Give up patient care - how long did you last?

[MsBruiser]

How long did it take for you to give up (most) patient care responsibilities and move into a more administrative role? How many years did you last in the patient care mix?

[JulieCVICURN, BSN, RN]

3.5 Years.

[MsBruiser]

Wow - precisely the same amount of time as myself...

[JulieCVICURN, BSN, RN]

Ha, that's interesting. I actually would have stayed in it longer, but an opportunity came up in my facility that was my specific area of interest, so I wasn't about to pass it up. I do wish I'd had about 6 years under my belt before leaving patient care, and I've stayed as registry in my old unit, although I haven't actually worked a shift in almost a year.

[MomRN0913]

Almost 5 years...... I have seriously shocked myself, i miss bedside nursing! I am/was an ICU nurse turned NM of an LTACH. If a hear a nurse can't draw blood or start and IV, or if a patient needs to be suctioned I'll do it if I'm not busy. I will most likely be putting in a day at my old job not for the money, but just to keep up the skills and not deal with the BS and just take care of my patients.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

34 years down, four to go.

[Ahhphoey]

I did 10 years of mostly bedside nursing, though I did cut down to part-time after about 8 years. I still do bedside nursing in the ICU about 3 times a month, but my full time job is staff development/education type stuff.

[KeepItRealRN, BSN, RN]

25 years and still at it.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

Let's see........on and off for about 8 years. Been management the rest of the time, and plan to stay with it as I'm 52 and not in the best of health.

[Chin up]

20 years, then my body FORCED me to go into administration.

[jollydogg_RN, ADN, BSN]

..... 9 and a half months? lol.

I then worked LTC as med nurse (3 months) then RN supervisor (6 months) for about nine months, took a break, now I'm working psychiatric. I'm not above doing patient care, I just find the work to be way less stressful on me when out of direct patient care.

If I could find a place that actually staffs based on acuity, and doesn't try to save money be skimping on staff, I'd consider going back to a hospital. (We can all dream, correct?)

[Otessa, BSN, RN]

Been away from full time direct patient care since 2006, do provide care on a PRN basis though. Not in administration though. Have been in health care for 23 years. FT bedside as an RN for 14 years.