A break from nursing??

[septvirgo03]

hello ladies and gents,

Have u ever taken a break from nursing? switched to another non-nursing job/ career (be it temporary or permanent?)...If so, what did u do? Please share! Thanks

[KarmaWiseRaven]

Yes I'm on a sabbatical. I'm working in a factory right now and i make more then i did as a LPN. Also I'm currently in school to become a herbalist. And may i add i have several different certificates Hypnotherapy, Massage, and different areas of energy work.

I decided if and when i go back in to nursing i would like to go in to Holistic Nursing. I hope if you decide to leave nursing you make a good choice in what you would like to do. These are my thoughts use them as you wish...

[sissiesmama, ASN, RN]

I'm glad I'm not the only one!! I decided to take a break about 4 yrs ago after I started having a lot of cardiac trouble. Had heart surgery last June, and my hubbie and I decided I would just stay at home. I made the decision to not go back, and it's the BEST decision I ever made!!

Don't get me wrong, I have been a nurse for 20 yrs and loved being an RN. It just got to be so much BS and politics that it just changed my ... well, everything.

Anne

[Nomadnurse, L.P.N.]

In 2000 I took the summer off and worked at a water park in Fla. It was good to get in an outside job, and I enjoyed the water. I think that stepping outside what you usually do gives you a new prospective. The pay wasn't that much, but I did enjoy it.

[littlemammanurse, BSN, RN]

I worked for 4 months and ended up leaving the job to stay at home with my daughter.I make homemade cards on consignment and have my own website that sells cloth diapers.Ive taken a few nursing courses like wound care and foot care and venipuncture.I am looking for jobs as an RPN plan to maybe just go back as casual or work just weekends.Looking to get a job in the community as a community nurse.

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

I would love to take a break and do something different but all I am is a nurse and I doubt I can do anything different without changing me. It is all I have done for 21yrs

I would like to go and work for Disney!

[Blackcat99]

I took a year off years ago to work as an elementary school tutor. It was called Americorps. I had been totally burned out with LTC and all of the endless paperwork. I decided I needed to escape from all of that paperwork.

I wanted to actually do something "real." Unfortunately, I found out too late that my "new Americorps job" had endless paperwork too. However, I don't regret taking a year off to do something different.

[BreeLPN2RN]

I took 9 years off of nursing. I started my own online horse supply business, which I still run (almost 12 years). Last year I went back to LTC three days a week (3-11) & love it. I plan on continuing both jobs. I've been a nurse 24 years.

[ebear, BSN, RN]

I've taken a few breaks from my 30+ career as an RN. It saved my sanity! I just stayed home or worked on further certifications. Sometimes, you just have to step away! Like others have said, it's all I know. Looking to do something that involves medical knowledge but no hospital BS as we speak!

[martymoose, BSN, RN]

I sure wish I could take a break from nursing- actually a permanent break, but have no other skills, and am the mtg/insurance payer in the family- my spouse could never support the whole house on his income. so I stay in a job I cant stand.

[sissiesmama, ASN, RN]

One thing I did for a short time after deciding to take a nursing break was work as a birthday party hostess at a resturaunt. It was different, and it was nice to work with "well kids" instead of the peds patients who came into the ER.

Anne

One thing I wish I had checked into was cruise ship nursing - I've always wanted to take a cruise and never did.

[Neveranurseagain, RN]

You might look into camp nursing next summer. If you have kids they can usually come with you and participate in camp. Lots of outside time, fun environment and you can usually join in the activities. It's nice wearing shorts and a tank top to work, and eating s'mores by the campfire and getting paid for it!

If you take your children, the pay will be less. But some of the camps I work at pay me $1000 a week. Camps start recruiting staff in January so apply early to the one you want. I've already been recruited for next summer!

Look into school nursing too! With all the cutbacks, more schools are hiring LVNS/LPNS and 2yr RN's. The pay might not be the greatest but time off is. I work for a school district and then camps during the summer, and still have 4 plus weeks off a year.