I do not like patient care nursing :(

[Nurseheidi321]

hello there! So I am not sure what to do.... I have been a nurse for about 2 and half years now and I hate it.... I have done trauma/Ortho nursing in a level 2 trauma hospital.... Hated that and the night time hours and so I switched to dialysis nursing for the day shift position. I did not like that either and now I am doing post partum nursing night shift. I am just sick of the inconstancy of my schedule and the constant anxiety of charting and finishing things up before I can finally go home. I don't want to feel this way already about nursing and my job. I know there are non clinical RN jobs such as telephonic and working for insurance companies but I don't think I would like that either. I feel like non clinical RN jobs would not pay a lot. I am not sure what to do. I still want to be looked upon as if I am making a difference and not just "oh you're a nurse who works in an office". I am not sure where to go with my nursing career.... Any advise from anyone? And I know some people are going to say why did I go into nursing if I don't like patient care? I don't mind it but I don't want to do it for much longer. Patients are too demanding, I don't like the hours and I like slower paced atmosphere.

[nynursey_]

Maybe nursing just isn't for you? There's no shame in it, really. Unfortunately we are led to believe we need to make our life plan straight out of high school. I remember being told years ago that most folks have three careers in a lifetime. I was a school teacher years ago and quit after 4.5 years. I felt I was doing the kids a disservice because my heart wasn't in it so I quit. I'm glad I did because I LOVE being a nurse and I get to use my teaching experience all the time.

While this may not be applicable to the OP, I can certainly see it. If people can start nursing as their second career, nurses can definitely move to another field as a second career.

[Ruas61, BSN, RN]

Do you have a BSN? Public health or school nursing might fit.

[TU RN, DNP, CRNA]

Become a pharmacist. If you work in the hospital you don't need social skills because you never see patients; and you can take your time in the pharmacy for your whole shift, turning your back on any nurse who comes up to the window until you're ready to help them (even if it's an emergency)! Someone calls from the floor with a question? Refer to the computer reference manuals (at every modern pharmacy's disposal) and regurgitate the information at them. No urgency, thought, or physical/bodily strain involved for 80-90k a year? Seriously I think I just convinced myself of my next career move...

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

I have a feeling that eventually none of us will like patient care nursing.

Every year I feel a little bit more like a maid, and a little less like a nursing professional.

[Palliative Care, DNP]

Any desire to go back to school? I would at least change your avatar and screen name if you are going to post about how much you do not like your job. Employers are all over the internet these days. Do you really want them seeing how this is your 3rd job in 2.5 years and still aren't happy?

[mhy12784]

When you switched floors, was it same hospital?

Because my advice is change hospitals.

I went to school at a large (750 beds) state public hospital, that was a level 1 trauma center. Almost all of my clinical were there, and it was all I ever known. There was 1-2 clinicals I liked, but overall I wasnt very happy with the environment overall.

However I ended up getting a job at a small (250 beds) private community hospital. And the environment is completely different.

Patients have a much higher acuity, actually get better, and even actually go home ! (who knew). And since its a private facility and not a state one, documentation isnt nearly as absurd.

Dont get me wrong theres still plenty of charting and crap that nurses love to complain about, but its completely different than at the large state level 1 trauma center.

At the state hospital far more patients had sad stories and you were really working under the most difficult circumstances (understaffed, poor equipment, short on CNAs, far more drug abusers, and a lot more heavy heavy care patients).

At my new job its actually possible to work 12 + hours and leave and go home happy.

Looking into the office nursing down the road certainly isnt a bad idea, because bedside nursing might not be for you. But usually that requires quite a few years of experience to make that transition.

So until you do, I would strongly suggest looking into other hospitals, ideally a smaller one with lighter loads and better conditions.

Interestingly enough whenever im at my new job and theres an extremely difficult patient (ie heroin withdrawl, massive psych problems) theyre usually transferred to the hospital I went to school at.

Im not going to lie, I personally find nursing WAY WAY more enjoyable when most of my patients are walkie talkies get better and go home.

I strongly recommend giving it a try

[Satori77, ADN]

While this may not be applicable to the OP, I can certainly see it. If people can start nursing as their second career, nurses can definitely move to another field as a second career.

There are TONS of Nursing Jobs that don't require direct patient care. Searching the different specialties on here would be a good start. But I do agree that you have to consider the possibility that nursing is not for you. Ask yourself, why did you get into nursing? What do you like about it? What do you hate? If there isn't much (or anything) you like, what are some things you are passionate about?

There are times I wish I had starting down this path to nursing school and nursing as a career a long time ago. But at the same time, I'm glad I didn't. I can't imagine doing it straight out of high school. I have changed so much since high school, my interests, my priorities, and I am only 36. Not saying that there aren't wonderful nurses that have only done this career. But this will be a second career for me. And I am grateful for the other jobs I had and for the life experiences I have had along the way. I believe they will only make me a better nurse.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

2.5 years and already done trauma, dialysis and post-partum. No wonder you are anxious and confused .

You are already projecting difficulties with the alternative"non clinical jobs".

Please take some time for serious reflection. You've been scattering your forces.

You have may opportunities, find one that appeals to you the most and work towards that goal.

Good luck, keep us posted.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Hey. Watch it. We nurses who "work in offices" make HUGE DIFFERENCES in people's lives. Just as much, if not more than nurses in clinical settings. You might have pushed meds through an IV, hung blood or suctioned trachs, but nurses who "work in offices" made sure your patients got their procedures approved by their insurance companies ahead of time, fought for more follow up with specialists, ordered their DME, arranged for post discharge care at home, educated their families, helped them determine DNR status, coordinated referrals with their PCP, facilitated communication between hospitalists, specialists, PCPs, the insurance company and the patient/family, hooked them up with social workers and transportation resources, got them their meds delivered to their door for cheap, consoled and counseled the family about end of life issues, mailed out tons of info on disease management and local agencies, met with the patient in the office to give them salt substitutes, a scale, a BP cuff, a glucometer and strips, and spent 2 hours showing them how to use these things correctly, and spent HOURS documenting all this within compliance, and sitting in endless meetings with doctors, management and other nurses "who work in offices" trying to provide the best care for patients for the most important time in their health care.....OUTSIDE that hospital room. GOT IT? Good.

A personal reply regarding her mis -guided perception of case management was not called for or helpful.

Got it? Good.

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

Try to get a job in PACU if you still want to stay in the clinical side of nursing. Slower pace, but stuff still happens. Need to be a strong nurse. Lots of burnt out ICU nurses.

[Nurseheidi321]

I worked in trauma the longest... For a year and a half as a new grad with my BSN. I wanted to stay with it as long as possible to get experienced as new nurse. Up to the year and half was all I could make it. I literally dreaded going to work. I had 6 to 7 patients all which seemed high accuity to me. Ie all needed help with getting up, turning, toileting ect and pain meds every 2 hours. I never had time to chart and ended up leaving 2 hours after my shift was done. And this was almost every nurse that worked on my floor. Even experienced nurses. So I ended up going to dialysis nursing out of desperation to leave trauma. (No disrespect to any dialysis nursing, it was just not for me) I ended up working from 4:30 am to 8 pm 4 days a week in dialysis and never saw my family. So from there I am now in post partum. It's only been a month so I need to give myself time to adjust. I just feel as though if i already do not like 3 different types of clinical nurse jobs what is next?

[MatrixRn]

..... I am just sick of the inconstancy of my schedule and the constant anxiety of charting and finishing things up before I can finally go home....I still want to be looked upon as if I am making a difference....Patients are too demanding, I don't like the hours and I like slower paced atmosphere.

This says to me that the prestige of helping a person is good but actual doing is not something you are interested in. That happens. It sounds like you are looking for a larger scope. Have you considered education? In this way you still can 'make a difference' but you will be teaching nurses who will then go on to teach patients. You would be impacting a larger audience.