Leaving nursing?

[Isabelm1122, BSN, RN]

Just looking for advice.
I’m not happy working in healthcare. I’ve worked inpatient & outpatient, Med Surg, critical care, urgent care etc.

I just want to try something else. The “working for an insurance company” thing that I read on every forum sounds great but I’ve spent the better part of the last year applying for many jobs I’m qualified for on every insurance company I can find, having my resume professionally updated, following up with recruiters and HR contacts - with no luck.

I’m thinking I want to try something totally unrelated to nursing. I have a BSN. My experience prior to nursing was in military law enforcement (not looking to pursue that route either). I’d like something tech related but I just don’t know what’s out there and who would hire a nurse to do non-nursey things.

So here’s my question: Any FORMER nurses on here? What do you do now? How did you get started in that field?

(Side note: really not looking to “try” new specialties... I want out LOL)

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

I know you said you wanted out, but you could combine your BSN with technology and go into healthcare informatics. Typically they are desk jobs with no patient interaction.

Another thing to consider is interview skills. You said you've had your resume professionally edited, but didn't mention if you've had feedback on how you interview.

[Isabelm1122, BSN, RN]

I have not gotten to the interview portion to receive feedback, just a million automated rejection Emails for jobs I’m not sure I even want to do anyway (care management, your, etc.).

I think I’d actually really enjoy Informatics but I’m not really sure where to start or how to break into the field. I’m not in a position to pursue my masters degree just yet either, so finding an informatics job that doesn’t prefer an MSN + experience has been pretty tough. Feeling defeated, but trying to stay positive and doing daily research to try to find something that might be a good fit.

[Isabelm1122, BSN, RN]

Utilization review ** (not your)

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

I worked with a nurse who chose not to go back for a BSN (now a requirement with a subset of nurses close to retirement exempted) who is now a clinical informatics specialist with not even a bachelors. You may need to get creative with what the positions might be called.

[Isabelm1122, BSN, RN]

Thank you! I’ll definitely be on the lookout.

[buckchaser10]

I know a guy who up and left for a minimum wage job in Europe because he was feeling burnt out. Within months he missed nursing. You might find the same but there truly is only one way to find out.

[ModeRNurse20]

Hello, I'm sorry to hear this. Nursing is a 2nd degree for me. I already have a BS in Marketing. I tried and hated the business world and being stuck behind a desk. After some soul-searching and digging, I settled on healthcare. As a person who is doing just the opposite of you, I feel for you. I know what it feels like to feel like you hate what you are doing. But you have to ask yourself some tough questions. First, I'd recommend removing all distractions, texting friends, family, or gf/bf that you need some time to yourself to relax. Heck, don't tell them. Just get alone with a pen and paper. Write it out and wrestle with it. You have to identify why you want to make a change. Write out things like: Is it the rules, the "system", co-workers, the hospital, the patients? OR is it you? Do you know why you wanted to become a nurse? Is it your attitude? Do you want more money? I dislike a lot about the current healthcare system, but I get to be licensed and paid to treat and help people in their time of need. Also, you gain real, valuable skills that you can take with you anywhere. Guess who they aren't going to cast off the island? The nurse. ?

If there is something you can do to make your world better than BE the change that you want to see, instead of merely running to something else. It will give you a new objective to fight for. For me, there are days that I can't believe I get paid to try to make people better. Whether they do or not is not always up to me. As a nurse you can truly leave everything single day knowing that you made a real difference, even if all you did was give one med correctly, you were trying to help. Not everyone can say that.

[Isabelm1122, BSN, RN]

I’m curious, since nursing is a second career for you- what attracted you to nursing specifically (vs. other healthcare roles), and how long have you been practicing as a nurse?

I shared a similar view on the privilege it was to be a bedside nurse for quite a while, until a switch flipped and I found myself feeling resentful and annoyed by the tasks I was required to do. It wasn’t the coworkers, the hospital, or the pay. It was the JOB. I simply didn’t enjoy what I was doing, I didn’t feel fulfilled by it. Perhaps I was in the wrong speciality.

As an update, I am no longer working bedside nursing but I am still working as a nurse in a totally different role, and I LOVE my new position as a Wellness Nurse for a Primary Care practice, doing preventative care planning and education 1:1 with my patients (and yes, I sit behind a desk now- and I LOVE it).

So for me, “merely running to something else” was EXACTLY what I needed to reignite my passion for the nursing profession.