does anyone regret this career?

[cantdoit]

just curious.

I regret it every single day. I had good intentions when I started, and I wasn't idealistic either. But it is a FAR worse job than I imagined. I feel like the life has been beaten out of me.

I consider myself a good nurse, and I do give it my all for patients when I'm at work. But I don't know how much longer I can keep doing this.

Just wanted to know if I was alone. My family and friends don't seem to understand.

[kdtink]

I am still in school and I have those days where I wonder just what in the world I am doing. I started working toward my RN in 2007 while still in a career I loathed. I often wonder if I am cut out for this career, but I think it may be last minute panic prior to graduating in May. It certainly doesn't help when I talk to nurses who tell me how much they hate their jobs on a regular basis. I wonder if everyone feels the same way.

I have been a tech in the hospital for 10 months and the money I make for the abuse I take is laughable. I was honestly feeling as though I had made a huge mistake until Saturday. I had the kind of night that reminded me of why I wanted to change careers in the first place. I got a blood draw from a patient that nobody else on the floor was able to get and I had a patient thank me for being her friend while she was in the hospital. It was just what I needed at just the right time. But I understand the feeling of regret and questioning. I hope it works out for the best.

[nursewithskills]

Right now I regret it because I'm not currently working with the demographic group that I

went to school for which are neonate.

I'm wondering after obtaining the RN license along with the experience if I'll still

regret it. My guess is that I would, but only time will tell.

[Navigatingnursing]

I can really relate to this as we've had similar early nursing experience. But hey, I'm a new LPN working on getting her RN to get an MSN. I mean, may as well, times gonna pass anyway. Slowly but surely I think I can get there. Thats continueing ed and we're supposed to to that. What happens along the way I dunno. & this is my 3rd career so you know I'm "older". I love the possibilities of it.

I hate to tell people what to do and to be presumptuous, but I hope my words will inspire you to explore where you're at and see your next step, and it might just be to do inner work. but I so relate to office politics and business over medical care. I hate the resistance I get from suggesting medical procedures, etc., but that's peoples egos and you can just step back and laugh, but not directly cos that's a write-up too.

[nursewithskills]

I'm actually looking for Data Entry job positions currently.

It would be a huge decrease in my income, but for the

sake of my sanity I'm willing to do it.

Just give me a computer and some data to type in and I'm good.

No one in my face, no skin checks, no narcotic junkies, no nonsense.

Nursing would mean more if nurses were actually appreciated and not about the money

that the sick brings into a facility.

[nursie_nursie_415]

there are some things i like about inpatient nursing & some things i hate. being a nurse for over 8 years, just in the past year have i found true enjoyment & fulfillment in what i do as a chosen career. finally i feel a balance between being a good nurse & being a good employee.

if i could change the past, i would have started investing before i was even potty-trained & started several businesses as a youth... and i FOR SURE would not be a nurse.

overall, i am thankful to have my current lifestyle but i would not recommend being a nurse to anyone i know.

i think nursing schools should stop brainwashing their students into thinking that being a nurse is the most important role in health care. they should stop feeding the "doctor vs. nurse" flame & instead should teach nursing students how to learn from others without challenging them. nursing schools need to be upfront about the fact that "health care" is really "disease care" & nurses are mere pawns in the game of ho$pital bu$ine$$.

if nursing schools would just keep it real with their students, then the expectations are managed & less would feel disappointed & regretful when their expectations are not met.

... now that i know & have accepted these things, my perspective has totally changed - i don't hate being a nurse anymore & i can truly connect with my patients as not just a nurse but as a human. in a way, my care is fueled by feeling somewhat sorry for them because they are unwell, stuck in a broken system that doesn't work & is continuing to crumble.

[VICEDRN, BSN, RN]

I could have written the original post on this thread. Wish I had just gone to med school like I originally planned. I love the er and working with patients but hate nursing! Best of luck to op finding a solution.

[Dragonfly777]

This is more like a venting thread. It's good to let your feelings out, one way or another. Otherwise, it just dwells in your deepest thoughts. I like and enjoy nursing and the nursing skills we provide, unfortunately all that entails dealing with everything else that surrounds it like family members, patient's personalities, bad co-workers etc. For the first two years somehow you have to manage to suck it up, and learn ways to cope....just like you may have done it before in different situations. After you have the experience you need and have the skills expertise, you/we are worth much more money and with it comes better positions. It's holding on that two years that's probably going to be the hardest. The worst part is when people want to think they know better and absolutely do not care anything you tell them for their own good. The second worst part is been physically threaten. Good luck in your future endeavors.

[Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN]

Interesting... I am pretty old school, but after reading all of the problems with finding a nursing job here, are people not doing this anymore? Every job I have ever had, except my current one, I applied for in person. The only reason I did not for my current position is because it is with an insurance company and they have very tight security, so you can't just go there unless you have been invited for an interview. I know we are in the internet age of google and monster.com, but are nurses seriously not dressing up, hand delivering their resume, filling out an application in person, knocking on doors and shaking hands when they are on a job hunt? If not, in my opinion, that is obscuring possibly one of their greatest assets- themselves. Live and in person! I want them to see me, not just my resume or an online application.

Most places around here have online applications.

[Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN]

I could have written the original post on this thread. Wish I had just gone to med school like I originally planned. I love the er and working with patients but hate nursing! Best of luck to op finding a solution.

Me too.

[MomRN0913]

Yes, some days i regret it. I wish I would have chosen a career much less emotionally and physically stressful (and that made some more money) Life threw me some curve balls and the stress of the job is too much for me now. I envy some of my friends who have careers where they go to work, do their job, never fear making an error that could harm someone and then come home, no exhausted and completely checked out from work.

OTH, I am glad that when I became a divorced mother of a baby, I had a career that did offer me stability and a half decent paycheck.

I probably would like nursing on a per diem basis. I did like it that way the few months I got to be per diem working 2 shifts a week. That was just enough for me. As a full-time commitment, I wish I would have picked something much less stressful.

[Mulan]

I regret the inside abuse, and the fact that too many don't want to face or discuss it. How can it possibly be dealt with unless people face it. Seems like it has to be an "in-your-face" and overt kind of abuse in order for it to even begin to be addressed.

Interesting isn't it, all the denial that goes on, even on this site.

When the state nursing associations are addressing it and including it in their publications then I guess it does exist, doesn't it?

No matter how much some people like to deny it.

[Mas Catoer]

I did regret it within my first 5 years serving.

Struggling to be nice to most patients and their family around. Tried to find another job by learning as many things as I felt I could, including English, carpentry, engines repair, dress making, PC programming, and some more. I even spend 3 years working as a nurse in Saudi Arabia, then resigned as I was offered the previous job with more chance for further nursing study.

By the time passing I started enjoying my work, Appointed as a head nurse for few years while helping medical record section dealing with ICD X. (my English's been boosting my career ).

Now grab my chair in nursing committee. Still, part-timer teacher in nursing academy, giving private English lesson, helping the IT department handling Hospital Information System, have yearly order of making washable nurse caps, and PC repair freelancer.

Enjoying this. No more regret. But, honestly not any of my kids want to be a nurse. Two of them chose technical engineering, one in IT tech.

A matter of choice, effort, and luck. I guess. :)