Help me, I chose wrong career!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hello, first, I show my regret ahead since this is not a positive happy post. Little background of me, I am 6 months young RN, working at medsurg tele unit. Throughout nursing school, I thought that nurse were the best, that we were so awesome and elites of society; not to the degree of docs or lawyers, but you get my point. Once I became an RN and started working... Oh boy was I in for a surprise...

We get overworked, underpaid, under appreciated, often ignored, treated like sack of trash by admin and management, horrible compensation for highly liable work, bad backs, stress, etc name it. Then I am forced work all holidays without diffs, pay for own insurance. My brother who works at computer related cloud company makes almost 80k a year with 3 yrs, free insurance, free laptops, promised raises, free stuff like iPad, spends free company money for clients, and I am here paying for my own insurance, salary freeze due to bad management, crappy pto, no holidays, etc.

Honestly I hate how under appreciated we are and how we can't do squat without doctors orders, the way we are treated, it depresses me and I can't stand nursing. Let me be more honest with yal and say that I can't stand bedside care anymore either. I lost all my passion and it just does not bring any joy at all to see or care for my patients. I will do add that I work at most notorious unit that is known to burn nurses quickly and where no one ever wants to float to and where lots of floated nurses and pcas cry. Right now I hate this career so i need your advice.

I want to ultimately become a physician through the military (HSPS) and I do not mind caring for our soldiers and their family because I love and respect them and their services. In order to do so, I need a change in my nursing career. I am looking into 8 hour shift nursing jobs or some different kinds of nursing that is not bedside nursing. I also love the business side of the world. Making business trips, talking and interacting with clients, moving large funds, or maybe just even management side of nursing. These kinds of jobs will shift me away or at least limit me from bedside and also earn me some time for online classes for premed recs. I even looked into legal nurse consultant but they require extensive experience. The thing is, I expect a lot from myself and this does not cut it at all. We all deserve much.better than this and if the only way to increase my QOL is by leaving it, I am ready to bust my bottom even harder to achieve what I want.

I really appreciate your time for heeding to my sincerity and need of some serious advice. I am not just a hater; it's just not for me, I'm not happy, and I want to be happy. That's what all we want, happiness, and I am sure you will help me find my path. Thank you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Nursing has never been meant for the faint of heart and has always been hard, under appreciated, under paid work. Nursing isn't everyone's cup of tea....for me it is. Unfortunately nursing has taken a serious hit right now with a bad economy and schools churning out too many new grads.......the supply has exceeded the demand. We should have monitored our nursing graduates like OPEC monitors it's oil to keep the price up.

But we didn't.....sigh

There are pharmaceuticals, dialysis clinics, long term care. Have you thought about changing specialties like ICU or ER?

No one can help you find happiness...you must find that yourself. I hope you find what you are looking for.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I agree with what you said in last sentence. I was wanted some advices because they are invaluable. I am currently searching er or icu positions. Is however I don't know will make me feel happy about the career. I am thinking of crna, md (unlikely) or get MBA and go into admin or management line like CNO, unit manager, supervisor, etc. I like business side of world also, so maybe start own business later... The thing is, I know for sure bedside is not my thing, let alone nursing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Nursing isn't for everyone....there is nothing wrong with that.....nurses, for the most part, follow doctors orders. The ICU and ED will grant you more autonomy....you still work with doctors orders. CRNA.......any quality school requires ICU experience. Most advanced positions for nurses require nursing experience. You are tried of the way administration treats nurses yet you are willing to join them....trust me it is an inherent problem, that I believe started when those who had bedside/healthcare experience were replaced by the business world.

Healthcare doesn't translate to the business model for it is hard to put a value on human kindness in the time spent consoling a dying patient or answering questions presented to you by a frightened patient.......or that you couldn't dump.....I mean leave the patient that crashed at 1845 on your relief.

You could consider nurse practitioner.... but again, some states still you work "under" a MD supervision.

What made you the most unhappy about bedside nursing? YOur hospital doesn't pay time and a half for holiday's? Maybe you need to find another position in a different facility.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I agree with what you said in last sentence. I was wanted some advices because they are invaluable. I am currently searching er or icu positions. Is however I don't know will make me feel happy about the career. I am thinking of crna, md (unlikely) or get MBA and go into admin or management line like CNO, unit manager, supervisor, etc. I like business side of world also, so maybe start own business later... The thing is, I know for sure bedside is not my thing, let alone nursing.

Have you thought about perhaps becoming an RN who is not at bedside--ie: a case manager or other non-clinical position in a VA hospital? Or perhaps going to Physician's Assistant school?

Bedside nursing is NOT for everyone, and the first year is overwhelming for most. Start now researching other opportunities (and the VA is a great one, as you are passionate about our military vets) and hang in there for 6 more months so that you have a year of acute care experience if you can.

But I would make an appointment ASAP with the local VA and see what they have to offer you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

"..... I also love the business side of the world. Making business trips, talking and interacting with clients, moving large funds, or maybe just even management side of nursing."

It's good that you have lots of ideas about what you would like to do in the future as an experienced nurse. However, your options at this time will be limited by lack of experience and lack of opportunity. Management positions traditionally require experience and if you find one that doesn't (for instance, a DON at an LTC), there is usually a reason why. In other words, a poorly-run facility with high turn-over, chronic staff shortages, etc.

Since you apparently work on a unit with a terrible reputation for burn-out, why not start searching for a new position on a better unit, either in your current facility or another? At this point in your career, finding a position that involves "making business trips, talking and interacting with clients, moving large funds (?), or maybe just even management" is highly unlikely without further education and experience.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

OP must not have been an AN-er as a student if the reality of clinical practice came as a surprise. The "bad" things that OP listed? They are all pointed on a daily basis here on AN. But it seems that whenever we crusty old bats bring this to nurse wanna-be's or students, we are lambasted for negativity.... you just can't win.

I realize that OP is probably also dealing with sibling rivalry, but of all the career paths to compare with, the OP picked a doozy. One of my offspring is a software engineer - MSCS. But even before achieving a grad degree, was making > $100k. In comparison with other 'human services' professions such as teaching, social work.... our income & workload doesn't look so bad.

FWIW, OP's sibling is probably only 'poking the bear' by sharing all the good stuff associated with that computer-related job. Nothing about the threat of outsourcing to another country or replacing human staff with 'smart systems' or better software.... it isn't all rainbows and unicorns in tech-world.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It used to irritate me that my baby brother, the stockbroker made one million yearly, while I made 50k as an RN. Then he lost his job and has no idea how to function in the real world.

If you are sure that you don't want to do clinical nursing, why not look into pharmaceutical sales, medical device sales, etc. But you do need some more experience, get off of that unit or out of that hospital if you have to.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med Surg.
My brother who works at computer related cloud company makes almost 80k a year with 3 yrs, free insurance, free laptops, promised raises, free stuff like iPad, spends free company money for clients I am not just a hater; it's just not for me

I'm not happy, and I want to be happy. That's what all we want, happiness, and I am sure you will help me find my path. Thank you.

Go back to school to do what your brother does if you love his life so much. Warning: I've been in that industry and it is like the mafia - everything seems great until someone you thought you knew slides up behind you with a gun to your head and pulls the trigger. Bet he doesn't have union to prevent this from happening at any moment.

You have idolized being a military physician. From your post I truly wonder if you would put up with what you have to do to become one or what happens when you practice as one.

There is a horde of RNs desperate to have your job; let them do it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I think it is too early in your career to make any rash decisions. The first year of nursing is hard. You haven't had any chance yet to settle in. I am just at one year and I felt the same as you a few months ago. I am starting to feel better about bedside now. Wait at least another 6mo. Leaving before a year could make you look like a flight risk for future employers.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

"...Once I became an RN and started working... Oh boy was I in for a surprise..."

Surprise!

:poop:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I want to ultimately become a physician through the military (HSPS) and I do not mind caring for our soldiers and their family because I love and respect them and their services. In order to do so, I need a change in my nursing career. I am looking into 8 hour shift nursing jobs or some different kinds of nursing that is not bedside nursing. I also love the business side of the world. Making business trips, talking and interacting with clients, moving large funds, or maybe just even management side of nursing. These kinds of jobs will shift me away or at least limit me from bedside and also earn me some time for online classes for premed recs. I even looked into legal nurse consultant but they require extensive experience. The thing is, I expect a lot from myself and this does not cut it at all. We all deserve much.better than this and if the only way to increase my QOL is by leaving it, I am ready to bust my bottom even harder to achieve what I want.

I really appreciate your time for heeding to my sincerity and need of some serious advice. I am not just a hater; it's just not for me, I'm not happy, and I want to be happy. That's what all we want, happiness, and I am sure you will help me find my path. Thank you.

Military is full up and nobody will talk to you about HPSP until you have that med school acceptance (I did recruiting for a bit). I did ROTC and pre-med in college and if you can't handle the BS in nursing, pre-med classes and the competition to get into med school will almost assuredly burn you out and or slap you around.

Good luck finding a non-bedside nursing gig that pays decent as a new RN which also fits to your class schedule. It's not going to happen. Go NP or gut out a few more years and go non-bedside because the doctor route isn't IMO the best route for you right now.

Just being real.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment