Well, it is what it is. Just a revelation.

Nurses General Nursing

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I have come to a real conclusion. I just don't like nursing. I kept telling myself that I just need to get through the first year, find a better job, get more experience. But here it is. I have 3 years of experience and have tried a few different areas and I still don't like it. In my entire life, I have never had a single job I did not enjoy until I became a nurse. I enjoyed waiting tables, working in a coffee shop, scooping ice cream, being a cashier at a supermarket. I have always enjoyed going to work, being productive, and doing my job. Nursing is terrible. The stress and workload is unmanageable. I dread going to work and count the minutes until I can leave. Now that I have a baby on the way, I know I need to get out. But alas, this revelation is to going to help me pay my bills so I am stuck for now. I need an exit strategy.

I really felt that way yesterday too. Then last night I decided I was only going to think positive thoughts about myself all day. And guess what, it helped! My job is alot of paperwork with minimal interaction, and it is just not me. I need/want to be in a clinic or hospital. Well my happy mood today got me interview next week for temp position with the VA! I am hoping this is a legit offer! I will let you know. And i am keeping my fingers and toes crossed. This is my second try, but this time I am trying the side door :). Pray for me.

Specializes in Cardiac Care.

Pediatric Home Care... great position and the pay is pretty darn good usually as well. 1 patient at a time for 8-12 hours. Right now I am at work and my 1 and only pt is sound asleep and well, I sometimes feel like I am stealing money because my job is so easy and uneventful some days. My "nursey" tasks are mainly only in the first 2 hours and last 2 hours of my 10-12 hour shift since I work NOC and throughout the rest of the time I perform safety checks and monitoring feeding pumps and such.

I even get to bake cookies, go to the park, go on family outings, watch movies, and play games on my shifts. Ya can't beat that. Best nursing job I have had so far!

If you don't like you job move on and let people that need/want to be a nurse get a job!!!!!

Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.

I would sure make sure first it's not the house your in that you hate(there's many other homes in our "hood." If the only jobs available in Nursing were floor- I would be bagging your groceries after one year Med-Surg floor nursing, I found what I love. Try to remember why you entered this profession and re-evaluate niches. If you still want to leave, I hope you achieve what ever dream you want to pursue:)

Specializes in geriatrics.

What areas have you tried in nursing? Maybe home health, public health, or case management might be of interest to you. I know that I don't enjoy hospital nursing, aside from very specific units. I would also never take a position in the ER. However, many other areas of nursing interest me. The key is to figure out where your interests are and determine whether or not nursing has something to offer.

Ok! So you're stuck with it for now and you "need an exit strategy". How can we help you with that? Are you even asking for help with that? Is this just a vent or would you like help deciding what you would like to do with your life and how you can accomplish that? If it's the latter, I'll refer you to yourself and wish you well....

Really? There is one in every crowd I guess.

Specializes in Functional Medicine, Holistic Nutrition.

What "few different areas" have you tried? Are they all in acute care or have you explored areas outside of acute care? If I would have given up on nursing based on the hospital jobs that I had, I would never have found a job that I absolutely love. I felt just like you when I had 3 years of experience...wanting to leave nursing and feeling like it was a horrible career choice for me. The key thing is to take action and not just sit back knowing that you are unhappy, but afraid to make changes (as so many nurses are). I found job outside of acute care in home health. Home health was a great niche for me and I really enjoyed it. However, I eventually figured out that I would be a lot happier not doing any patient care. There are SO many opportunities in nursing. You just have to be willing to search for them or invest in some additional training and education.

Specializes in Medical Oncology, Alzheimer/dementia.

I don't have any advice, but I can understand how you're feeling. There's nothing worse than going to a job everyday that you can't stand, or feeling like you're stuck in something you can't get out of...especially when you've worked so hard to get through school and become licensed. We've probably all felt this way before, and somehow we make it through. Fortunately there are a lot of choices in nursing. Maybe this feeling will pass and you'll be able to explore some other avenues.

Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.

I can tell in the first five minutes of being on a new unit, by watching a nursing staff's posture, body language, communication, facial expression, and subtle cues whether or not they're happy with their ward, unit management, and over-all job satisfaction.

Sometimes it's not the niche, just that the unit is a...

-Boston(attempt at poetry there at the end:))

Specializes in Medical Oncology, Alzheimer/dementia.
I can tell in the first five minutes of being on a new unit, by watching a nursing staff's posture, body language, communication, facial expression, and subtle cues whether or not they're happy with their ward, unit management, and over-all job satisfaction.

Sometimes it's not the niche, just that the unit is a...

-Boston(attempt at poetry there at the end:))

LOLOL!!!

Such a poet! I'm starting a new job very soon. I'm gonna take this into consideration to see if I can catch a vibe on my new unit.

Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.

Thanks!(Blushing):)

Watch to see if the RNs/LPNs are rolling their eyes or "stabbing eyes" at the DON, aDON, or/and Nurse Manager. Misery loves company, and usually if one of them is a psychopath, the rest are co-dependents to her/his reign. (This is obviously a humorous attempt at sugar coating a real situation- but really, watch all the staffs non-verbal clues to their superiors!!

They tell you more about working there involuntarily than obvious spoken. (Like the girl that told me, "This is good company to work for, and the rest of them looked up from their charting to look at her like right before the lions pounce the baby antelope, realized themselves and smiled nodding in Soviet Era Reflex of forced agreement- or else!!:)

So many people thank they hate "Nursing," but I think many just hate their job:(

Specializes in Critical Care.

case management? utilization review? infection control?

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