Does anyone regret leaving acute care?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Medical Surgical.

At the stroke of midnight tonight, after almost 25 years at it, I am officially resigned and done with acute care. I am in another phase of nursing now, one that isn't hospital based. I feel very free, free at last!!! But I wonder if I will be missing the excitement, the fast pace, the gossip:coollook: and most of all the patients. Anyone here leave hospital nursing and regret it?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in SNF, 2 year s hospital.
At the stroke of midnight tonight, after almost 25 years at it, I am officially resigned and done with acute care. I am in another phase of nursing now, one that isn't hospital based. I feel very free, free at last!!! But I wonder if I will be missing the excitement, the fast pace, the gossip:coollook: and most of all the patients. Anyone here leave hospital nursing and regret it?

Happy New Year! I have only been in the hospital setting for 1 year BUT I can tell you that once I finish the RN program Im not sure if I will stay! The fast pace and the different types of things going on were fun the first 6months but I plan to leave!

Congratulations!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele/SNF-LTC/Supervisory.

I actually enjoyed the learning aspect that I got from acute care.. however; the politics and b.s. ruined it for me. You'll probably miss it, but more than likely won't regret leaving it. = )

Best to you!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
At the stroke of midnight tonight, after almost 25 years at it, I am officially resigned and done with acute care. I am in another phase of nursing now, one that isn't hospital based. I feel very free, free at last!!! But I wonder if I will be missing the excitement, the fast pace, the gossip:coollook: and most of all the patients. Anyone here leave hospital nursing and regret it?

No regrets here-left acute care in 2006.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Telemetry, Case Management.

NO!!!! Left it June 2007 and pray to God that I never go back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
At the stroke of midnight tonight, after almost 25 years at it, I am officially resigned and done with acute care. I am in another phase of nursing now, one that isn't hospital based. I feel very free, free at last!!!

CONGRATS!!!!! :D

But I wonder if I will be missing the excitement, the fast pace, the gossip:coollook: and most of all the patients. Anyone here leave hospital nursing and regret it?

Then work per diem. This may help you to either keep the "excitement" OR remind you that it is better to completely walk away. GL!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I loved acute care nursing but wanted a different lifestyle. Once I left, I did occasionally miss it, but never ever regretted it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in home care, cardiology, transplants.

not one regret. there's so much more out there but if you think you're not sure about staying away definitely do per diem so you can be rehired just in case because if you're out >5 yrs it's tough getting back in without paying for refreshers....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical Surgical.

I moved from full time to part time then to per diem for 6 years before quitting altogether. I think the per diem was harder than anything because every time I turned around there were changes, new policies and protocols (and mandatory meetings to learn about some of them). It became torture to try to keep up with it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospice, ONC, Tele, Med Surg, Endo/Output.

Miss acute care? Hah!! Not a chance!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I left hospital nursing early in my career. I did just short of 6 years bedside nursing at a very prestigious local hospital. That was 12 years ago. No, I do not regret it once.

I was burned out after only 6 years, and actually I was contemplating leaving the whole feild right after graduation with my RNIP. I witnessed so much back stabbing, non camaraderie and lack of support for the floor nurse I was at my wits end. My employer offered wonderful benefits, a prestigious hospital with perks if you donated to the huge foundation.. including certain rooms, certain nurses and can you believe this?? Making sure you were happy by having the hospital liaison visit you daily. Not what I thought nursing was all about. I had a pivotal moment when one of our millionaire donators who was one of my patients asked me if I could soak her feet and give her a pedicure. ( I don't even do my own nails.. ) I had to leave, not what I thought this was.

My hats off to anyone who works in a heavily regulated, often shorted environment of the hospital. Its not what i wanted to do

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.
At the stroke of midnight tonight, after almost 25 years at it, I am officially resigned and done with acute care. I am in another phase of nursing now, one that isn't hospital based. I feel very free, free at last!!! But I wonder if I will be missing the excitement, the fast pace, the gossip:coollook: and most of all the patients. Anyone here leave hospital nursing and regret it?

Even though I know you're saying it tongue in cheek, the gossip part is one of the things that makes me wish I wasn't tied down to a hospital job right now. Someone I know who recently had to leave a homecare nursing position to go back to hospital nursing says she loved homecare nursing mostly cause the gossip/backstabbing was much better.

Anyway, I think you are mixing up the chaos/disorganized make it up as you go/no purpose or direction style of hospitals with "exciting". Sure it can be exciting at times, but for all the wrong reasons more often than not. Pt A should be in ICU instead of Med/Surge but.........oh hummmm, the supervisor is friends with the ED nurse who wants the pt. moved so off to the general unit they go and..........oh hummmm they have needs you can't meet but that was yesterdays policies and procedures, today we are doing it differently (unless of course something goes wrong, then they will quote yesterday's policies while we throw you under the bus).

Thats not excitement. Hospitals love to sell this idea that there are so many things that only go on under their roof and no nurse is worth a hoot unless they presently spend significant time working under hospital conditions. Not so. Hospitals have a lot to teach yes, but ya know what..........so do non hospital jobs.

Its like a friend of mine pointed out after going part time. He was an aid and said this:

"I find it harder and harder to bring myself to work these days. I literally have panic attacks the night before I'm scheduled to work. I never felt this way when I was full time. I think being part time gave me enough space from the whole situation to realize how bad it really was. Now, I don't want anything to do with it. I was like the abused GF who wouldn't leave her man. While it was going on, while I was in the storm, I was hypnotized, couldn't see how bad things really were. Then, I got some time away, started working part time and...... I have clearer perspective..........eh, I think I'm done."

Yes, you read it right. He compared working in hospitals to being an abused/battered GF. Don't fall for this BS that hospitals sell to young nurses that the only real nursing occurs on their turf. Once you've been gone awhile, you'll be wonder why you even thought about being regretful.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment