Hi, I am happy to announce that after many years of being miserable as a nurse, I am LEAVING! I've worked at crappy, unprofessional, smelly, ghetto, you name it nursing homes the past 5 years.I was just waiting until my kids began school to leave.I worked so long and hard to finish nursing school, and like many others, believed the lies my teachers told me about how great a field it is.Yeah, right.I tried to get a "desk" job as a nurse, they all want years of experience in a hospital.Hospitals don't hire ADN nurses, although I already have a non nursing Bachelors, I did not want to spend more money getting a BSN OR MSN.
My husband doesn't get it really, thinks I'm crazy to leave, but hes not a nurse!
I am interviewing now for some great jobs in the corporate world, no weekends, holidays, nights, urine, CNA's who think they are nurses....need I go on, I'm sure I'm not alone.
Taking a GIANT pay cut, but I am so happy! That's priceless.
Specializes in Ortho/Uro/Peds/Research/PH/Insur/Travel.
TheCommuter - I feel your pain. While the OP could have chosen his/her words more thoughtfully, it is his/her right to vent (complain?). My calling was (is?) opera. It is what I initially studied in undergrad and I belonged to Actor's Equity and performed. However, I am NOT starving artist material. So, because of a sincere interest in helping those in need, I left NYC, was a Peace Corps volunteer, and decided to pursue a career (which, for me, is a job) in nursing. I pursued my passion, public health, in graduate school and I am now qualified for low-paying jobs at county health departments. Great! I do my job well...heck, VERY well...but I do it for the money. I'll be back in a NP program in a year to attain a SPECIFIC skill set and, ultimately, make more money.
So, OP, don't feel bad. Many of the nurses that I have met don't love their jobs either (like many individuals). Nonetheless, we all have to keep a roof over our heads and food on our tables. As long as you do it with a smile and an open mind, well, what more can they ask of you. Good luck!
I've been an R.N. for over twenty years. Rarely have I met any colleague that wouldn't do something else given a do-over. Most say it's not that nursing sucks, because it doesn't. Nursing blends science, medicine, art, creativity, and humanity into one elegant composite.
It's not nursing that sucks, it's the business and political culture in which it exists. And that, my friends, sucks.
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
It's not nursing that sucks, it's the business and political culture in which it exists. And that, my friends, sucks.
DINGDINGDING! We have a winner!! Seriously, that's it in a nutshell, and that's a pity because nursing could be an awesome profession. I loved it so much, even though it was political and nasty and ugly at times, until I cracked under the pressure. I wish I could've continued. But like this post says, it's the culture of nursing that gets us in the end.....literally and figuratively speaking.
I've worked at crappy, unprofessional, smelly, ghetto, you name it nursing homes the past 5 years.I was just waiting until my kids began school to leave.I worked so long and hard to finish nursing school, and like many others, believed the lies my teachers told me about how great a field it is.Yeah, right.I tried to get a "desk" job as a nurse, they all want years of experience in a hospital.Hospitals don't hire ADN nurses, although I already have a non nursing Bachelors, I did not want to spend more money getting a BSN OR MSN.
Seriously, that's it in a nutshell, and that's a pity because nursing could be an awesome profession. I loved it so much, even though it was political and nasty and ugly at times, until I cracked under the pressure. I wish I could've continued. But like this post says, it's the culture of nursing that gets us in the end.....literally and figuratively speaking.
AWanderingMinstral
358 Posts
TheCommuter - I feel your pain. While the OP could have chosen his/her words more thoughtfully, it is his/her right to vent (complain?). My calling was (is?) opera. It is what I initially studied in undergrad and I belonged to Actor's Equity and performed. However, I am NOT starving artist material. So, because of a sincere interest in helping those in need, I left NYC, was a Peace Corps volunteer, and decided to pursue a career (which, for me, is a job) in nursing. I pursued my passion, public health, in graduate school and I am now qualified for low-paying jobs at county health departments. Great! I do my job well...heck, VERY well...but I do it for the money. I'll be back in a NP program in a year to attain a SPECIFIC skill set and, ultimately, make more money.
So, OP, don't feel bad. Many of the nurses that I have met don't love their jobs either (like many individuals). Nonetheless, we all have to keep a roof over our heads and food on our tables. As long as you do it with a smile and an open mind, well, what more can they ask of you. Good luck!