I confess...I'm a nurse who doesn't want to work in a hospital again

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I've been struggling lately with being a nurse, what it means, doesn't mean and whether to accept a job offer to return to the hospital setting. I've read posts upon posts on here and elsewhere and the fact is, by and large, hospital nursing is negative and I don't want to go back into the hospital setting. It has been a huge relief for me personally to not be working in that type of healthcare. Maybe that makes me a "bad" nurse, or a "lazy" nurse or whatever else someone else may think..maybe I won't make as much money or have the option of further education credits at someone else's expense but I am being honest. I've worked in hospitals from age 16 to age 42 in one capacity or another and, as childish as this may sound, I just don't want to be in that type of environment anymore. The hospital, as a lot of healthcare has changed and I've changed and I feel badly for the nurses I know who are working the 12 hr shifts plus report time. Most are at the hospital 13-15 hrs on an uneventful shift because of the extra that is to be done and 15 or more if something unexpected happens. I am grateful for those on here and other boards who love the hospital and want to remain working in it, I admire those who still have a burning passion to get every certification there is and don't mind dedicating much of their time/life to an employer, but me..the times has come that I'm not going to feel guilty or "less than" about not being that type of nurse or not wanting to work in a hospital. I want to work and to a point enjoying helping people, but I want balanced job where work is work, home time is home time and one isn't adversely effecting the other to the point of depression/anxiety/illness. So, I'm going to call the hospital and politely decline the offer - they can move onto another candidate and I can stop feeling sick at thought of 12 hr shifts and all that goes along with it.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

does not matter what others think - the wonderful thing about being a nurse is the flexibility it offers. Many nurses change where they work as their career progresses. Good luck in your new position

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I feel your pain. That's why I'm going back to school so I won't have to do floor nursing ever again.

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Well, I don't know why you would consider it "lazy" or "bad" if you no longer wished to work in a setting you found dissatisfying, exhausting, and even toxic. If it's bad for your family and bad for you, personally....why should you feel pressured to do it?

If you can't make a living any other way, well of course you'd want to reconsider. We've all done jobs we've disliked, to be sure, when the bills have to be paid.

Beyond that, if you can make ends meet without slaving yourself to the hospital system.....go for it!

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Specializes in Community Health/School Nursing.

Good for you! No reason to feel like a bad or lazy nurse. This is your decision and yours only. I made the same choice 2yrs ago. Left floor nursing and never turned back. My health was more important along with my sanity. I'm 41yrs old and decided that if the only job I could ever get was floor nursing.....then I was done. BUT I was soooooo blessed with the opportunity to work full time school nursing. I love it beyond words! I am still a wonderful nurse, I still make a good paycheck, BUT I always go home with a smile on my face and wake up the next morning ready to do it again. Something I NEVER experienced working the floor. So, hang in there......YOU are worthy and deserving of all things good.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

No it dosen't make you a "lazy" nurse. You have to be happy. I have been a nurse for 11 years, and have changed jobs a few times when I became unhappy. I always wanted to be in the hospital setting. I have done floor nursing, ICU, and now RRT.

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I haven't worked in a hospital in mumblemumble years. I am still a nurse, still doing nursing, still doing assessments and care planning and teaching patients/families/others. Just like the ANA Scope and Standards of Practice say an RN has to.

When I was a clinical specialist I wore street clothes and a lab coat. I would sometimes work a bedside shift and wear scrubs. People would see me in the cafeteria and say, "Oh, you look like a nurse today!" I would always reply, "I look like a nurse EVERY day."

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Specializes in Oncology.

OP, I understand how you feel. I used to think I should try to aspire to be an ICU nurse, because after all, everyone knows that ICU nurses are hard core--if you can do that kind of nursing, you can do anything. Too bad anytime I'm in the ICU for any reason, I get a depressed, smothered kind of feeling and I can't wait to get out. I think I'm coming to the point where I understand that it's OK to not want to be in the ER or ICU. It's ok to not want to be in the hospital anymore. It doesn't mean you don't want to help people and that you're not a nurse anymore. It simply means that God made us all different, and thank goodness! How boring would it be if we were all the same? Someone has to work in the hospital, but that someone doesn't have to be you... you did your time. Best of luck in your future endeavors. Any ideas as to what you want to do?

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Specializes in Case Management.
I've been struggling lately with being a nurse, what it means, doesn't mean and whether to accept a job offer to return to the hospital setting. I've read posts upon posts on here and elsewhere and the fact is, by and large, hospital nursing is negative and I don't want to go back into the hospital setting. It has been a huge relief for me personally to not be working in that type of healthcare. Maybe that makes me a "bad" nurse, or a "lazy" nurse or whatever else someone else may think..maybe I won't make as much money or have the option of further education credits at someone else's expense but I am being honest. I've worked in hospitals from age 16 to age 42 in one capacity or another and, as childish as this may sound, I just don't want to be in that type of environment anymore. The hospital, as a lot of healthcare has changed and I've changed and I feel badly for the nurses I know who are working the 12 hr shifts plus report time. Most are at the hospital 13-15 hrs on an uneventful shift because of the extra that is to be done and 15 or more if something unexpected happens. I am grateful for those on here and other boards who love the hospital and want to remain working in it, I admire those who still have a burning passion to get every certification there is and don't mind dedicating much of their time/life to an employer, but me..the times has come that I'm not going to feel guilty or "less than" about not being that type of nurse or not wanting to work in a hospital. I want to work and to a point enjoying helping people, but I want balanced job where work is work, home time is home time and one isn't adversely effecting the other to the point of depression/anxiety/illness. So, I'm going to call the hospital and politely decline the offer - they can move onto another candidate and I can stop feeling sick at thought of 12 hr shifts and all that goes along with it.

I felt the same way you did. Some people call it burn out, others just call it tired. I was tired. I found a good job working for insurance companies, but there are so many choices out there. Don't feel badly about wanting a change. It's your choice. Do what feels right for you.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

don't be so harsh on yourself. You've more than put your time in at a hospital setting- if it's not working out for you, then indeed it's time to move on. The other branches of nursing that don't involve hospitals are not lesser jobs than bedside nursing. I work as a school nurse, and trust me - it's not a cake walk and it's definitely not a job for a lazy nurse. The right job is out there for you too! Go out there and find something you love.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

I graduated as a nurse 20 years ago after spending 13 years working in hospitals in all kinds of positions.

I had just met and married my husband who worked monday thru friday days. I have spent my whole 20 years in non-hospital jobs and love it.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

I currently work in a nursing home. It's not my dream job, but I'd rather be here

than working in Med/Surge, ICU, ER, OB... ANY of those places, any day of the week.

Psych is another story... love Psych, would accept a job on a Psych unit of a

large hospital any day, but those jobs are hard to come by.

My dream is to have a decent paying job as a school nurse. Also hard to

come by.

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