How do you know...

at your cervix · Jul 15, 2003

I recently left my job. It was very scary, as my husband stays home with the kids, so I really needed a good job. It got to the point that I was so nervous at work that someone was watching my every move, just so they could report (an exagerated version of) everything that I did to the manager, who also loved to make my life and everyone elses, miserable. I decided that it was no way to feel. I was to the point that I wasn't sleeping because I was so worried! I actually felt like my patient care as suffering because I was so worried that someone would read my chart later and find some little mistake and I would be written up for it (I was once written up because the charge nurse had a pt that didn't have fht's tracing while she was sitting up for and epidural, and I didn't go in the room and stop the CRNA, make the pt lie back and find the fht's. There had never been a problem with fht's, and she wasn't my pt and I wasn't the charge nurse-the charge nurse never even heard a word about it!) I felt like my pt's were an interuption to my charting!!! That's when I decided to leave! I now love my job, it is so great to feel comfortable at work, I no longer feel like every even remotely bad outcome is my fault. I am so glad that I did. I say that if you are not happy at work anymore, and you don't feel like you enjoy taking care of your patients because of your work situation, you should leave!!

I have often compared my job change to getting out of an abusive relationship. From the outside, it is so obvious, but from the inside, it seems like you are trapped, then once you get out and look back on it, you are so glad that you did, but it is a very hard step to take!

Sorry so long, hope it helps!!

1996RN · Jul 28, 2003

i've worked at my job for 4 yrs now. and it is truly a love/hate relationship. sometimes i love it, sometimes i hate it. i had always imagined staying there til i retired (i'm 29), but recently it's gotten way too bad. when i used to have bad days and think that i never wanted to go back to work, that would always pass. i've had that feeling now for the past 6 months, and it's not going away. things are only getting worse around the unit, and everybody is feeling it. that's how i know it's time to leave. i've been there for 4 yrs and i used to enjoy it, but now i dont need the unnecessary stress. i'll be leaving in oct to pursue travel nursing. ya just gotta weigh the pro's and con's. i've also noticed a big change in my moods also, as a result of my job. i dont like the person i've become, so it's time for me to leave and find the real me again.

SmilingBluEyes · Jul 28, 2003

Hey, when you don't like who you have become (!) and your BAD days outnumber any good ones, for months on end, it may be a good sign that it is indeed time to GO! good luck to you!

ktwlpn, LPN · Jul 28, 2003

Originally posted by lovemyguys
when it's time to leave?? This past weekend was the straw that broke the camel's back with me. DH says that I should leave, I live in CA and there's a huge shortage out here, so I don't believe I'd have a problem getting a job. How do you know though if you're not just going to be exchanging one bad situation for another?

I don't want to make a rash decision. This is my first and only nursing job, and I love *most* of my coworkers (although there's a couple that have it out for me- have no idea why). Shannon

How long have you been a nurse and how long have you been on the job? I think it takes a new grad at least a yr to become comfortable.How old are you? I am at the tpoint in my life that I have to consider benefits and my retirement-when I was younger I could go with the dollars and the challenge of different settings.....I agree that if your bad days outnumber the good consistently then it may be time to go....