I am done with healthcare

tokmom, BSN, RN · Jan 3, 2012

I am done. Not officially because I need to figure out my next move, but I am done with healthcare, not just nursing. I have realized that my personality does not fit this profession. I am not a patient or tolerant person. I entered healthcare because I enjoy the knowledge base of the human body and teaching others about their bodies in an effort to promote personal health management. I am done with it because their is no accountability or responsibility in our healthcare system and it is not encouraged or fostered.
Our system is built on encouraging people to go to the doctor and expect that they and the system will take care of them. Again, no accountability and no responsibility. And I am sick of it. I might stick around if our society actually fostered preventive healthcare and paid trained professionals to empower the masses to be responsible for their health. But I don't see that becoming the norm any time soon. I should have been a librarian. Any ideas of professions where you don't have to work with people at all???

Hmm, probably putting widgets together for minimum wage in a warehouse somewhere, but even then you might have to share a breakroom with co workers.

I too get annoyed when I preach CHF d/c instrxns to those that I know will go home and stuff their face with high sodium foods, and sit on the couch.However, I refuse to throw in the towel just yet. Out of all the people I educate, there will be a scattered few that do change their ways because of what I taught. Those are the ones that make this job worthwhile. :)

PMFB-RN, RN · Jan 3, 2012

I used to be a small family dairy farmer. No boss, no employees, no co-workers, no customers. Just me and the cows aginst the equipment, the weather, the markets and those silly vegans. The list of who you can not tell to go to hell is REALLY short. You will find all sorts of "out there" religous and political beliefs among small family farmers and they are happy to voice them cause there is no risk of losing thier living by doing so.

Brutal hard work though.

martymoose, BSN, RN · Jan 3, 2012

i always figured i got paid well to teach. what they do with it isnt my problem- only that they verbalize understanding.

I must say I like working with horses better. Just have snotty owners to deal with. But it doesnt pay well.

maybe you could be an undertaker- the dead dont talk back to you lol.

carolmaccas66, BSN, RN · Jan 3, 2012

I'm done with bedside nursing. I don't hate it all the time, per se. I have just been for an informal interview for a practice nurse position. I HAVE to get out of bedside nursing and I am travelling more & more for work. I am sick of it, I am 45 years old now, I HAVE to put myself first. I am really going to try my hardest to get a non-bedside nurse as I've got 4 years experience.

When u say there is no accountability etc fostered in our healthcare system, you hit the nail on the head my friend.

I'm tired of working back, being called in at the last minute when agencies don't give you time enough to even travel safely to work (an ongoing pet peeve of mine), tired of arguing with EENs/carers etc just to get them to DO THEIR JOB safely & responsibly, tired of travelling for hours to get to work and just the general BS of nursing.

I dunno what to suggest, maybe go work with animals somewhere?

Zebrapants77 · Jan 3, 2012

I am totally with you on this. I'm sick of people...the attitude that people have. They don't--for the most part--WANT our help. They want to keep living crappy lives, go to the hospital and expect miracles, expect the hospital to be the Ritz, etc. I'm tired of getting dumped on. I'm also working on getting out, but it won't be as soon as I would hope. I love taking photos, so I am trying to see if I can start my own business doing that. I don't need to make 6 figures. I do, however, need to keep my sanity and my body intact. If I keep doing this, I will be a physical and mental mess by the time I retire. I hope you find something. Maybe Pharmacy?

Altra, BSN, RN · Jan 3, 2012

There is a certain polysubstance abuser who I personally played a role in resuscitating (yes, resuscitating, as in back from the dead) 3 times in one 19-day period a few years ago ... so I understand what you're saying.

But I have to say that I do not seem to have the commitment or desire for changing people that I observe in many of my fellow healthcare professionals.

I meet people where they are. In the ER frequent flyer population, that includes many who are chronically noncompliant with pretty much any of what we consider to be healthy lifestyle choices. However, the my-body-is-a-temple mindset is not universal, and I'm not convinced that it should be. The hard-drinking smoker of a bartender made me crack up on my worst day -- is the mere fact that he only lived to age 49 in and of itself proof of a life not well lived? Is his life worth less than my clean-living neighbor who dropped dead of an MI while jogging in our suburban neighborhood, also aged 49?

I propose that it's not the "noncompliance" of individual patients that burns us out ... it's the ingrained idea that we are supposed to strive for unrealistic goals of perfect pathophysiologic management of imperfect human beings.

carolmaccas66, BSN, RN · Jan 3, 2012

I used to be a small family dairy farmer. No boss, no employees, no co-workers, no customers. Just me and the cows aginst the equipment, the weather, the markets and those silly vegans. The list of who you can not tell to go to hell is REALLY short. You will find all sorts of "out there" religous and political beliefs among small family farmers and they are happy to voice them cause there is no risk of losing thier living by doing so.
Brutal hard work though.

Did the cows ever talk back?! My Mum says they can be very contrary.

BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN · Jan 3, 2012

How about health information systems? Code speaks to you, but only says what you program it to. :)

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · Jan 3, 2012

No suggestions on careers here. Good luck with your next move.

Roy Fokker, BSN, RN · Jan 3, 2012

I love (most of) the people I work with... but I am sooooo done with bedside nursing!

And it sucks because I KNOW that I'm good at what I do. Most of my patients love me.

But management and the healthcare industry in general have sucked the living soul out of me.

Rare are the days now where I go to work full of cheer and in good spirits.

I'm not mean and nasty - I just don't give a flip anymore.

Good luck with your career move. I wish I had options...

cheers,

Perpetual Student · Jan 3, 2012

Altra, I love your post. It made me laugh and filled me with warmness--or maybe that's just the beer? You're right. Other people's lives are theirs to live. There's no sense in getting worked up over their decision making.

We're all dying anyway, we might as well have some fun. That's not to say it's prudent to totally ignore health, but we've all got a 100% chance of dying. My goal as a nurse is to help patients improve their lives better by their standards (even if it is just for the duration of fentanyl), not mine. They're paying me for a service (usually indirectly and sometimes not at all, but that's another story). Not to fix 'em. Not that I--nor any health care worker--can save anyone. I'm content with just easing suffering a bit. Only Jesus saves (assuming one is a believer), heh.

Honestly, the only thing that irritates me is that people expect others to pay for their poor decisions. Actions have consequences and folks need to accept them. Shoot all the heroin you want, stuff your diabetic body with sugar-laden snacks, ride a motorcycle without a helmet, engage in sexual intercourse with anyone with a pulse without condoms, get into fights, etc. Just don't expect the taxpayers to pick up the tab. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes and all that.

OP: As far as careers without having to deal with people go, I suppose being a writer would work. You'd probably still have to market your work toward the people you despise in order to make decent money, though. Though they might buy books on healthy living even if they wouldn't follow the advice (if that were your subject of choice, I recommend fiction though as it'd likely be easier and more lucrative). The reality is that even if you go into business for yourself, in most industries you'll have to deal with some government regulatory tools who'll be just as obnoxious as the worst patients you can imagine. I wish you the best in finding satisfaction in your life.

[The above was posted under the influence of alcohol (just two strong beers, I swear!:cheers: ). The author accepts full responsibility and accountability for all content, which is what is actually missing in modern society. The author is a moody loner who is drinking alone after a long day of working with patients who've made poor life decisions that contributed to their need for surgery. He accepts the potential for adverse effects, including a shortened lifespan, and thinks that (on occasion, this is the first night of drinking in a couple of weeks) the delicious taste and pleasant buzz is worth the risk.]

Cheers from the lunatic fringe,

-T