Is walking away from patient care worth it?

[thecrossfitrn, BSN, RN]

I've been in nursing for a few years now, and within the last year I've been feeling that inner voice saying "you're not happy, maybe you should move on".

Last Summer I took a floor position at a new facility after feeling burnt out from my previous unit. I went into my new job excited, because the ratios were much more manageable and the type of patients were more independent. I finally felt like I was getting to breathe. However, my manager recently decided to change our unit admission criteria, and I feel like I'm back to my old job all over again. It's led to the overwhelming feeling of depression and anxiety, all while five months pregnant.

Recently an administrative position opened up at the same facility, and it sounds pretty interesting. I talked with another nursing friend about it who made the jump from patient care to administration, and while she loves her job, she encouraged me to really make sure this is what I want. I realize leaving patient care for any length of time is a huge gamble, especially since you run the risk of losing skills and not being able to get back in the game. But what if I don't want to be in the game anymore? What if a nice office job where I can help change nursing policy and care is more my style?

I guess I need some enlightenment from anyone who has made this leap. Did you regret it? Was it the best decision of your life? How did you handle going from 12 hr shifts to 5-day weeks? Do you wish you would have waited much longer in your career before switching? If you had to make the decision over, what would you have done differently?

[jobellestarr]

I have done it but not with a brand new baby. Brand new job, brand new baby would be really tough. Could you work part time? Do you work 12's? I think 12's are much easier for family life and cheaper too because of daycare. Although, I've switched back and forth quite a few times, I can't stand call, having 24 hour accountability and always seem to go back to floor nursing.

[thecrossfitrn, BSN, RN]

Yes, I currently work 12's on night shift. I worked days for quite a while at my last facility, but I really hated it as a floor nurse. I do have the luxury of not having to worry about child care, because my husband is self-employed from home and will be scaling back significantly when our baby is born to allow me to work. However, I am the main earner in the family and going part-time is not feasible for us. The administrative job I'm looking at is Mon-Fri 8-5 and no call.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Did you regret it?

I have no regrets about making my stage-left exit from the realm of bedside nursing. The precise reason I enjoy my desk position so much is because I no longer perform patient care. I do not miss the patients' bodily fluids or endless requests for snacks now that I have been away from the floor.

I conjecture it is different strokes for different folks. The lack of interaction with patients and their sometimes unrealistic families has been a breath of fresh air for me. I work from home as a case manager. I know I am being radically honest here, but I am also just keeping it real.

[thecrossfitrn, BSN, RN]

I have no regrets about making my stage-left exit from the realm of bedside nursing. The precise reason I enjoy my desk position so much is because I no longer perform patient care. I do not miss the patients' bodily fluids or endless requests for snacks now that I have been away from the floor.

I conjecture it is different strokes for different folks. The lack of interaction with patients and their sometimes unrealistic families has been a breath of fresh air for me. I work from home as a case manager. I know I am being radically honest here, but I am also just keeping it real.

Thank you for your honest thoughts. These are things I need to hear; real life.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

During my career, I switched between management and the floor several times. Each has its own good and bad points. I enjoyed being on the front lines of patient care and getting paid for all the hours I put in, but I didn't like being unappreciated and treated like a pack mule. On the other hand, I liked being in charge and in a position to change things I thought could be done better, so management has its perks too (although being salaried stinks). I never had a problem going back and forth between bedside and non-bedside, but that was awhile back and I'm sure things have changed.

I think you have to know yourself really, really well to succeed in an administrative capacity. If you're not willing to work 60-hour weeks (and that does happen sometimes), be on-call 24/7 on rotating weekends (if not all the time), oversee staff members' work (and discipline them as necessary), and spend much of your time in meetings (most of which are a waste of valuable time), then you don't want to be in management. It is a tough, tough job, one that neither staff nor upper management truly appreciates, and if you don't love it you won't be happy there.

But only you can make that determination. If you decide to take the leap, know what the job entails and be prepared for additional work to be heaped upon you once you've proved you can do the job. I don't want to be discouraging but I want you to go in with your eyes open. Good luck to you, and I hope you'll keep us posted as to what you decide.

[Libby1987]

I left patient care for administration and love it. Difference is that I thrived and loved my patient care position as well. It put me in the position of helping a good work environment become even better. Had it been a terrible work environment in which I was burned out, how could I improve it for others when I was now responsible for hitting benchmarks and staff productivity?

Your manager probably doesn't hold the power to change the admissions criteria, that decision came from elsewhere and she was the one to implement it. You're not going to jump in there and make that big of a change nor can you lead people in a unit you didn't function well in yourself.

I hope that makes sense and doesn't come off differently than intended.