How do you guys do it for so long?

[pinkdoves]

I've only been a nurse for a little over a year and I have hated it since day 1. People told me it would get better. It did get better once I got used to things, but I still genuinely hate this job. I don't think acute care is for me.

The thing is I feel like such an outsider. So many people I speak to love bedside nursing. A lot of people I know just changed to SWAT (float pool) to make more money...nursing just has such a large toll on my body: lack of sleep, running around, barely eating...

I just don't get what I'm doing wrong here. There are also a lot of nurses I know that are in grad programs and are leaving the bedside once they graduate. I just feel so stuck because I don't want to do any of this...I used to be so motivated with my career and now I just don't care about nursing. I don't know what to do. I've been miserable for SO long ?

I look up other jobs but I'm never qualified enough for them. Sometimes I do apply but there's so much competition. I feel so stuck and miserable ? I hate being a nurse. I have even looked up engineering programs and business degrees because I hate nursing. Does anyone else feel similarly?

[GrumpyOldBastard, MSN, RN]

1 hour ago, CardiTeleRN said:

I’m with it. I wish I could leave. I wish schools were honest in the beginning. 

Interesting.  How was your school dishonest about nursing?  What do you wish they had said to you?  

In my experience as a nurse educator, I have found that MANY students don’t believe me when I attempt to explain the ugly realities of being a new nurse.  

[londonflo]

46 minutes ago, GrumpyOldBastard said:

n my experience as a nurse educator, I have found that MANY students don’t believe me when I attempt to explain the ugly realities of being a new nurse.  

Smart ones catch on.

[pinkdoves, BSN]

On 5/7/2021 at 10:00 PM, Ruby Vee said:

 

Good luck.  I hope  you find what you need to thrive.

 

I hope I find what I need too :) I'm going on vacation next week. I really need it.

[UniversityOfLifeRN]

I stayed as long as I have because I changed jobs often (within the nursing field). Have had to return to MedSurg nursing and the struggle to just walk away from nursing now is a real one.

[dougjiro, CNA, LPN, RN]

I prefer clinical nursing to bedside because you get to interact much more with patients. Have you considered being a cosmetic or hyperbaric nurse? I started in the medical device field, than became a nurse. I provided technical support for capnography, oximetry and trach products. Quite a few medical device companies want nurses because of their ability to teach. You are in my thoughts.

[Beautiful Ladybug]

Yes I absolutely am the same way. First went to get my bachelors in science got me no and I didn't land a job. Then for the sake of safety that nursing provides in finding a job I went into nursing. Then I just found myself regretting the decision everyday and hating it more than the day before. Then I graduated from my RPN program hated my first job I got from govenrment supporting new grads. I was in the job for 1 year and left to get my RN (thought it would open more doors for me). Got my RN and am now regretting that again. I should have saved myself alot of time, money and headaches and chose a different field. Honestly, nursing is not for everyone!