phasing out of nursing

Nurses General Nursing

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I burned out of hospital nursing after 14 years...At that time I looked into all the other nursing options out there...and, ya know, very little appealed to me or fit my life for various reasons. So, I've been doing private duty nursing since then (almost 4 years now). Essentially I am "underemployed", but it is easier nursing work and it fits my life at this time. It is nice to be able to give one-on-one care. I have gained a handful of new skills, but for the most part I am losing my skills, but, ya know, I don't really care.

Recently...I have been pursuing some non-nursing educational endeavors for purely "personal enrichment" purposes. But I have just realized that these endeavors will very likely open up some non-nursing job opportunities for me in the next 2 or 3 years, even though employment was not my initial goal. At some point, then, I can completely leave the nursing profession! AND...I can't tell you what a tremendous sense of relief I suddenly feel!! I can phase out of nursing all together in the next 2 or 3 years. I feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel!!! I feel set free!!!!! Sad, perhaps, but true. I'll be another nurse leaving the field...

Looking back, I don't even know how I hacked hospital nursing for 14 years. I think one of the only reasons I did hack it was I was only prn/part-time hours. I was just sent an article link by a relative from their local paper that stated that 1 in 5 new grads burn out of nursing in less than ONE year and leave nursing! One in five in less than a year! I was surprised, but not really. I started hospital nursing back around 1991 and left the hospital setting in 2005. I saw so many changes for the worse in those years...in regards to the nursing working environment. Primarily: the patients we had to care for became more and more acute, yet our nurse to patient ratio stayed the same. And I noticed patients and families becoming increasingly demanding (which I blame on the hospitals starting to promote themselves almost like hotels.) So...with the way things changed, I am not surprised that some new grads aren't even lasting a year.

here is a link for that article: http://www.buffalonews.com/nationalworld/national/story/581007.html

Thanks for listening...All power to those of you staying in nursing! I don't know how you do it. You are needed!

After 4 years as an LPN in LTC, I'm currently taking courses to get as far away from nursing as I can. I loved taking care of my pts, I was a very good nurse (told this by pt's, families & other nurses). I am just not into politics, I refuse to join the clicks, I will not kiss butt to make others happy, and I will not dumb myself down so the higher up won't feel threatened by me. Results, being treated like s**t, given the worse assignments, having the 7-3 shift nurses reviewing my work every day for something, anything to report to management, having management refuse to send help to me when I need it, having a project I worked hard to create (on my own time) taken from me & given to a friend of the DON. I finally decided my health (mental & physical) is worth more than this job.

Becoming a Nurse was a life long dream for me. Now it is a neverending nightmare.

Maybe, if, Nurses (not all Nurse's are bad, I know this) ever learn to work together as a team instead of attacking each other (to make themselves look good) you will be able to stand together and decrease the rate of burnout & dissatisfaction I've seen & experienced. Good Luck.

There are certainly many valid reasons to leave nursing, but if you think you'll get away from politics in another field, you will end up disillusioned.

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Specializes in med-surg, teaching, cardiac, priv. duty.
There are certainly many valid reasons to leave nursing, but if you think you'll get away from politics in another field, you will end up disillusioned.

I agree that there are politics everywhere, but as a female dominated profession I think nursing has extra special problems in this area. Groups of females working together...more backstabbing, passive-aggressive behavior, gossip, etc.

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"Originally Posted by marie-francoise viewpost.gif

if they don't want just new grads and imported nurses filling their nursing rosters soon, or patients left unattended in beds because nurses are simply overwhelmed.

As long as it's cheaper and they can get away with it, that might be precisely what they want.

I have believed for a long time that that is exactly what they want.

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Specializes in tele.

I look at nursing like a pro athlete looks at their career. Bedside nursing in the hospital is not realistically something I can do until the age of retirement. It is too physically and emotionally demanding. I did not become and RN until age 32. Prior to that I worked in office jobs, 8-5, M-F, no holidays, no weekends. I have never worked harder in my life. Keep your eyes and your options open for positions that are more fitting for your later career years.

Secondly, I applaud any nurse that can identify they are burned out and take steps to remedy their situation. I have worked with burned out nurses. They have said and done things that jeopardize their jobs and licenses and they don't even see it! They can also bring down unit morale, student morale, and the profession in general. I am not directing this to anyone that has shared their feelings in this thread, however.

You have fought the good fight. Thank you for your service and the best of luck in your new endeavors. I'll most likely be with you on the other side someday!

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valerie salva, that quote you have at the end of your post (copied below) is fitting! hospitals (and perhaps many patients/families) expect nurses to be martyrs; but most humans are naturally not martyrs, especially for their jobs.

the martyr sacrifices themselves entirely in vain. or rather not in vain; for they make the selfish more selfish, the lazy more lazy, the narrow narrower.

-florence nightingale

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Specializes in acute rehab, med surg, LTC, peds, home c.

the martyr sacrifices themselves entirely in vain. or rather not in vain; for they make the selfish more selfish, the lazy more lazy, the narrow narrower.

-florence nightingale

once again, flo hit the nail on the head. she was so wise. i have often felt as a nurse that i am enabling a machine that exploits our willingness to help people. if we refused to work under horrible conditions, facilities would be unable to continue. yet we continue to slave away and jump through more and more hoops, working with unsafe ratios under ridiculous conditions. it borders on abusive. why do we do these things? i have often pondered this and spoken to my co workers about it. we have decided that it is probably for the same reasons we get involved in abusive relationships. anyone have any thoughts on the matter?

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Specializes in Med-Surg, HH, Tele, Geriatrics, Psych.
the martyr sacrifices themselves entirely in vain. or rather not in vain; for they make the selfish more selfish, the lazy more lazy, the narrow narrower.

-florence nightingale

once again, flo hit the nail on the head. she was so wise. i have often felt as a nurse that i am enabling a machine that exploits our willingness to help people. if we refused to work under horrible conditions, facilities would be unable to continue. yet we continue to slave away and jump through more and more hoops, working with unsafe ratios under ridiculous conditions. it borders on abusive. why do we do these things? i have often pondered this and spoken to my co workers about it. we have decided that it is probably for the same reasons we get involved in abusive relationships. anyone have any thoughts on the matter?

i worked last night and have to go to sleep now, but it seems like somewhere i wrote something that would be a good response to this. when i have a brain again, i will find it and link to it here. :yawn:

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