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. 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!
I agree, but what about when administrator have the CEO's breathing down their necks and fussing about the ever so popular budget, then you have nursing complaining about having two nurses w/ 16 pts each on a sub acute floor with three admissions and two discharges and only three aides..and family's complaining because their loved ones aren't up out of bed to go to therapy? This is just a example of what i see almost on a daily basis. Nursing in a whole is difficult, yet extremley rewarding in most ways.
As badly as I needed the job I was hired for two months ago as a Clinical Manager for a HHA, I'm already thinking about leaving. Why? For the very same reasons everyone here has already discussed, plus: endless, unceasing and mindless regulations, critical short-staffing amidst boardfuls of referrals in addition to regulary scheduled visits which can't be covered either, unrealistic expectations by patients and family members who won't accept the simple explanation that Medicare doesn't cover everything they want, only ro have them turn around and report us to the State anyway, nurses performing visits which were never done, then billed to Medicare (can you spell F-R-A-U-D???), constant bickering and back-biting among the staff, and an Administrator with NO backbone. There's much, much more, only I'm too tired and disheartened to talk about it anymore. I wish I could be happy just drawing a paycheck, but I can't. I yearn for the earlier days of my nursing career when nursing was truly an art.
Good luck to the originator to this thread and to all who are leaving this profession. As soon as I am financially able, I'm gone, too.
Specializes in Rural, Midwifery, CCU, Ortho, Telemedicin.
I yearn for the earlier days of my nursing career when nursing was truly an art.
AAAAAAMEN. 5 years ago I still was an excited to go to work RN. Today, at age 61, with >40 years in the nursing field, in most every department in a hospital and having working from Florida to Alaska. I am just trying to hang in until "official" retirement. I too yearn for the days when TV didn't define nurses as upstairs maids, and MD hustlers, for the days when nurses were respected as people by not only their patients but the majority of doctors and hospital nonnursing staff. I am tired of being called stupid, incompetent, lazy, ignorant, and worthless by look, deed, and attitude, (sometimes word) when I bring a situation involving a problem with patient care or situation that isn't DIRECTLY related to the current owie, or that is of concern to patient or family or staff to MD or admin attention. I'm tired of working with no supplies or outdated supplies and equipment. I've been around long enough to know the problems of working in todays medical melieu but guess what - I'm just a nurse - so how can I possible know about all these higher functions when I can't even figure out how to take care of more patients than the State limits for and do it to the highest standards while keeping the budget to a minimum, and being degraded in front of those patients, while checking for orders and making the required corrections (with all that that implies), and at the same time never let a smile fade from brilliant for an instant. So I write about utopia, knowing that it is not now.
Good for you!! You said it all for me too. I give you credit for having that courage. I need to find something I Love to do and will be happy at. It's not nursing. It used to be but not anymore. The stress of the bosses, patients and families and the abuse we have to take from them is not worth any pay check. I also know many (the majority) of nurses who feel the same way and are suffering the negative health consequences because they force themselves to stay. I cant do it any longer.
What I've learned from reading some of these posts, and observing nurses that I work with, is to claim your own career and take advantage of the fact that nursing offers many options...Maybe it's because I'm a Generation X person, but it will be a cold day in hell before I let any employer suck the life out of me. As a tech, I left a place where I had a decent amount of senority, because it was a horrible place to work. Yes, I lost vacation time etc. , but what good is x amount of vacation time if the remaining months of the year, you are miserable. That move turned out to be the best thing I have done for myself...I got paid better, the hospital got me off the waiting list and into nursing school and the best thing of all, it renewed my love for my specialty(the OR). No hospital is utopia, but basically, the people are nice and even most of the surgeons are reasonable. As much as I love my job, though, it's not my life and I think it is that idea that will keep me sane and in nursing. Unfortunately, the media and the public persists in the idea of the "angel" nurse...I will admit it, I am NOT an angel, a saint, or a martyr either. I am a professional who expects to be adequately compensated for the job she does. My heart breaks for everyone who is feeling trapped-life is too short, if you don't like what you are doing, move on.and best of luck!
What I've learned from reading some of these posts, and observing nurses that I work with, is to claim your own career and take advantage of the fact that nursing offers many options...Maybe it's because I'm a Generation X person, but it will be a cold day in hell before I let any employer suck the life out of me. As a tech, I left a place where I had a decent amount of senority, because it was a horrible place to work. Yes, I lost vacation time etc. , but what good is x amount of vacation time if the remaining months of the year, you are miserable. That move turned out to be the best thing I have done for myself...I got paid better, the hospital got me off the waiting list and into nursing school and the best thing of all, it renewed my love for my specialty(the OR). No hospital is utopia, but basically, the people are nice and even most of the surgeons are reasonable. As much as I love my job, though, it's not my life and I think it is that idea that will keep me sane and in nursing. Unfortunately, the media and the public persists in the idea of the "angel" nurse...I will admit it, I am NOT an angel, a saint, or a martyr either. I am a professional who expects to be adequately compensated for the job she does. My heart breaks for everyone who is feeling trapped-life is too short, if you don't like what you are doing, move on.and best of luck!
Excellent advice! Of course I think so because I'm a fellow generation Xer. Do a good job, but never sacrifice yourself for your employer. Your employer wouldn't sacrifice themselves for you!
Congratulations on taking the plunge of making a mid-life career change!
I am doing the same thing. The difference is, the career I am going toward is nursing. I am leaving a field I have worked in for 25 years, and guess what? I am leaving backstabbing managers, obnoxious customers and migrane headaches. Because I have not finished my nursing program, for now, I am taking a huge hit in pay. The truth is, I couldn't be happier! I am old enough to know that rotten managers and whiny customers (patients) will be wherever I go, the difference is I will know that I am truly helping someone.
I wish you all the best, as I wish all new and aspiring nurses all the best!
You sound like you were a wonderful nurse but you must follow your path.
Nursing cannot be about money, it must be tokens of the heart.
I've been in Nursing for 18 years and I fully understand wanting to leave. I triedto leave and go back to college a few years ago, but found out real quick that money doesn't stink.
I had to go back into nursing and many days I absolutly hate it. I have so many other taents and am forced to stick with the one, because I can't afford to change. House payments, 2 pre-puberty kids, gasoline prices constantly rising, and so on. I work in ICU and I sometimes can't stand to see another sick person. I quit ER, because people seem to think that nurses are the world punching bags.
I would love to work normal hours, so have applied to Anestetics, but ma ICU head nurse is holding me back.
Anyways , go for it! Do whatever is inside of you!
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I hear ya! It's not that we're just staying in it for the money- it's that we have built a life, and have responsibilities, and bills according to what we've made for the past several years. And to go back to close to minimum wage, or even half-- is huge! It doesn't just impact us- it impacts our families, children as well! For caretakers such as we are, it seems "selfish" to make everyone suffer for our needs,wants, and desires. Guilt is BIG for alot of nurses. How many nurses are Co-Dependent? And Rescuers, or Martyrs even? When have we been encouraged to "put ourselves first"? Unless you've been in counseling, I'll bet these things are foreign to you! That's how burnout begins though. Not taking care of ourselve , til we get to the point that we couldn't take care of someone else to save our life. We just hit a wall-- of putting others first- and we must take care of ourselves or wither away! It becomes survival.
I liken it to the football star who should be aware that you get to a certain age, or number of years playing-- and then simply cannot compete any longer at the level once enjoyed. So, those with a back-up plan fare much better than those who grandiose that they are going to be "the exceptional one!' Many are, and continue along just fine...What if you're not one of the those ... in the end , you realize you should have had "a back-up plan"? +
I guess my point is "HAVE A BACK UP PLAN; just in case you happen to be the one who needs one! God love the ones who don't need it, but it seems far wiser to consider the possibility!
Nursing is a very rewarding, fulfilling life. I don't regret having done it at all. For as many horror stories to tell, there are equal, possibly more, fantastic encounters that overshadow any negative point. But--- "THERE BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD GO I"... we don't know when our time will be up and it's time to move on. Maybe it's our cue that we've done enough , and God is giving us permission to take care of ourselves now, as well as we took care of perfect strangers!
Well... I just graduate last year... I want to leave the profession too. But to be realistic, I can't quit now.... I have to work for while to save money for school for learning skills next careers or other area of nursing... The nursing job gives me the flexibilty and the saving needed for school... we are underpaid for what we do but there are many job that one has to work harder and get lower pay.... nursing is not the worst..
But from emotional point of view, I just want to quit and stay home.. haha...
So... I would just put up with it for now... and enjoy my time off... one thing I know for sure... I am not going to spend another 40 years in nursing and become a retired nurse.. at least not bedside nurse ..haha
Life is short... Looking at the sick and dying paitents, especially younger one, make me even think of this... but to be realistic, I can't quit now... just go to work... on my day off just put my job completely behind and enjoy my time...
As the one of the previous posts mentioned, one of the way of coping is laughing at the stress at the job... how ridiculous it is haha...
2stush4u
28 Posts
I agree, but what about when administrator have the CEO's breathing down their necks and fussing about the ever so popular budget, then you have nursing complaining about having two nurses w/ 16 pts each on a sub acute floor with three admissions and two discharges and only three aides..and family's complaining because their loved ones aren't up out of bed to go to therapy? This is just a example of what i see almost on a daily basis. Nursing in a whole is difficult, yet extremley rewarding in most ways.