I want to leave nursing!

[madame_morphine]

I have been a nurse for over 5 years. I started as an LPN and continued on to get my RN. I really wanted to specialize, and not only can I not afford certification, there are no jobs in my area. Moving is out of the question. The jobs that are available do not interest me. Ive never been a people person, but I'm smart. I truly care, but i hate catering to management. I hate passing meds and incessant charting. I'm tired of bedside nursing. I'm burnt out. I'm sick of long shifts, no breaks, understaffing, bla, bla, bla... I'm also tired of hearing how many opportunities there are in nursing. To me, it feels like there are no more opportunities.

Where do nurses go when they don't want to be nurses anymore? Where do we move on to when we don't love it anymore? I can honestly say that I don't know where to go from here...

[caliotter3]

You can investigate new careers on the internet for the price of your internet connection. Be sure to have a plan in mind and a means of support, before you quit your nursing job. And remember to keep your nursing license in an inactive status just in case.

[Psychcns]

Career counseling. I think there are tests that help match skills and interests to professions. Then look at where the up and coming jobs are. Best wishes.

[eileen44]

Have you ever thought about becoming a nurse supervisor?

Telephone triage, telephone advice nursing... still nursing but without much of what you dislike.

[madame_morphine]

I am still working part time in home health. I wouldn't say it's something that I really enjoy. I'm doing it because it's paying my bills right now. The thing is that I don't enjoy patient care anymore. I still enjoy teaching. I still love wound care. I still enjoy learning about new meds and new treatments. It's not that I completely hate everything about nursing.

I have thought many times about being a supervisor. Unfortunately, without any formal supervisory experience, I usually do not qualify for the supervisor jobs in my area.

I have also looked into telephone triage, but what I have found requires ER/ICU experience, which I do not have.

I am scared to death to quit nursing. I know there are many out there that have done it and are successful. I don't feel like I can start over at this point. Many hospitals are starting to require the BSN, and quite honestly, I'm afraid that if I do go on for the BSN, then I'll end up needing a master's. I seem to always be one step behind where I want to be, and one step behind where the jobs are. And I have neither the money nor the energy to put into a master's degree. I'm just stuck and don't know where to go!