For Burned out nurses who are leaving the profession...

[GaMBA]

I just finished reading a thread about burned out nurses, many of whom talked about leaving the profession. Some of them had been nurses for years, some for only a very vshort while. For nurses who are thinking about leaving nursing entirely, why are you leaving the field rather than exploring other opportunities within it? Not judging or criticizing, just genuinely curious. I've met a lot of nurses and there seems to be so many options within the field. Why have you decided not to pursue other areas (ie change specialties/setting/place of employmt/level of pt interaction, etc)?

[Clementia]

I left because when depression meets burnout, the result is not a pretty sight. I was blessed with funny, helpful, positive, supportive co-workers, decent hours and pay, and nurse managers who kept close tabs on all of us and weren't above pitching in when we needed help. It was the nursing itself that got to me -- the 15% of patients who are whiny/needy/demanding/difficult/unable to listen to a thing you say. I just felt that I was required to give and give and give, and eventually I ran out of inner resources to draw from. If I ever have to go back to nursing, I'll find a job where I don't have to deal directly with any patients, ever.