Leaving Bedside Nursing

[Deebuzz]

Your emotional, physical and mental health will suffer along with your family life. I have finally decided to leave the bedside and I've never felt so happy. At only 25, I felt like I was going to be stuck in this state for the rest of my working life but I found the courage to finally make the decision that saved my health and my marriage.

I went into nursing with the intention of helping people and being the one to make a difference to those who may feel hopeless. All my intentions were quickly shut down when I started working on the floor.

We deal with some unappreciative, sarcastic, rude, and egotistical (patients, family members, physicians, coworkers, and managers). There is no care in nursing just bottom-line concerns.

My first nursing job was ok, I worked in ND at the time, I moved to FL and that gave me the green light to officially leave floor nursing. I hate the anxious feeling before every shift, the nagging family members, pts who are rude self-entitled, coworkers who throw each other under the bus, physicians who disregard concerns, and a whole lot of other things I can elaborate about that is just downright awful.

I'm glad to say my degree didn't completely go to waste as I am now an RN case manager. I believe being away from the bedside will renew my interest. I refuse to live a day dreading having to go to work, nursing has literally changed how I respond to people before I use to smile at everyone now I walk past people with my face looking like a pit bull ready to bite.

Whenever someone would tell me to smile I thought, "Wow I have changed for the worst" I refuse to be a martyr for this profession.

Taking care of myself is more important than risking it for people who **** on theirs.

[TLSpaz, ASN, RN]

Yes but with bedside nursing, these troublesome and entitled patients and families. Where they eat," so to speak. It's so dang disheartening to be bending over backwards attending to someone's personal care needs (eg "wiping poop" and acting as a personal valet/ladies maid) while that person in perpetually dissatisfied and disagreeable. As a case manager, I'd wear "civilian clothes" every day and if a pt asked me for a bed pan or an extra pillow, I fully admit, I'd respond with, "I'll tell your primary nurse." I didn't feel this way when I was a new nurse, but I sure as heck do now.

[Da"nurse]

First off, thank you for realizing this is not for you and getting out. Nothing is worse than a nurse who doesn't want to be there. The patients know, the families know and certainly your co workers know. It is not for everyone, just like everything else. I consider myself very lucky that I still like doing it so many, many years later. Yes, people are rude, families can be terrible, but I find that in the grocery store as well. Lol. This does not mean I love going to work everyday, or if I won a million dollars I wouldn't change a thing, But for now, I will continue to go take care of my patients, my goal is to not make anyone's life any worse than it already is. Maybe even brighten someone's day!!?!Good luck with your search.. I know lots of casemanagers that are just as burnt out...thought it was interesting that someone described CM as stress free. Didn't know that existed in any health care field. Thanks for sharing, Good luck.

[MedSurgRN193, BSN, RN]

I can also understand how the OP feels, and I don't think it's kind for her to be bashed because she chose to voice her opinion. Yes, there are many individuals out there who absolutely love bedside nursing, but there are just as many who don't - and this may be for a multitude of reasons. I was also unfortunately in an auto accident within the last year - fortunately, it was not as bad as yours sounds, taigarn0825, but still bad enough to leave me with persistent chronic pain issues and depression. This has made it quite difficult to be a bedside nurse (especially on the med/surg floor I work on, where the acuity and dependency of patients is extremely high)...unfortunately, it's pretty difficult to obtain a job that's not at the bedside, unless you can secure a training opportunity or know someone at the company you want to work for.

All in all, I think we nurses should be a little more kind to one another. Yes, nursing has its perks and can be a rewarding career, but it is not for everyone, and those individuals who choose to vent their frustrations in a forum such as this one should not be criticized for expressing how they feel. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and to try to lead a happy life.

[Sydryth, ASN, RN]

Being that I have worked at several large hospitals, I can understand your frustration. Large hospitals are just worried about their cheesy hcaps scores, but you have to realize that effects how much they get paid. I have always advocated that increasing staff would increase HCAPS scores, but to no avail. Working at a large hospital was physically and mentally draining me as well. While I was well liked by the majority of patients, Practitioners, and loved by my fellow co-workers, it was draining me. I recently resigned from there and went to a rural hospital. While it can be stressful there at times, I feel renewed. My current facility doesn't have to worry about HCAPS. The practitioners actually hunt me down and ask me for updates, my opinion , and any recommendations I may have on each specific patient. I still PRN at the larger facility to keep my skills up, but I feel the stress of when I was there each and everyday that I work there now. My new job when I leave I am not nearly as physically or mentally tired, as I used to be. I am so much happier. I am also still doing beside nursing. Maybe finding a small rural hospital would be a better fit for you than a large one.

[klmartin08]

As a long term care nurse my patient to nurse ratio almost every night I work is 40-something to 1. Long term care is scoffed at by some, but when you are the only nurse on the unit with one QMA and 2 CNAs, it tends to burn you out and put the fear of everything into you. My health has plummeted and I find myself more negative in almost every aspect of my life in some way shape or form. Some days are better than others, and some co-workers are better than others. I love a number of my patients, but am seeing more and more late 40's and 50 year olds who destroyed their bodies and want us to save them....of course that means being at their beck and call 24/7, and putting up with ever increasing abuse from them. Then there are the ones who abuse the system that make me so mad I can't see straight. I long for a facility filled without someone like this.

The OP obviously has have THEIR fair share of crap and did something about it. they changed the negatives into positives at least. I myself am constantly keeping an ear out for a good job behind a desk after the stuff I've put up with myself.

[reggaemuffin, MSN, NP, CNS]

Ruby Vee said:

I find that I am unable to quote the original post, but WOW! What a nasty, negative post. I cannot see how blaming everyone around you for your unhappiness is going to result in a happier work life, a better marriage or a more pleasant life. I would wish you well, but I'm afraid that someone who is so negative and nasty that words must be asterisked out probably isn't going to be any happier anywhere else, either.

What makes her post so nasty? She's relating her experiences as a bedside nurse. So anybody who doesn't like nursing is nasty and negative?

I hated bedside nursing - wouldn't do it again for any amount of money. I don't look down at floor nurses - quite the opposite- I'm in awe of someone who could withstand that environment for years on end. It doesn't make me a negative person- I was unhappy in my job so I changed my circumstances , just as the OP is doing. And there's nothing wrong with relating her experiences and opinion. And browbeating her as just an inherently negative person who will be "unhappy anywhere" is unnecessary.

[reggaemuffin, MSN, NP, CNS]

ddaily said:

Sorry to read after 1.5 years you're ready to leave bedside nursing! After spending 42 years full time in mainly bedside nursing only retiring recently, I must say it is what you make it! Possibly it is the generation which you are part of--unfortunately--I see trends over the years of new grads and it seems to be getting more negative toward the profession. I just hope when members of your family & you arrive at the stage you need hospitalized, there are still some dedicated nurses who will be there to take care of you or them--no matter how mean or angry you/them are due to illness etc.! I hope you are in the minority who don't seem to have the commitment to stay with the purpose of going into nursing.

So she should stay in a job she hates so we can someone to take care of the next elderly generation? This old vs young cliche is so played out. I actually worked with, wait for it, many older nurses who were miserable and hated patient care. But I don't generalize that to their entire age group. Anyway since floor nursing "is what you make of it" you shouldn't have trouble finding new nurses to take the place of us wimpy, soft bellied youngins who choose to work out of the bedside.

[Marisette, BSN, RN]

TriciaJ said:

Sounds like OP has been toughing it out in an especially brutal workplace. Didn't she say she wasn't liking her own personality anymore? That's when it's time to get out. Maybe a different bedside job would be better, but not at this point. When you've been burned, you've been burned.

OP, I'm hoping a change of scene helps you settle down and reconnect with what made you want to be a nurse in the first place. Toxic workplaces can stay with you a long time, so I hope you (and your family) can find some ways of healing from this nightmare. Good luck to you and congratulations on getting out.

Only another nurse can understand this. Toxic workplaces can stay with you a long time. Nursing Burn out is not easily healed with vacation time.

[dlp0223]

I've been a nurse for 28 years, my advice to you is find another career. It doesn't get better. Everything you said is absolutely the truth and exactly how many of us seasoned nurses feel. I would absolutely love finding another career far, far away from dealing with nasty patients, their families, terrible work environments etc., but after this many years of being stuck in a wrong career choice, I'd have to start over and I doubt the starting wage would be near what I make now. Leave and find something you really enjoy, before your job becomes just a paycheck, like mine.

[Curly59]

I agree with you on some levels. Maybe you expected to much out of nursing when you went into the field. I went into the nursing field because that is what I always wanted to do. There is bad that is always with the good. All nursing has its baggage. You have to decide if you carry it and what parts you don't. I agree case management also is dealing with patient, family , and MD. I was one so I know it. As you grow in nursing you begin to become more compatible. There will always be people giving negative thoughts anywhere you work. You have to really enjoy what you are doing to love your job. You may need to work in a different environment. Nursing is loving the patients and yourself at the same time. I love nursing and I wouldn't have a second thought about my career choice.

[cshennett]

I feel this nurse... Yes I feel the same as she after nursing just over 28 yrs...

[SleeepyRN]

NurseRies said:

How is bedside nursing hurting your marriage?

Well, when something is sucking the life out of you and turning your soul char black, it can affect your marriage. It certainly is affecting mine.