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!
Good luck to whatever you choose to do!!! My friend and I have been ER nurses for over 30 years. We've never seen staffing, physical and verbal abuses, and the uncaring attitude of management ever be so bad!!! We are constantly working short and all we are told by management is:"just make it through the day". We are seeing new employees quit after only a few months and travelers can't believe the conditions we work in. I keep hearing from them "we've never worked in a place as unorganized or under staffed as this"! This is not a small hospital without monies for staff. Our patient load and acuity is over the top!!! We are never staffed correctly. We are told we are "over budget". My husband says we need a union . I'm beginning to agree with him. I stay because I remember what it used to be like. Good care. Helping patients. Now, all you get is "when is someone going to take care of me!!!" We are threatened by families and patients alike. I've really thought of leaving; but, I've been there too long and I'm the sole support of my family. I wish I could leave.
Hear,Hear!! I've only been at it for 13 years, but with 4 tacked on prior as a CNA, I'm done!! Mentally anyway...unfortunately I think I'll be here for 2 more years but I'm carefully planning my escape. I'm sure working nights up until the last year didn't help! I was a float nurse in a large hospital for 7 years and worked in many depts, but I always wanted to get to the ER. Well I made it a little over 3 years ago and I swear I've never been treated so bad. And I'm a really nice nurse. I still try to do the little things that matter to people. Most could care less. Nursing has changed so much just in the years I've been in it, I don't want to see where it is 13 years from now. Whoever made the comment earlier about McDonalds is absolutely right! Not only is the customer is always right, the customer wants it all in 5 minutes. They can talk to us however they want and we just have to take it and smile. I recently had a case where the lady complained from the word go about everything. She was abusive and degrading to me and the doctor. We let the Nurse Manager know because we figured the patient would complain....she did...and our manager apologized and sent her a plant. I can't wait till she comes in again (she's a frequent flier) I'm sure she'll be even worse! Fortunately I work with a great bunch of nurses and we keep each other sane.... or maybe it's the 11:30pm beer call once a week that keeps us sane....well, I think we're still sane...
Hi, I agree with 4yrstogo(Lisa). It is a little unsettling to read that post, but I can understand where chrispicritah is coming from- I left my job with the airlines as a customer service agent after 19yrs! I did love my job, but many aspects of it I did not. Okay, so like any job, however, I had always wanted to be a nurse and it took me many years to get to the payscale where I could afford to go to school. Now that I am finished with my pre-reqs, I am waiting anxiously for those acceptance letter, or waitlist numbers. I am 42 and I know I have grown and evolved and I am now ready for the healthcare field. I also look at it as, I wanted something more meaningful. Rather than provide a service I wanted to be of service. It is hard to leave a job and admit we are burned out. With me, the job at the airlines was not challenging for me. It takes insight to know when to leave, and great strength to leave.
And our loved ones. Left nursing after 20 years of work in
various jobs-crisis intervention, family practice, surgical nursing.
Burnout? No, I love nursing.
After working hard all these years with patients and giving my best
I became totally heartbroken.
My elderly parents have been treated so poorly by the medical system its
just beyond belief. From the Doctors office to the bedside ,the system
in our experience,is in the breaksdown lane. I will skip details,
but just depressing. It now is only a business, and money appears
to be the priority.
I have walked and will not return to nursing. I am focusing in helping
my parents and personally growing in a new direction.
I wish the new nurses and students the best of luck. There are
still many good opportunities. But please also beware.
Good luck to the posters above who are also starting a new life
after nursing, enjoy!
To the nurses who are working, bless you! Together with the new
nurses, wishing you the strength to change the system.
I unfortunately, never made it into nursing. Responsibilities and hours of work kept me going until about two years ago, when I slowed down anticipating nursing school. Then, that fell through for financial reasons. Now I am part time in home health, and scratching my head: what happened? I started posting in allnurses frankly to sort this out.
Every door shuts, despite years of diligent caring.
Then, I read this thread, and I realize, I am in my mid fifties, maybe there is something else.
Year ago, still in my teens, I went for carreer testing and the Psychologist told me, you will never be happy until you are a nurse. I remember thinking, no way, I never even thought of that! Here I am, old and gray and heck, in some ways he was right. But in other ways, well no, life is far more than what I do for a living. It is my relationships. It is what God has been able to do with the little I have.
Take care of those elderly parents you were given.
Thanks for this thread, it has helped me let go of this.
I Here I am, old and gray and heck, in some ways he was right. But in other ways, well no, life is far more than what I do for a living. It is my relationships. It is what God has been able to do with the little I have.
Take care of those elderly parents you were given.
Thanks for this thread, it has helped me let go of this.
Let go! You have brought love and care to many people in
both your family and work. Remember, God first,
family second ,then work. That's a quote I found years
ago from Mary Kay. (Nice cosmetics)
Its what is in your heart and what you give to others that counts...
I feel also like leaving the profession due to the accusations, such as nurses diverting, ect.......... too many back stabbing nurses, Managers, hot headed docs.................I would love to hear more about nurses that have been charged with drug diversion at a hospital. Do they get law enforcemant involved????????????
moodychick, LPN
80 Posts
Good luck to whatever you choose to do!!! My friend and I have been ER nurses for over 30 years. We've never seen staffing, physical and verbal abuses, and the uncaring attitude of management ever be so bad!!! We are constantly working short and all we are told by management is:"just make it through the day".
We are seeing new employees quit after only a few months and travelers can't believe the conditions we work in. I keep hearing from them "we've never worked in a place as unorganized or under staffed as this"! This is not a small hospital without monies for staff. Our patient load and acuity is over the top!!! We are never staffed correctly. We are told we are "over budget". My husband says we need a union . I'm beginning to agree with him. I stay because I remember what it used to be like. Good care. Helping patients. Now, all you get is "when is someone going to take care of me!!!" 
We are threatened by families and patients alike. I've really thought of leaving; but, I've been there too long and I'm the sole support of my family. I wish I could leave.
Take care of yourself! I envy you!!!!:wink2: