and do not have to deal with coworkers except for shift change. I am only a HHA going for my CNA in October. But I absolutely LOVE the Agency I work for and my client. But I am with classicdame and do not quit untill you find that other job. Good Luck, I feel there is always SOMETHING different that will match with what suits you.

Staff can change quickly. One or two leaving can GREATLY change dynamics in the whole unit even in this shifts he/she does not work in. In your next job the staff may be worse or better. For me it is hard to leave a devil I know for something that may end up being jumping from the frying pan into the fire ( adding as many cliches as I can).

Specializes in LTC and School Health.

Thanks everyone for the kind words. You are all are so right. Thanks for the HH suggestion. One day at a time.

Specializes in trying to figure it out.

I hear you 100%. Until becoming an RN and working with other nurses I have NEVER had a hard time getting along with people I work with. I left LTC because of the cattiness and unbelievable BS on a daily basis. Even by Mgmt and playing their favorites. I am now looking for work as Private Duty. I can still do what I love which is taking care of others but will be able to escape the ugly politics and negativity of working along side very unhappy nurses. I suppose it's true. Misery loves company

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