Did you leave bedside nursing to try something else?

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Specializes in NICU, Telephone Triage.

Hello. I'm starting a job as an advice nurse next month. I've been in the NICU for almost 25 years. I really feel the need to try a different area of nursing. So, I am searching for feedback from nurses who have left the bedside and tried a different kind of nursing...clinic, doctor's office, advice nurse, etc. I am feeling nervous making a change, but I know that being comfortable with a "familiar" setting is not always the best thing for me. I am changing jobs for many reasons. My commute will be better. I will be getting more hours and not have to rely on overtime. I am hoping to have less stress....a different kind of stress is what I mean. I am just a little burned out. I have a love/hate relationship with my job...as I've heard nurses on here say as well.

If you left the bedside, was it worth it? Pros and cons?

thanks

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Specializes in NICU, Telephone Triage.

ok..so Nobody has gone from the bedside to a different kind of nursing??

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Leaving the bedside was the best thing I ever did for my health.

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Specializes in NICU, Telephone Triage.

Did you quit nursing all together?

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Specializes in ICU, psych, corrections.

I left the ICU and ended up in an outpatient psychiatric clinic for 5 years. I LOVED it. I loved the "normal" hours, Monday through Friday. I loved having an hour for lunch. I loved having my own office with a window and a plant with supplies that were there the next day exactly where I left them. I loved not having to fight other nurses for computers to do my charting. I loved the interaction I had with the patients. I loved actually having the time to do patient education and other nursing tasks without being pulled in a million directions.

I am now a nursing supervisor in a prison and while it's not the bedside, it is the prison hospital. What I love about the actual job (not the higher management and coworkers...that's another story) is taking care of the inmates and being able to practice nursing without rude family members questioning why grandma had to wait 5 min for her water or Uncle Bob's pain meds took too long to be given, etc. I love not having patient satisfaction polls and surveys. I love not having to cowtow to the patient and kiss their rear end for fear they will report me for not "doing my job" when in fact, I AM doing my job to the best of my ability but without enough staff, sometimes things take a little longer than I would like.

I don't enjoy the people, however. My theory is that because they are all paid a ton of money (we all make well over $80k/year for a very easy, cush job), they have turned into spoiled brats. I'm stuck on the movie set of Mean Girls, I swear. I think they have forgotten what it's like to work their tails off for a lot less money and be treated poorly. The inmates are extremely grateful for the care and for the most part, my actual job is enjoyable. I don't regret leaving the hospital setting for one second. Ever.

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I work full time in nursing care management now. I have a flexible schedule and more autonomy.

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Specializes in Pedi.

I left the beside almost three years ago and I have NO thoughts of going back. I manage a program for pediatric home visits now. Mon-Fri 8-4:30. I NEVER thought I wanted a Mon-Fri (I abhor the idea of going to the grocery store on the weekends) but now that I have it, I can't imagine going back to the 12 hr shifts, nights, weekends, holidays. I have the same schedule as all my friends. I am going out to play hockey tonight and going to an NBA game tomorrow. Never would have been able to do either on a working day when I was working in the hospital.

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Left bedside for Employee Health, loved it, my best job ever, but I needed FT and I was PD. Left EH for Women's Wellness clinic, hated it, left there for School Nurse, jury's still out.

I miss giving shots. I miss drawing blood. I miss suctioning trachs. I miss the other nurses. I miss the $$$.

I don't miss the hours, working every other weekend, fighting for holidays off, coming home wired but wiped.

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Yes, left the bedside years ago for the Operating room and didn't ever consider going "under" nursing management. Then left the OR due to a stress fracture....

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I first left bedside nursing to do Cardiac Testing--this involved monitoring the patients as they were on the treadmills for stress tests, I also did Echo stress testing and TEE testing as the Cardiac Nurse. I liked this position but we moved away from that area and I returned to bedside nursing again. Left it again about 4 years later and did Home Health Nursing. Currently, I am back at the bedside and my leave again but really do not know what. It is not as bad as it was in my last position, and I am actually enjoying it more this time. It is hard to find a position away from the bedside that is with good hours and pay.

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