Don't know what I wanna be when I grow up

[mustlovepoodles, RN]

Okay, I'm 52. I've been an RN 32 years. My most recent job as a school nurse was one of the most stressful jobs I've ever had, worse than the NICU or the ER. I suffered severe anxiety and a pretty intense, prolonged bout of depression this year, complete with two hospitalizations to save me from myself. The result is that I have completely lost my confidence. The meds are working well, but my short-term memory is about this [] short. I have a hard time concentrating on things like TV shows and driving(I have almost wrecked the car about 7 times in the past 3 months.) I have bouts of high anxiety brought on by PTSD.

Obviously, I can't work as a nurse like this. I have the opportunity to go back to school in the fall. I can enter a BS-to-MSN program(I have a BS in Elementary Ed) or I can just go for another major altogether, like foreign language. I'm just not sure what to do. What if I invest all the time and money into the MSN only to find that I really just don't want to work as a nurse anymore? On the other hand, a major in Spanish would be usable pretty much everywhere (I live in GA, the state with the fastest growing Hispanic population.)

I actually have thought a lot about being a ped nurse practitioner, but I'm 52. I can't work full-time anymore due to family constraints(my husband and youngest son are disabled.)

The thing I love about school nursing is that I work with young teens and a large part of my job is educating them about health & illness. The kids are great--the principal and parents, not so much. I'd love to see the love for school nursing carry over into something else, in nursing or not.

Halp! I've fallen and I can't get up!

[chgoreid]

Why not get a teacher's license? (if you don't already have one) Or go into health education? It is not a lot of money but you may like it. Good luck!

[teacher08]

I like Nurse Educator. The schools need more nursing teachers. I say go for the MSN and become an awesome nursing teacher.

[guest64485]

My most recent job as a school nurse was one of the most stressful jobs I've ever had, worse than the NICU or the ER. I suffered severe anxiety and a pretty intense, prolonged bout of depression this year, complete with two hospitalizations to save me from myself. The result is that I have completely lost my confidence. The meds are working well, but my short-term memory is about this [] short. I have a hard time concentrating on things like TV shows and driving(I have almost wrecked the car about 7 times in the past 3 months.) I have bouts of high anxiety brought on by PTSD.

This is extremely worrying. If the job is doing all this to you you need to leave ASAP. Please, for your health and your safety...

What about community health nursing? You can work with kids and educate too.

[nghtfltguy, BSN, RN]

i must agree w/the others!!...

just go into education....

teach....

you have well more than enough years under you belt to teach these young'ens what they need to know.. and it sounds like you enjoy doing it...

plain and simple....

TEACH... spread your wisdom, knowledge, and experience to the new generation!!!!... they need people like you!!!

i wish you the best of luck!!

[Nur_1996]

I agree that maybe community health nursing or teaching may be a good change for you. Most of all take care of yourself! Do what you need to do for yourself not for anyone else.School nursing is stressful, and I agree its mainly the teachers and parents not the kids.

[mustlovepoodles, RN]

Thank you all for your support. I am on short-term disability at the moment, expect to be out another 4 weeks until school is out. I canNOT go back in the the setting I was in--it's chaotic and dangerous every day. I am so burnt out. If they don't approve the next 4 weeks I will simply walk away. I don't need the stress.

I talked to my doctor today about it and she agrees, I'm NOT ready to go back to work. She also thinks that taking a class of some kind(any kind!) might help me build my confidence and get me out of the house. I'm such a Type A personality usually; once I put my mind to something I don't let go 'til it's done.

I think I'd like to talk with other nurse educators about what exactly they do. I do think that would be something I'd be good at. I just wouldn't be able to do it full-time. I appreciate being able to bounce my thoughts off some good nurses. Thank you, thank you for the encouragement.