Leaving the Profession!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

well everyone

after 22 years i am leaving the nursing profession. i have spent almost half of my life taking care of other people, and it is now time to step aside and let someone else step in.

i was very young when i started out, and i often say that i chose nursing the same way many women choose a man, for all of the wrong reasons although i was good at it, i never harmed anyone, i worked hard, cleaned pts real good, cleaned nails, ears, etc. made beds, toe pleats and all, passed meds, did IV's, blood and all of those other tasks they added to the list over the years. everyone was well taken care of, except for me. i silenced my own voice.

so, it is time for me to leave. after numerous injuries, (back, wrist, neck), backstabbing managers, obnoxious families and insulting doctors i just can't do it anymore. i'm tired and just have done all i can do. i have worked everywhere and seen it all from the ER to the OR. i didn't do it for the money, it's really not that much for all of the b* i have to deal with. i feel sorry for the shallow person who wants to do nursing for the money. i would not want them standing over me.:chair:

if i had it to do over, i would not. but i can't undo what is already done.

i love kids, i love art. i have a degree in art and opportunities to teach it are coming my way. not the same money but much less stress on me, no injuries and no more palpitations and bradycardia. i don't like telemetry either-- working in it, or laying down in it. the beeping really creeps me out, and when i look up and see "50" on the screen that does not help. :redbeathe

i did not wake up and decide to quit, it has taken me a long time to get to this place and i realize that it is either remain in this relationship (profession) at my own expense, or get out now while i still have my physical and mental health and strength. i have seen too many of my commrades die prematurely.:scrying: i don't want to be next, before my time.

good luck to you all, be safe, CYA, and most of all when the going gets tough, get out!

crispicrittah:saint:

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Specializes in Education, Administration, Magnet.

Good luck to you for all your future plans. You sound like a great nurse.

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Good luck in your next venture. I really like your name, by the way.

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Specializes in cardiology-now CTICU.

good luck to you. thank you for your years, i am sure you touched more hearts than you know.

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As someone starting pre-reqs next in the fall to join the nursing program in a couple of years, all I can say to this is, yikes! This is one of the posts that scares me. For all the dozen that you see that say it's the best profession they chose,... you see another dozen that hated it.

But...

Congrats to you for making the life change you found necessary. Other's would not have been so brave. I hope you find what comforts you like you comforted many others. :)

- lisa

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you don't have to do one thing for your whole life. i'm not planning on making nursing my career for more than a few years.

and i do see why folks burn out. it's not an easy job.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Best wishes.

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Specializes in med/surg, hospice.

Best wishes to you and a heartfelt congrats on choosing to change your life and choosing what gives you joy. That takes LOADS of courage.:pumpiron:

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There truly are MANY days when the patients, their families, & physician's just suck the life out of you. I have been doing this for 24 years now & can truly relate to the way you feel. I admire your strength in being able to realize the need for change & being able to walk away from it. Oh, to be treated with a little respect. Fortunately there are always those few who do & that's what keeps me going. After a particular difficult shift, when a resident (I work LTC) looks up at you & says, " I don't know what I'd do without you", well, that's what keeps me going....

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Specializes in Emergency, PACU, ICU,.

all i can tell you is....

i'm right behind you!!!

this is probably one of the hardest prefessions to deal with and once you add in the backstabbing, nasty docs, ignorant people (not all) and constant exposure to virtually everything that's deadly... well... you get the picture...

been in er for almost 20 years. when i started, the worst thing to deal with was that a lot of folks thought male rns (which i am) were gay (which i am not). now we have to deal with mounds of paperwork (mostly redundant), physical dangers (i.e., assault), incompetence of others (i was actually told it is my responsibility to make sure the doctor gives appropriate orders and makes no mistakes! (yes, we should all be aware of right and wrong orders)), rediculous staffing ratios (no problem! i document on my couple of psych pts q 15 mins, my integrelin drip pt is doing fine and we're on the last unit of packed cells for pt #4... oh, sure! i can take a lac on a drunk assault victim - what's one more???)...

like i said.. watch out!! i'm right behind ya! :rotfl:

kev

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I am happy that you have decided to move on to your next PROFESSION, as americans we change JOBS often, the great thing about nursing is that you can be a staff nurse, teacher/instructor, case manager, nursing manager, ect...But for some people nursing is just not for them, from the start, I suggest that all nurses start as CNA or some type of mentor program before they commit years of school to decicde they don't want to do it .It might have been "just a job" for some but for me its a profession I was "called" to do, I have always wanted to be a nurse.

So what do you have to say positive about nursing to past down to the next generation of nursing professions? How do you suggest we deal with the negative aspects of nursing?

*If you hate going to work, find a new one, life is to short to be unhappy everyday! ( MY FAVORITE SAYINGS AND IT IS SO RIGTH FOR THIS THREAD)

LOVE NURSING!!!!!!!!! GOD BLESS YOU IN YOUR NEW JOB!

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Wow, you've said a lot but it sounds like you've been through a lot with your profession, and I wish you much luck in doing something you enjoy and are passionate about! I am taking prereq's and hear the things you mentioned all the time (from nurses and students who know nurses in the profession) and I just hope I can deal when and if I get there.

I think that the hospitals are responsible, to a certain degree, for the burnout part, since they have direct control with regard to patient - nurse ratios. If everyone would truly PULL TOGETHER and respect each, not only as a nurse, but as any health care provider(s) working together, I think everyone would do much better, including the pt. But then I guess I'm dreaming of a perfect world that way...

Good luck to you and I am sure you will do very well and will feel fulfilled at hte same time!

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The passion of rescue reveals the highest dynamic of the human soul - Unknown

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