My gut is telling me you are not a nurse

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This is a second career for me and I am a smidge over 30. First career was to be a psychotherapist. The BS and MS education in psych was amazing. But practicing as a therapist did not turn out well (didn't realize how chronic mental illness is and did not have the patience for it). The same has gone for nursing. I loved my education (got an AAS) and have been an RN since May of 2010. I have gotten jobs in women's health (right where I wanted to be in NICU and postpartum). But I am already looking for something else to do and I am not even sure I know what that is. I keep thinking it's my schedule (I work nights) so I am constantly looking for something else. But the more I think about it, the more I realize I just don't want to be a nurse. The only thing I have discovered about myself is that I like to teach. I don't want to teach kids or high school or anything, but I really enjoy knowing a lot about the body and mind and teaching patients (or anyone for that matter about it as it relates to their own health or a family member or friends health). My problem is I don't know what to do with this knowledge. I already have 3 degrees and was contemplating a BSN because I only have a few classes to take and my hospital would pay for it. But, now I am not so sure.

The state of the economy does not help either. 5-6 years ago I would have thought nothing of dropping my hours as an RN and pursuing some other path, but now...not so much. For one, education is ridiculously expensive and I am not 20 anymore so the idea of going further into debt for another career change is daunting. I don't see a lot out there that I can do with my current education and experience. I dread going to work not because I hate my job necessarily but because I keep feeling like there is something else I am supposed to be doing with my life and this is just something to do in the meantime. I chose nursing not because I have a great passion for it but because I seriously didn't know what else to do and thought since I had the psych degrees doing something in healthcare would be a great bridge.

Again, I am glad for my education and work experience (I worked as a CNA since 2003 while going to school) and the area of healthcare is fascinating to me. I am just really depressed and not sure what my next move should be. BUt, I must admit this is how I have felt since I finished with my BS in 2002. In whatever moment I am in since I graduated college (the first time) I keep looking ahead for the next best thing or what can I work on next or what goal or area can I move onto down the road. I have never been satisfied with whatever it was I was doing. Even when getting my MS, I was already planning on a PhD or a PsyD. Then during nursing school, I was already thinking I'll be applying to NP or PA programs as soon as I can and only planned on getting a year or two of experience at the bedside. It's like no matter what I am doing, I am thinking or looking into the next step I can take.

I have discovered this about myself but am not sure what my next move should be. I keep choosing things I know at the time are only a stepping stone to the next best thing and are things I know I don't want to do for a career. I can specifically remember doing prereq's for nursing and complaining about how I did not look forward to the crap hospital schedules and all the other BS that goes along with being a bedside nurse.

I don't know if I am asking a question here or just rambling (probably rambling) but if anyone cane pick up on something in this post and see what I am obviously not seeing...I need help. I am miserable and not sure what to do.

Thanks

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Do an MS bridge program and become a patient educator, school nurse or teach nursing. If you didn't realize how chronic mental illness is and didn't have the patience......illness is also very chronic and you still have non compliance. Maybe that you wouldn't have patience for either? School nursing does a ton of health promotion for the kids all the way through school, which may be your niche. Nights can make you fell out of sorts......maybe be a midwife? Which places you back in the MS bridge programs.

I wish you the best....:redpinkhe

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This is a second career for me and I am a smidge over 30. First career was to be a psychotherapist. The BS and MS education in psych was amazing. But practicing as a therapist did not turn out well (didn't realize how chronic mental illness is and did not have the patience for it). The same has gone for nursing. I loved my education (got an AAS) and have been an RN since May of 2010. I have gotten jobs in women's health (right where I wanted to be in NICU and postpartum). But I am already looking for something else to do and I am not even sure I know what that is. I keep thinking it's my schedule (I work nights) so I am constantly looking for something else. But the more I think about it, the more I realize I just don't want to be a nurse. The only thing I have discovered about myself is that I like to teach. I don't want to teach kids or high school or anything, but I really enjoy knowing a lot about the body and mind and teaching patients (or anyone for that matter about it as it relates to their own health or a family member or friends health). My problem is I don't know what to do with this knowledge. I already have 3 degrees and was contemplating a BSN because I only have a few classes to take and my hospital would pay for it. But, now I am not so sure.

The state of the economy does not help either. 5-6 years ago I would have thought nothing of dropping my hours as an RN and pursuing some other path, but now...not so much. For one, education is ridiculously expensive and I am not 20 anymore so the idea of going further into debt for another career change is daunting. I don't see a lot out there that I can do with my current education and experience. I dread going to work not because I hate my job necessarily but because I keep feeling like there is something else I am supposed to be doing with my life and this is just something to do in the meantime. I chose nursing not because I have a great passion for it but because I seriously didn't know what else to do and thought since I had the psych degrees doing something in healthcare would be a great bridge.

Again, I am glad for my education and work experience (I worked as a CNA since 2003 while going to school) and the area of healthcare is fascinating to me. I am just really depressed and not sure what my next move should be. BUt, I must admit this is how I have felt since I finished with my BS in 2002. In whatever moment I am in since I graduated college (the first time) I keep looking ahead for the next best thing or what can I work on next or what goal or area can I move onto down the road. I have never been satisfied with whatever it was I was doing. Even when getting my MS, I was already planning on a PhD or a PsyD. Then during nursing school, I was already thinking I'll be applying to NP or PA programs as soon as I can and only planned on getting a year or two of experience at the bedside. It's like no matter what I am doing, I am thinking or looking into the next step I can take.

I have discovered this about myself but am not sure what my next move should be. I keep choosing things I know at the time are only a stepping stone to the next best thing and are things I know I don't want to do for a career. I can specifically remember doing prereq's for nursing and complaining about how I did not look forward to the crap hospital schedules and all the other BS that goes along with being a bedside nurse.

I don't know if I am asking a question here or just rambling (probably rambling) but if anyone cane pick up on something in this post and see what I am obviously not seeing...I need help. I am miserable and not sure what to do.

Thanks

If you get an MSN (and get certified in psych specialty) you could teach and maybe practice PT?

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There are also nurse educator positions within units, especially if you know places that do new grad programs

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Specializes in pediatrics, public health.

Public health might be another option, given that you enjoy teaching. With your NICU experience you'd be an excellent candidate for a mom/baby home visiting program. Some states/counties have such programs for NICU "graduates", some have such programs for low income families. In most states you do need a BSN to be a PHN, but you don't need an MSN (you also don't need an MSN to be a school nurse, at least not in my state).

Since you're just a few courses shy of a BSN and your employer will pay for the courses, why not stick with your current job long enough to get the BSN? It will give you more options for alternative nursing careers.

Another thing to keep in mind though -- no job is ever perfect, no job will ever be 100% fulfilling, all jobs have stuff that you don't like about them. Sounds like maybe you have this idealized image of the perfect job that can never be fulfilled. I used to have this fantasy that I would find a job that I would love so much that it wouldn't even feel like work, and that I would get up every day eager to go to work. Well guess what -- that never happened. Although I do like my current job -- a LOT -- I would still hand in my resignation tomorrow if I won the lottery today. Most of us work because we have to, not because we love it. That doesn't mean you should stick with a job that you hate or that is making you miserable, but from your post it doesn't sound to me like that's what's going on for you. Perhaps you need to lower your expectations a bit, and decide if your job is good enough? Just a thought from another idealistic career-changer.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Too bad you don't like psyche, otherwise I would suggest be a psychiatric nurse. Maybe if you could find a patient population re psyche to prefer AODA vs geropsyche vs chronic mentally ill homeless population.

Maybe it would be different in a hospital setting and it wouldn't be up to you to "cure" anyone. Maybe it would take the pressure off if that was part of the problem. Being a therapist must be pretty daunting, all the responsibility, pressure and then business side of it, insurance and an office, etc. Maybe being just an employee it would be better. Just a thought!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Home Health, LTC.

I am responding more in the spiritual and human realm here. What stands out in your words is

But practicing as a therapist did not turn out well (didn't realize how chronic mental illness is and did not have the patience for it

Going into nursing will not offer the escape it sounds like you desire. It is a career - in institutions facilities hospitals- where you are in the midst of personalities dysfunction personal agendas, policymakers profit driven ( all generally speaking) and many of these personalities (et all) have a license to- and an environment to function in. It is not the patients. For me, the patients have always been the sole reason I have remained in nursing.

For me it requires a tremendous amount of personal energy -energy I would rather devote to my patients - coping with the personalities of other nurses all way up to administration and policies.

I believe we all have a true purpose and it has more to do with inside of us than outside in the carnal realm.

Sorry I should be sleeping rather than here writing and rambling having worked a noc shift. I am tired. But I am mostly tired from the personalities of other staff than I am being with my patients. I came on here to post something related to this and felt to reply to yours. Keep the faith.

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Specializes in Medical.

Have you thought of seeing a careers counsellor? There are some that specialise in adults who, like you, are dissatisfied, unfulfilled and not sure where to from here.

Good luck :)

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Even now as I think about it, I can't decide if I just don't have the patience for any of it anymore. The more I have worked with people in a variety of settings the more I have become pessimistic about people in general. The bad and negative really stand out to me and I feel like it has ruined me as a person. Like, I have seen the absolute crap side of humanity in every sense of the word and I just have no tolerance or patience for the absolute stupidity of it anymore. I have turned into such a negative person. A very unhappy one. I can't see bright sides anymore. I see the cruelty, greed, entitlement, abuse, stupidity and so on that human beings on all levels inflict on themselves and others. It makes me sick.

I need to be an accountant or go work at ups or something that has nothing to do with humanity. Ugh. I appreciate the feedback so far. I have no desire whatsoever to work in psych at all.

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I actually did that, went to a career counselor when I bailed on therapy after graduation. I learned a lot of what I already knew about myself. But, again, I could feel myself forcing my path because I was afraid of having no direction. Afraid of no direction, yet I keep choosing paths I am not fully committed to just to have something I am working toward.

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Specializes in CC, MS, ED, Clinical Research.

Look at the title of your post. People make mistakes and there is no reason to keep repeating it over and over until it becomes the definition of insanity. Healthcare may not be your forte. If you need money stay put; if you need happiness change paths.

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Look at the title of your post. People make mistakes and there is no reason to keep repeating it over and over until it becomes the definition of insanity. Healthcare may not be your forte. If you need money stay put; if you need happiness change paths.

I have to go to work tonight and I am just dreading it. I wish I could call in. I wish I could take a fricken month off of work and take some time to sort through my head. Want to curl in ball. Maybe I should start searching out some restaurant jobs. Bartender sounds good.

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