wanderlust99 793 Posts Specializes in ICU/PACU. Has 10 years experience. Sep 26, 2012 No. I want to do something else but I can't figure it out. 7 years and while it's been interesting, it hasn't been a happy 7 years. I'm ready to quit, but have no other means of making the money I do now.
aboucherrn 62 Posts Specializes in Medical-Surgical / Palliative/ Hospice. Has 17 years experience. Oct 1, 2012 Thank you for your post. I am going on 14 years as a medical-surgical/progressive RN, and the older I get the more anxious, depressed, and cynical I get about the job. I have floated and explored other types of nursing. I have done staff, travel, and agency nursing. I have done nights, evenings, and days. I did one year of grad school to "move up" the ladder, and I hated it. I don't think I have ever been truly happy as a nurse. But on the other hand, I really don't know what else I would be doing if I wasn't a nurse. It is mostly stressful, thankless, and physically exhausting... but it is one of the rare careers where there are SO many options and the pay is good.So, to answer your question... maybe?
nola1202 587 Posts Oct 27, 2012 Hee, Hee, Hee, we talk about this at work all the time....my answer is yes, no, yes, maybe, no...mmmm I'll get back to you on that. Like many other "lifers" (over 24 years) I have taken time off to work in other careers, some low paying (retail at a craft store, a picture framer, radio as a DJ) some a little better but not as good or as flexible as nursing. I come from a pretty messed up family, maybe I miss the abuse! I keep comming back, and I think it's a pretty good gig when I only have to work part-time, full time wears me down.My goal is to be debt free, live simply and work less with more down-time to take art classes and marine biology classes.
turnforthenurse, MSN, NP 3,364 Posts Specializes in ER, progressive care. Has 7 years experience. Oct 27, 2012 Despite having some CRAZY nights...I would. I believe it is the best decision I have made and I can't imagine myself doing anything else...except for being a food critic or a whale/dolphin trainer, but let's be realistic here....
mclennan, BSN, RN 684 Posts Specializes in CCM, PHN. Has 8 years experience. Oct 27, 2012 HECK NO. Nursing was a 2nd career choice for me after almost 10 years working IT helpdesk. I LONG to be back to fixing machines and computers and programming. I should have gotten an engineering degree or gotten into tech product design & fabrication. I've been a nurse for 6 years now and done bedside, public health, clinic, and home health and it has been a pretty universally awful experience. For many reasons I just don't have enough space or time to write down. Recently I finally escaped scrubs and punching a clock by escaping into case management, and it is so much less stressful and quieter - but it took all that experience to qualify for this. And I still regret it and still don't think it was worth it. Nursing is going slowly down the crapper, schools are churning out lower and lower quality graduates and employers are paying less and less, and patients are demanding more and more. No one wants to take responsibility for their own health anymore and health care in this country is treated like fast food. I know very few people who are happy in the medical field. The ones who are are newbies who still think they're gonna save the world and just haven't gotten kicked around enough yet.
Donnuh 57 Posts Specializes in 1. Has 6 years experience. Nov 1, 2012 I love most people and is happy I am in the heath field. But if I have to choose again I would be a social worker.
