Do you now wish that you chose another career?

Nurses General Nursing

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Why?? Do you find yourself burned out most of the days ?? How much energy do you have left once you go home to your family? Why do you decide to remain a Nurse??

Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

Oh, absolutely there have been plenty of times when I've wished that I could have done more with my art degree. In fact, at one time I did drop out of nursing school and changed my major to art education... decided I was once and for all going to get that teaching certificate to go along with my art degree.

Then I got into my teaching classes and realized, "once and for all", that it really was not my cup of tea. *Missed* nursing, and decided to go back to it.

Previously, I had also attempted a career in graphic design and/or web design. That never got off the ground, partly due to unavailability of jobs, partly due to low pay in the one job that I DID land, and partly due to my inadequate education; meaning that I took too many painting classes and not enough design and advertising classes.

All in all, I'm happy that I became a nurse. I feel like it's a good fit for me, and I feel like I've come "full circle". Meaning, I wanted to be a nurse when I was a little girl, but changed my mind in the fourth grade; decided that I wanted to be a veterinarian! And I would go on to change my mind many many times in the 16 or so years between fourth grade, and the day that I decided to go to nursing school. =)

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Mostly yes. I originally chose nursing because of pay and job security and the fact I loved babies and wanted to work in NICU. Due to family circumstances, I needed something stable. So I went practical. Nursing. After several years, I really started to dislike this field. But it paid the bills. Now don't get me wrong, there are aspects of nursing I really like, but it seems they can't counterbalance what I don't like. I have wanted out for the last decade. But I come to my major dilemma. What the Heck else would i do? I have many varied interests but could not(and still can't) come up with what else I would do for a career. So I still work in nursing. I like the patients and being able to help so that is not the problem. I guess what really frustrates me is the 'everything else' about this field. So I keep trying to figure out do I stay or figure out what else I would like to do.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I've had my ups and downs over my 30-year nursing career, during which I have held a variety of jobs and performed a variety of roles. Sometimes, I get frustrated and start wondering "What if ..." and the grass on the other side of the fence starts looking pretty green to me. Then on other times, I see the services we provide to patients who really need nursing care ... and hear friends in other professions complaining that they get no satisfaction from their jobs ... and I am pretty happy that I chose nursing. At least in nursing, the "end product" is the provision of services that people really need. Knowing that helps me get through the tough times.

Right now, I am frustrated with my job -- but I know it is just the particular things going on at work right now. Either things will improve soon or I will seek another job -- but I don't draw the conclusion from that frustration that I shouldn't be a nurse.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
It's a hard question to answer. I have wished that I had become a teacher quite often I feel that I would love the profession. But, who knows? Maybe if I had choosen that career I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much as I think I would, and then wondered about nursing? You know, like the grass is always greener.[/quote']

I don't know if this helps, but ... My sister was a 2nd grade teacher. She semi-retired at age 51, after 30 years of teaching, saying she was just too burned out to face going back for another year full time. Now she is just a substitute teacher who works a couple of days per month. She's made a big financial sacrifice, but she says it was worth it to save her sanity.

Yes, sometimes I am jealous that she has been able to do that and still survive financially at all. But I have no illusions that her career in teaching was "easy" and "stress free" or anything like that.

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Specializes in Everytype of med-surg.

Sometimes yes, I cannot believe I am able to support myself just out of college, and because of great coworkers, I get to spend my nights working with people that never make me stop laughing.

And THEN, there are other nights I spend the drive home thinking of ANYTHING else I could do besides nursing. The thought of working on the floor for the rest of my career is nauseating, but then again that is the beauty of nursing, I can find another job by the next day.

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Specializes in Psych, Informatics, Biostatistics.
I'll be honest, at times I do. After nearly 25 years of bedside nursing--- night shift, no less--- I'm really feeling the wear and tear, mentally as well as physically.

But again, all these years have worn me to the bone. I know there are other areas I could work with an RN behind my name, but they don't have the same pull for me. As much as I hate people (not people-people, but - ya know - people), as much as I despise Press Ganey and the "customer service"/ 5-star-hotel mentality that has metastasized to so many hospitals, as much as I want to scream at the ridiculous amount of redundant paperwork required for even the most insignificant task... when it's just me and the patient, I'm a happy camper.

All I need or want from administration is adequate staffing based on acuity, the supplies I need to do my job, backup and support when confronted with an increasingly irrational and demanding public, then please just get out of my face so I can take care of my patients.

Yeah. I know. Dream on...

I totally agree with you. I work nights as well and love to hate nursing. BUT, I love the people, the patients and yes the security and pay. As well is there an inherent value to nursing for us personally? I mean as we get closer to meeting our maker, our knowledge of medical stuff becomes more valued for us, doesn't it? You don't get that knowledge through driving a truck or working in the oil patch.

I like the 3 12s and the union representation.

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I work as a CNA in a hospital. I was going to school for my BSN. But after watching these nurses run around, not eating, not peeing, getting yelled at by nasty docs, yelled at by family members, etc I decided to change my major to political science and go to law school. There, I can pee and eat when I want, but I might still run into a judge or professor that yells, but a patient's life won't be hanging in front of me. I will no longer have to listen to Press Gainey reports "the nurse didn't dial the phone for me" (from a pt who had full use of her extremeties). I still love to take care of patients who cannot take care of themselves. Oh, and the charting. The computer is attached to their hip. If I wanted to be attached to a computer all the time I'd have become computer tech.

I really wish nursing was more about nursing then corporate demands. When's the last time the CEO of your hospital worked the floor?

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Specializes in icu,ccu, er, corrections.

After 14 years of night shift work I can say that I am glad I chose nursing. It pays well enough that I was able to raise my children by myself, it provides me with plenty of time off.

When I do think about leaving it is not the nursing part, it is the political part of nursing that irritates me. It is hospital policies, it is administration stuff. I adore bedside nursing, I cannot imagine not taking care of patients, that is what I do and all I want to do. I have been offered jobs that would take me away from the bedside and I turn them down. I started traveling to get away from the hospital politics, it just doesn't effect me as much.

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I don't love nursing; sometimes I don't even like it. But for reasons I can't explain, nursing is very important to me, and I need to do it.

I am just compelled. I have no idea why.

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If I were not a nurse there are many good things in my life that would not have happened. But if I could go back and do it again - I'd forget all about being nurse.

All those little goody-two-shoes stories about how good the patients and families make you feel - they aren't worth a thing. They don't make it any easier to put up with personal attacks from superiors (especially after you have reported them to various regulatory agencies for neglect, inappropropriate treatment, fraud, etc.). The cute little stories don't make up for being too tired to have a life outside of work other than running your household. The sappy stories don't make up for the fact that for every nice pt and family you have, 2 more treat you like crap and verbally and/or physically assault you because you refuse to kiss their butt and treat them like God. Those lovely little stories about great patients don't make up for the amount of time, money, and energy you spend in school, the ongoing continuing ed. and seminars that teach you so much, but when you know enough to correct a doctor's booboo, the doc disrespects you and demands that the manager get rid of you (and no thanks to you for keeping the pt alive when the stupid doc was the one that screwed up in the first place). And then, let's not forget all the friendly people we work with who prefer to sit on their butts instead of work, all the while gossiping about you and doing their best to make every shift miserable. Oh yeah - I LOVE getting various body fluids and solids on me at work. Nothing like playing "Name that stain" when you're doing the laundry. And let's not start the crap about the hospital is supposed to wash/replace soiled uniforms. Have never seen it happen but they sure will hunt you down if you have to borrow a pair of OR scrubs. That is, if they will even let you wear a pair for the rest of your shift without requiring a credit card, one arm, and your first born child. I've even worked in the OR and had those issues.

I went into nursing for all the right reasons - I stay only because I need the salary that my years of experience provides. And I never let my patients know how bad I hate being there and will always do my job to the best of my abilities. Which just makes it even more important to have a place to vent frustrations becaues I have to play nice at work.

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I am thankful every day that I chose nursing.

As a future NP I notice the difference in the way I interact with my patients compared to other providers. It's because I'm a nurse. We're good at that!

There are many opportunities for growth, continued education and LEADERSHIP. We need strong leadership as our health system is failing nurses and patients. I'm ready for a seat at that table.

Many opportunities for research - to show what we do and the impact we have, so we can lobby to keep funding for nursing education/faculty at the state and national level.

Having work with the underserved be a part of the rich history of my profession.

In an interdisciplinary group when I say "I'm a nurse" people listen.

Being a nurse is who I am and that will never change.

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Specializes in cardiac/critical care/ informatics.

I love nursing and have always loved it. There are so many different things you can do in Nursing.

School Nursing

Nurse Practitioner

Nurse Educator

Case Management

Office Nurse

telephone triage nurse

critical care nurse

Trauma Nurse

Emeregency Nurse

Informatics Nurse ( I have been doing this since Feb)

Surgery Nurse

THere is plenty more.

If you don't like one try something else.

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