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.

[Munimula]

Nursing became a second career for me. As an over 40 adult who had worked in other professional environments, I was appalled at the juvenile behavior and backbiting once I graduated and worked on the floor. The work itself is backbreaking; the level of skill and knowledge to be competent is staggering. The split shifts are killer, leave you exhausted for days. I'm not sure if it's just being older so you have less energy and stamina; although I am not saying any of it is easy no matter what your age. It is definitely a job more physically suited to younger people I do not mean this as an insult and it's hard no matter what your age. It's just very physically hard to work a floor and night shifts as a 50 year old. The "many-morbidities" of the patients is also mind boggling. The numerous other problems like sores that never heal, no family support, endless downward spiral of poor health, poor choices, etc. is depressing. I want to love nursing but I feel like it's a horrible, unsolvable mess. I was very disappointed by the reality of what nursing and hospital care really is.

[rsalas558]

I just wish patients and families knew where to truly direct their frustration (which is not at the bedside nurse). It's with the Administration who thinks that it's ok to consistently short staff and under hire the appropriate number of clinical staff needed to "effectively" give our pts. our BEST. We're never allowed to tell pts/families that we're short staff, or that our other pts. are "total cares" with no tech, or that you have a confused pt. in another room that is a continuous danger to himself and any injury he sustains will be blamed on you and your poor supervision of him, or the fact that you have "pain" pts that demand your presence every 30mins.....You have to hold all that in while being professional, skilled, compassionate, prompt, responsive and thorough....All when Admin is sitting in an office chair thinking of another "false assurance task" they can come up with for their short staff nurses to do. I takes a toll, believe me! I've been a nurse for 23yrs and thank God I found a specialty that keeps my love for nursing and pt. advocacy alive. I had to get AWAY from floor nursing though because between pt & family nurse abuse, doctors who could care less and greedy admin, it's definitely taking a turn for the worst.

[Asystole RN]

"Nursing" is not just bedside. There are an amazing variety of different types of nursing that do and do not involve patient care.

I have family that worked in the OR because they did not want to take care of a patient, then went on to lobby for healthcare related issues. My wife works from home with an insurance company. I work in a corporate setting developing and managing medical products. I have friends that speak professionally and work with people who only conduct research. All nurses. All contributing to healthcare one way or another.

Find your path, the problem is not that nursing sucks it is just that you need to find the specialty within nursing that fits your skills and personality.

[evarunnr]

Sounds like you started the wrong profession. Nursing isn't about how hard you work and how it affects your home life. It is about the Passion of caring for those who cannot care for themselves. With any profession/career there are downsides. You can't look at the downside. You have to look at all the positive impact you have on people, all people.

You should rethink getting another career. Your heart isn't in this and it will eat you alive. Get out, get a new gig, career, stay at home, anything----but get out. You can do a better good elsewhere.

I have been in nursing since I was 17. I worked my way up from aid to LPN to RN to BSN. I have worked med surg, ortho, ED, agency, management, education, and have landed square in ICU since 1985. LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I learned as much as I could and still learn every day. I fight to keep my patients safe and get them out of the hospital fast----or hold their hand as they die....... I work with all kinds of people and have learned to WORK WITH THEM ALL. It is hard. My children say I am their role model and my colleagues (yes that means doctors also) thank me and enjoy working with me.

So get out, go to a whole different spectrum of work. Life is soooooo short and you should be totally happy when you walk out the door in the morning.....good luck

[Curious1alwys, BSN, RN]

Orphan RN said:

I it took me years to learn not to stand at my kitchen counter while bolting down a meal as fast as possible. Often I didn't even realize I was doing it.

LOL, combine this with raising small children and I really don't see why we all are not 100 lbs. ?

[Curious1alwys, BSN, RN]

Hey, good luck to you in your new job. :yes:I get it, nursing it often feels as if it is "us or them", even if your heart is in the right place. I agree that it is an impossible job. I will say for many it is hard to leave the toxic bedside. I really think we get some form of PTSD. I have left for "calmer"jobs but also end up finding myself missing the patients and hustle bustle of the hospital. Many of these calmer jobs involve sitting on your duff for 10 hours a day which can be a shock to the system for any nurse used to no breaks and running all shift. I wish there was some job that was right in between. Case management in a facility just might be it, girl! Let us know how it goes.

[dcoopeRN]

I have survived at the bedside for over 16 years by mastering the concept of being pleasantly disengaged. Some days are easier than others but for the most part by the time I am pulling into the driveway at home after a shift then I have stopped thinking about work.

[Garden,RN, ASN, RN]

She just spoke the truth.

[babydolltoo, BSN, RN]

I completely understand & glad you got out early!!

[nocturnallife, ASN, RN]

You go girl!! Hope the CM thing works out. Btw the OP said she liked nursing when she was in North Dakota so obviously the issue is more related to current work conditions. Florida nursing is rough. I'm a new grad RN and I worked as an extern at a Tenet facility. Floor ratios are 8:1 and most of the nurses are miserable. Except for the nurses on certain units like stepdown, icu, etc...I'm guessing that it's bc the ratios are less. A typical shift consist of 4 nurses to 32 or more pts, the charge nurse who may have to take a pts and me. So I'm the only extern/cna for 33 pts. Lol on these nights our motto is "keep them dry". Forget turning and repositioning so can you say skin break down (ortho unit). Anyway, from what I've seen and what I've been told most the nurses fear for their license but they need the check. Pt care is substandard. Task based. I think my co-workers are awesome nurses but the work environment just sucks!! Most plan to leave once their 3 yr contract is up. I personally love patient care even the toileting part. We will all get old someday and may need help. But the work conditions that I've seen in my hospital are just unacceptable. From what I've been told most hospitals in Florida are this way bc they are owned by HCA/Tenet. I want to be able to sleep at night with a clean conscience and I don't see myself being able to do that if I go in to bedside nursing, well not at my facility anyway. From what I can tell OP cares maybe too much about the quality of care she provides and I can relate. We are taking care of people and I want to take care of them in the right way and most importantly under safe conditions. The struggle in west palm beach area FL for floor nurses is so real guys lol.

[RNOTODAY, BSN, RN]

Good for you ... I knew before day 1 of nursing school that I'd NEVER be a bedside floor nurse.. and I never have been one. I had 4 solid years of bedside nursing as a student at a clinically rich Hospital based nursing school-- I know everything I need to know, but I'll never practice there. ICU, ER.., and now OR, which I pray I can stay until I retire!!!

Floor nursing simply is not for everyone, and that's fine. Plenty of areas to nurse and take care of patients.... no need to be there if you hate it!!!

[mestiza90]

Im a new nurse for 5 months in ltc I need to get out asap I have a BSN I'm from the Chicago area my dream is to an office nurse. I'm looking at postings on indeed.com not too sure if anyone would give me a chance I hope and pray I find a job that I like I can't deal with the anxiety and stress in ltc.