Negativity & Getting On With Life

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Visiting the forums here for over seven years now, a common theme is dissatifaction with the current realities of for-profit institutional nursing and the ailing not-for-profit nursing sector.

New or so-to-be nurses seek advice on whether their chosen career is viable now or for the longer term. Seasoned nurses chime in about their unhelpful attitude and question prioritization or apparent poor resilience before graduation, NCLEX and landing that oh-so-crucial first job on a med-surg or similar unit.

For what it is worth -or not- this newly retired R.N. agrees with you. I think questioning your career choice is healthy. You ought to be wondering if you made too many sacrifices. You should consider your future career longevity, happiness and financial stability. That's called being an adult. And being realistic.

Life is short. Life can be very sweet. There are better jobs. If your gut is telling you to get out now, maybe you ought to listen and think deeply about what kind of life you want.

Nurses are not the most pleasant co-workers. Some are bullies. Some do not wish you well. Some feel you simply must earn your due. (Nothing simple to that, really.) Administrators tend to salvage their own jobs. Physicians have their priorities. Sometimes that is sleep. Sometimes that is shutting down a perceived lesser voice.

Even when it feels like you've invested way too much to turn back, you do have choices. I wasted too much energy trying to hold on to what I's worked so hard for, but honestly, I do not and won't ever regret becoming a registered nurse. It was my dream. I did it. And yes, eventually I quit. The personal costs just got waaay too high.

The thing about that is that I have transferable skills. I have knowledge and understanding about physiology and myself that have and will serve me and my loved ones well- in another field now. And I still totally rock at taking care of my family and myself. I can review like nobody but the other academically and practically minded nurses I know.

No one in my healthcare jobs ever asked about my family. Few asked about how I was doing. Today, this is commonplace where I work. We are family and we do care. Few nurses I worked with fall into this category. I can think of no one, really. This is sad, isn't it?

If you hate nursing in today's lousy cultural and economic healthcare environment, leave.

I promise if you are happier and healthier, your new found joy will get you hired. And yes, you may be working for half your current pay. Look into multiple income streams and build them. There is a lot you are trained to do and share.

Nursing and nurses ought to be about helping all to live a "good" and healthy life. Kind of hard to do under the current conditions, isn't it? Life can be better. I'm living another dream now and so can you: there is nothing shameful in choosing to get out of nursing if it no longer supports your good and healthy life.

Be well. Be happy. Be blessed.

~Proud to be a former R.N., psychosocially whole, physically rested, now happily serving my family and friends exclusively, no license required, Good Samaritan forever

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

Obviously, you don't say much, glass1/2full.

But when you say it, it's worth the saying!

The very best to you and thank your for your wonderful post!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I wish you the very best.

Unfortunately, nursing is viewed as one of the few remaining entry-level careers for those who want to enter the middle class or remain in it. I'm seeing anecdotal evidence of wage deflation in a number of regions. Nursing has become the 'hot' career that everyone (and their momma) wants to enter.

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I think one of the biggest problems with dissatisfaction issues is because of many that don't have options, or believe they don't, due to financial constraints.

A new nurse as a second career and/or single parent will probably be committed aka stuck but if I could tell any new nurse just starting out in life two things it would be, learn the working conditions for nurses prior to taking on student loans and live on a shoestring your first couple of years ie no kids, new car or home purchase before you're established in nursing and know it's a career you can sustain.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

Your post is balanced, real, and for me rings very true. Thanks. All the best to you.

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I needed this. Thank you :)

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