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.

[Graduatenurse14]

lallajo said:

Boy, talk about nursing "eating their young!" Why are you guys busting on the OP for writing about how she's feeling? Are all you "I never bring my work home with me, me and my husband have the perfect arrangement because I know I don't need to be with him 24 hours a day, I put on my happy face every single day for my patient's" really that perfect, or are you just unable to admit the truth like the OP did? After 11 years as a Paramedic, and 4 years as a nurse, I totally get where he or she is coming from. Not because I'm a terrible person, or because I have mental health problems, or whatever other reasons you people came up with for why they MUST be feeling that way; maybe it's just how they feel. Healthcare right now is in a terrible, terrible state, and it's only getting worse. It is emotionally, physically and mentally exhausting, and admin, in general, doesn't give a crap, becaue they aren't the ones in the trenches dealing with the bull****. After 15 years, I'm getting out too, and it's all because of the general attitude in health care right now, and some of you on here are a perfect example of that. I have more self-worth than to be spit on, swung at, swore at, or treated like a maid, etc, etc, the rest of my life, in the name of an "A+" survey score!! How about climb off your high horse, and have a little empathy for a fellow healthcare worker, instead of tearing them to shreds. Or how about this, if you don't like what they have to say, keep scrolling.....End rant!!

AMEN!!! AMEN!!! AMEN!!!

[dream'n, BSN, RN]

I hear ya OP. I just left my bedside hospital position and am starting to feel human again :) Years ago I told myself I would NEVER work LTC again, now I'm adding to the list acute bedside nursing. And I don't give a flying fig how anyone feels about it. My new position is in a new specialty out of hospital, and I'm feeling so much better already. Bedside nursing is ridiculous and miserable now days.

[rnccf2007, BSN, RN]

Been doing this for almost nine years. Used to love bedside nursing and was certain that I would never leave...this is what I have always wanted to do. Now, however, I often wake up in the morning and want to cry when I have to go to work...because of many of the things you site in your post. Looking to get out of bedside nursing...kind of breaks my heart.

[rnccf2007, BSN, RN]

Amen! Could not have said it better.

[rnccf2007, BSN, RN]

I think the difference is....that is all they are dealing with.

[rnccf2007, BSN, RN]

Actually why I want to get out of bedside nursing. Seems that I spending more time dealing with patient issues and family dynamics. Don't mind it. But yesterday spent most of my time dealing with this and almost missed a critical lab result. Too much is being placed on the bedside nurse.

[Natasha A., CNA, LVN]

Sorry to hear nurses most of you have left bedside care. Any nurses have side businesses?

[sneed1o1, BSN, RN]

NurseRies said:

I understand. I get the same negative comments about dialysis. I am an acute care dialysis nurse and we do a lot of bedside care as well (at least I do). But yet we still get people that apply and come to work for us trying to get away from bedside.

I guess the point was, less patient load, procedure based specialties can have more realistic expectations of what nurses can do. Bedside care on a floor with 4-7 patients is just way too much. But I think we both can admit, our environment is probably more doable the telemetry or Med surg. Although I trade a lower patient ratio for longer hours and limited help. I just think the OP sounds like she doesn't want to talk to anyone , especially patients. I did not know OR nurses spent a lot of time with awake patients. My friend that did OR had a different experience.

There seems to be a lot of OR nurses who have had different experiences. The description you just gave to GadgetRN71 is the same description my charge nurse gave me today for going into the OR...I'm sure they have their bad days just like any other floor. I'm going into this area with realistic expectations. I don't think one area of nursing is "harder" than another. I think it just depends on what the nurse chooses to tolerate, and the hospital and staff you work with can make the difference as well.

[MaryColleenRN, BSN, RN]

You have no business being in management with that attitude!!! If you can't handle bedside nursing, you'll never survive as a functional manager. The managers have to be the best bedside nurses to effectively manage others. Shame on you!

I'm a bedside nurse turned manager who voluntarily still works at the bedside to stay in touch with the needs of the patient, their families and my staff. Yeah, some days suck, but it makes me a better nurse and a better manager.

[Entrepreneur Nurse, BSN, RN]

I went from working in ltc and also doing shift homecare. I thought i hated it so I became a CM. That wasn't as good as I thought it would be. After 1 year ,I left and went to acute care,working in a step down unit at a hospital and I love it. Being on the med surg or tele floor are very different from the step down or icu I've heard. I hope you like CM but I dealt with alot of family issues in that role as well as pressure from administrative office staff and director.

[Entrepreneur Nurse, BSN, RN]

I Have started a homecare company. I love being a nurse. I work in a hospital not as float.

[Entrepreneur Nurse, BSN, RN]

Homecare company