Do you ever regret leaving acute care?

[sunnyskies9]

I have recently been offered a job as a case manager position through an agency that offers services out in the community. Unfortunately, they will not let me stay PRN at my current hospital as it is considered a conflict of interest. Honestly, I have no desire to ever work acute care again, but if for some reason I was forced to, it seems like I would have to apply for basic med-surg stuff (which is where I currently work). I am just really torn on what to do. Any advice or thoughts are greatly appreciated.

[DEgalRN]

I let acute care a year ago to work public health. No regrets but I knew that I never wanted to work acute care. If you feel the same get out while you can. If you really really really want to go back one day there are refresher courses.

[sunnyskies9]

thanks for your response. I knew when I was in school that I wanted to be in the community working, not a hospital. but it seems like hospital jobs are easier to come by. I would absolutely love this new job, though.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

Left acute care after nearly 5 years to do community based case management. Haven't regretted it yet and it's been almost a year and a half.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

I walked away from acute care almost 8 years ago thanks to a nervous breakdown, and haven't regretted leaving for an instant. I only wish I hadn't had to go through the breakdown to realize that I wasn't suited to M/S work.

[Leonardo Del Toro, RN]

Only worked 4 mo in acute care then went to primary care. I'm very happy with my new setting and I have much more autonomy then I did as a bedside RN. I didn't like the fact I could hardly perform pt care duo to all the paper work. Primary care has a lot of paper work but at least we have a much better set up to do it. So I don't think I'll ever be back there.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Left acute care decades ago after a hospital merger closed my department, couldn't imagine what I would do, was in shock. I soon discovered there was a much wider field of nursing possibilities out there past the hospital parking lot that I could have dreamed about, and have developed an excellent career in nursing, as a nurse, ever since.