I HATE nursing! (long)

Quickbeam, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2005

Read your entire post and I feel for you. It's like a teacher who hates to teach. You can't go a lifetime like that.

The good news is that there are a fair number of non-patient care jobs out there in nursing. It depends on how far you need to get away from patient care. The bad news is that you may need to take more than a 10K pay cut depending on where you live. I took a 15K cut to go from hospital work to community health. I love what I do and my move was necessitated by a mobility impairment. You do need to know that non-care RN jobs are vied for competitively...you aren't alone in wanting out of patient care.

Having a BSN as you do will make it much easier to transition. Look at insurance carriers and government agencies for options. You may need to take a breath and be patient since non-care jobs often require some persistence to root out.

Good luck to you. Patient care isn't for everyone. Don't beat yourself up over it.

LPN1974, LPN · Mar 21, 2005

I really really really need some nurses' advice. So I've realized something about myself lately...I hate nursing. I think I always knew this in college, but I guess I thought things would get better when I was actually NURSING and making money in return....well its been two years as a nurse and nothing has changed. I think the major problem is my anxiety, I'm just one big ball of anxiety the minute I hit those hospital doors....and its taken a major toll on my mental health. I hate patient care and the bedside...and it has nothing to do with the way my unit is run....its a perfect unit with lots of support....I just can't get away from the fact that I hate taking care of people and just the normal stress of the job!!! I am so desperate to get out of this field, but I feel so trapped, and I'm also saddened about the concept of throwing my 4 year nursing degree away. I've recently decided the best thing to do right now is get my master's degree in Informatics, that way I can take a non-bedside-nursing positon....but this still leaves me with having to work for two or more years as I attend a part-time program. The thought of this scares me! I can't imagine two more years like this! I am really at my wits end, it seems like every idea I have to get out has a problem that I can't get passed. I am willing to take a major pay cut (and barely scrape by paying for rent, etc) and work in a office or telephonic nursing setting, but that leaves me with either 1. working 8-5 M-F, therefore no time to take night classes for informatics or 2. not enough experience to get these telephonic nursing positions! The only thing that is keeping my at my current job is the flexibility that is available for me to attend grad school this fall, and the fact that they will pay a good portion of my schooling....other than that I'm miserable with everything about it! I feel so mentally drained, the anxiety has totally killed me. I show up so early to work, and I'm freaking out the whole time I'm there...I hate this and I'm about to go crazy!!! (if I'm not already there yet!) I'm about to give up my dreams of getting my master's degree and settle for some type of office job that doesn't pay nearly as much as I am making now, but at least I'll have my sanity. I guess I am asking for some suggestions...what type of jobs are out there, I swear I think I've looked everywhere but two years doesn't seem to be enough experience. I currently making about $55,000 a year....I'm willing to take a 10,000 pay cut for any job that does NOT involve patient care. Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!

What about working for insurance companies?

They employ RNs don't they, for work in that field?

NoCrumping · Mar 21, 2005

I really really really need some nurses' advice. So I've realized something about myself lately...I hate nursing. I think I always knew this in college, but I guess I thought things would get better when I was actually NURSING and making money in return....well its been two years as a nurse and nothing has changed. I think the major problem is my anxiety, I'm just one big ball of anxiety the minute I hit those hospital doors....and its taken a major toll on my mental health. I hate patient care and the bedside...and it has nothing to do with the way my unit is run....its a perfect unit with lots of support....I just can't get away from the fact that I hate taking care of people and just the normal stress of the job!!! I am so desperate to get out of this field, but I feel so trapped, and I'm also saddened about the concept of throwing my 4 year nursing degree away. I've recently decided the best thing to do right now is get my master's degree in Informatics, that way I can take a non-bedside-nursing positon....but this still leaves me with having to work for two or more years as I attend a part-time program. The thought of this scares me! I can't imagine two more years like this! I am really at my wits end, it seems like every idea I have to get out has a problem that I can't get passed. I am willing to take a major pay cut (and barely scrape by paying for rent, etc) and work in a office or telephonic nursing setting, but that leaves me with either 1. working 8-5 M-F, therefore no time to take night classes for informatics or 2. not enough experience to get these telephonic nursing positions! The only thing that is keeping my at my current job is the flexibility that is available for me to attend grad school this fall, and the fact that they will pay a good portion of my schooling....other than that I'm miserable with everything about it! I feel so mentally drained, the anxiety has totally killed me. I show up so early to work, and I'm freaking out the whole time I'm there...I hate this and I'm about to go crazy!!! (if I'm not already there yet!) I'm about to give up my dreams of getting my master's degree and settle for some type of office job that doesn't pay nearly as much as I am making now, but at least I'll have my sanity. I guess I am asking for some suggestions...what type of jobs are out there, I swear I think I've looked everywhere but two years doesn't seem to be enough experience. I currently making about $55,000 a year....I'm willing to take a 10,000 pay cut for any job that does NOT involve patient care. Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!

Hi .... I am you. I absolutely HATE any form of adult nursing, and I refuse to do it, partly because of anxiety, mostly because I just plain despise it. BUT... for me, there is one and only alternative, and thats Neonatal ICU. It really is another world, you literally need to unlearn adult nsg skills and knowledge to LEARN NICU stuff. I really almost left nsg school in my last year until I learned that I could go into NICU as a new grad. With that said, I know nicu probly is an even worse prospect for you since you have anxiety (I am assuming it is... ) Do you think another specialty might help you, or have you had enough? If so, GET OUT OF IT. ITS NOT WORTH YOUR HEALTH. SO... what immediately comes to mind as an alternative is being a pharmaceutical rep. The pay is good, and they like to hire nurses .It involves alot of traveling , within a specific area. You might even make more than 55k. Another is a case reviewer for insurance companies. I almost took a job in one recently, they wanted a year acute nsg experience, so you should be good for that. Its an office position, and no pt care. Post back, let me know what you think of these ideas. I am one of those nurses who regretted the minute I entered a nursing program, so it is comforting to an extent to know I am not the only one. Even with my passion for NICU, I have doubts and start envying people with just about any other job......

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Mar 21, 2005

Your user name says it all.........you're tired, burned out, and stressed out.

I'm sorry this has happened to you. It sounds to me like you've tried very hard to make this work, and you've learned that bedside nursing isn't your thing. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, it's not for everyone, and you don't HAVE to be a bedside nurse if you don't want to. There are almost as many varieties of nursing jobs as there are nurses themselves.......surely one of them would be a good fit for you.

Have you thought about nursing research? Or phone triage? How about working as an advice nurse for a doctor's office or insurance company? Utilization review? Discharge planning? Even management?

There's so much out there.........you don't have to 'throw away' your nursing education, and you don't necessarily have to take a pay cut. You can use what you've learned at the bedside anywhere you go, and you can work part-time anywhere you want while you go to school. Don't give up on nursing just because you dislike patient care........there's just too many opportunities out there! :)

Hope this helps. :nurse:

GingerSue · Mar 21, 2005

- pharmaceutical companies or other medical suppliers

- home care coordinator

LadyMadonna · Mar 21, 2005

Hey Tirednurse, you need to realize there is more to nursing than the hospital. I don't particularly like patient care myself, and am working on finding something better, but right now I enjoy a lush job taking care of an elderly couple at night from 7pm to 7am. I can hardly call it taking care of them. They go to bed about 6pm and sleep all night. I watch tv a few hours, go to bed about 10:30 and get up about 5:30 or so, make their coffee and basically just keep them company until the day nurse gets there. This job is a dream come true for me right now and I am making $52,000/yr.

Why can't you look into something like that?

dbsn00 · Mar 21, 2005

There are so many different types of nursing - & a lot don't require bedside care. I also thought of a pharm. rep, phone triage, MD office, insurance, MDS & home care (fee for services or even a case like the above poster) - all very different from a stressful hospital scenario. You really should give this some more thought, it would be a shame to waste the education that I'm sure you worked very hard for. Also, is this the first & only nursing position you've had since being licensed? If yes, the it's definately time to explore the many other options you have as a nurse...good luck! :)

smk1, LPN · Mar 21, 2005

not a nurse yet, but some ideas:

with your BSN perhaps you could teach at a LPN or EMT program or clinical instructor at an ADN program. Or perhaps get a certification to teach the maternity or lamaze classes or cpr and Aids education. Also school nursing community health, insurance, etc... home health, I feel for you, because it is a horrible feeling to hate your job so much! I hope you can get some good ideas here, Is there any possibility of you getting an agency nursing position at a much higher rate of pay? if so perhaps you could stick it out for a year at an agency rate and make enough to allow you to take a hugh pay cut the next year and go back to school.

smarkley · Mar 22, 2005

Hi, sorry to hear about your troubles...I too hated bedside nursing and went through a bout of depression and anxiety. I ended up going to a psychiatrist and getting on meds, but I also changed positions. I went to work in the OR, and I LOVE it! There is still stress there but I find it's easier when you don't have to talk to the patients other than making sure you have the right person, doing the right procedure, etc. Just keep in mind there are plenty of options for nurses other than bedside nursing! Good luck and I will keep you in my prayers.

lady_jezebel · Mar 22, 2005

When I cut back from 90% to 50%, my job became more tolerable. I go in to do my time, then leave. Also, I refuse to do any more 12-hr shifts -- I don't want to be there that long. Could you afford part-time? But even if that doesn't sound plausible, what about phone triage, as someone suggested?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2005

We have a nursing shortage due to the numbers of qualified nurses that left the bedside. However, you could do

1. Nursing Instructor for LVN/LPN classes

2. Telemetry

3. Research

4. Dialysis Nurse (easy job)

5. Nurse Entrepreneur

6. Pharmaceuticals

7. School Nurse

8. Occupational Health Nurse

9. Work for an HMO/PPO

I know the feeling of doing something you don't like. It will improve once you find your niche. Good luck!! :)