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.

[tbehlow, LPN]

I agree with bed side nursing is so stressful. I went from the OR TO BEDSIDE nursing , back to the OR. Every thing you mentioned is the reason why I left. . It can be stressing on any relationship. I was always anxious and such a crab when I would get home. I have been in the OR for 13 years and wanted something different. " don't ask why" Lol. Anyway good for you for being true to yourself. You will find what works for you. Hang in there

[Marilyn0411]

I would like to respond to "Deebuzz" who stated she hated nursing because of the pts, their families, etc. Let me tell you, as an RN who has been a floor nurse for 17 years... If that's how you feel, you should do EVERYONE ( pts, families, MDs, coworkers, etc) a favor and GET OUT of nursing all together! You can't handle ornery pts, obnoxious families, etc...what did you think nursing was going to be like? Did you think it would be like the movies where everyone is sweet and you don't have to get " down and dirty" by cleaning butts and bedpans? Did you think everything was going to be rosy?? Wake up and smell the coffee, honey! Nursing is HARD!!! We work long, stressful shifts. My body aches and I often limp because my feet hurt so badly! We go long periods of time without eating, drinking, going to the bathroom...Why? Because we have sick people and their loved ones COUNTING ON US TO CARE FOR THEM! Do I encounter rude, obnoxious pts and family members? Absolutely! Have I had rough days when I go sit in the bathroom and cry? Of course! But I know I have an obligation to my pts. Some days are better than others but I will take floor nursing over anything else. My patients, their families, and my coworkers are my family! I have worked Med-Surg, Telemetry, Long Term Acute Care, and ICU.... Nursing is a calling, a passion! If you don't have the passion and COMpassion, you're in the wrong profession!

[Marilyn0411]

All I can say is that you're in for a rude awakening if you think case management is going to be " easier"... Especially with your piss-poor attitude! You need to find a new profession!

[JVLims]

Fyi, agree case management is less physically demanding but our liability is no less. The burden of ensuring a safe and effective discharge plan for patients is a heavy one. Our clinical assessment of the patient, knowledge of entitlement regulations, familiarity with community resources, interpersonal skills, and ability to negotiate with all stakeholders are key to developing and implementing a safe plan for patients who are heading to the next level of care sicker and after a shorter period of hospital care than ever. Add to that shrinking resources and reduced coverage for care and I hope you will reframe your thoughts about our liability. I love case management but it is not easy-especially when you have to fight the insurance company, the attending, the resident, the family members and often the patients themselves in order to ensure a safe discharge plan. For this and many other reasons I included in my original response to the OP, I respectfully think she is not cut out for case management.

[JVLims]

@Marilyn411...OP seems to be one of many newly entered into our great profession who are extremely dissatisfied right out of tbe gate. I am a case management nurse now but prior to going to CM i had varied acute nursing experience x years, been a nurse 30+ years total. People entering the workplace nowadays seem to feel that their increasingly expensive and lengthy educations will somehow confer a pink cloud of happiness and professional satisfaction rather instantly. Thier posts suggest landing with a pretty terrible thud once (and if) they get their first gig. I truly understand the anxiety around just getting work...when I graduated, there were no jobs-took about 3 months to find a part time 3-11 job and I was grateful for it. Having said this, I hear a consistent ribbon of bitter dissatisfaction with the job, the patients, the rules and dictates of their employers, and their coworkers that makes me feel sad for our profession. The median age of a nurse in the US is over 50; who will continue to represent our craft?

[gigi_bsn_rn, BSN, RN]

IMO you don't have enough experience for Case Management. CM has to deal with demanding people more than bedside nursing. Discharge planning, arranging transfer to LTAC or SNF. Perhaps a specialty area with lower nurse-patient ratio would improve your outlook.

[Virgornc1, MSN, RN, CNM]

Wow. I'm so sorry you feel this way. Nursing is not for everybody, as office is not for everybody, or driving a truck is not for everybody. The good news: there is more than one way to skin a cat and with your nursing degree you are more versatile than what you think. There are literally thousands of different things that you can do. Case management is one of them but the thing is that you only see the problematic patients, the ones who don't have a problem don't really need you. When I burned out from all the walkie talkie patient drama I moved to critical care where you can really make a difference without much interference. In the past I had a FL license but let it lapse because the jobs here are underpaid and patients are truly something else. I work in CA now and I couldn't be happier, 32 years into the career. Once you get the case management job down, you can get completely out of the limelight and work for an insurance company where you only deal with paperwork. Being social butterfly may not be your thing to begin with, and that's OK, too. There is plenty of jobs and more to come, care coordination is one of the up and coming ones. The other thing to look at is the earning potential: anything in nursing, except for the bedside, is salaried, so you work 50 hrs a week and get paid for 40. That gets old also. At least now you are making the money so you can afford to go to school and earn another degree, if it turns out that you really can't find yourself in nursing. But 18 months in... One is barely scratching the surface of nursing. The fact that we often experience lateral violence and big egos has indeed scared many of fine young nurses away. All the best to you! Andrea

[ccnurse59]

it doesn't sound like nursing is for DeeBuzz. at all. "going through the motions" of connecting with people? people don't have to care about their health. that's the Nurses job, we educate and make healthy choice available. people have free will and what makes them happy. maybe that's staying healthy , maybe not. it's our job to be there.

im glad you're finding your way out of the Profession. it's really Not for Everyone.

[MidLifeRN2012]

I've only been working in a hospital for 2 years and already want out. I am looking for outpatient or a desk job within a company. Hate hospital life with shifts, understaffing, and patient satisfaction scores. I'm better off back in a cubicle

[Sunkissed40]

I'm so sorry for what you are

going through. It's best to figure out early on in your nursing career where your heart lies within the profession. Passion is what drives us nurses. I was a bedside nurse at the Stollery children's hospital in Edmonton, Alberta Canada for 12 yrs before being medically forced to permanently leave my passion. My love. Bedside nursing is definitely NOT for everyone. For me it was my everything. I would give anything to be able to go back to what I loved most. If you have found your place within your nursing career you will succeed and help change lives no matter where you are. I wish you much success. Nursing is a very hard professional with many physical, mental, emotional and spiritual demands. Follow your heart. Sit still from time to time and value your passion for what you do. You are appreciated more than you may realize. All the best to you

[Libby1987]

To all posters making comments about case mgmt and management, OP took a job in HOME HEALTH as a case manager.

I would like to hear an update.

[NJPA]

it obviously has never been their true passion.............i worked my ass off, have made many sacrifices my family has shared (Thank God for them and their understanding) Worked from floor nurse to top management and 25 years later still going, yes coming home tired and annoyed some days but the good out number the bad. Seeing someone leave the facility and go home with family members after being on the bridge sure takes away my frustration from arrogant know it all physicians young enough to be my kids, who I forgot more than they will ever know to the ungrateful family member or patient. Knowing I helped someone walk again or have one more day with family is my reward, Yes I am an "old nurse" but perhaps that's the difference to us it is a passion a like style with understanding families to support us, our passion, life, profession our love! Sorry if you never felt it but better your out of the clinical area! Good luck and Happy Trails!