Peachpit

I finally left nursing in early Nov. I can't express the relief I feel and hope to never returning to working as a nurse/in health care. To say I have zero interest in nursing anymore would be an understatement. The change in my mental health, physical health and stability overall has been transforming. People who are around me often have commented, without prompt, that I smile more, laugh more, look better. I no longer drink, though I never drank to excess, ever, I was drinking a glass, sometimes two, of wine every single night. I realize now I waited way, way too long to leave the professional that stopped being a fit a long time ago. I see more clearly now why I job hopped because I kept hoping, trying to make being a nurse work when it just didn't. I felt a lot of guilt and shame about it, but not anymore. If anyone is struggling because you know, REALLY KNOW, nursing is not for you, please, get out. For your sake, find something else even if it means not having the biggest house, newest car, luxury clothes whatever. Cut expenses, go PRN/part time, whatever it takes to be healty because I'm telling you, I wasted WAY too much time in life because of feeling obligated to stay in nursing and it was not worth the time I can't get back. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF and everything else WILL fall into place.

Burnout all depends on the person and outlying factors. Healthcare is demanding (as are many other fields) and nurses have a lot more responsibilities/expectations placed on them now. There is a LOT of options/opportunties in nursing, many opportunities for advancement, certifications in various speciality areas, etc. which is good. Many new grads think they will come out, land in their dream job/specialty and/or never have to work nights/weekends/holidays. Often times that doesn't happen but then again, nursing is in such desperate need now that new grads have more choices. My only advice would be to get your BSN vs LPN (I'm not sure there are associate degree RN programs or diploma programs much anymore). If you know you can't continue w/what you are doing (I personally couldn't handle what you do either) nursing school would be a good change for you. Keep in mind that radiology tech, MRI's tech, ultrasound techs and dialysis techs are in high demand as well. Those programs are shorter in duration but get your foot in the door to many healthcare facilities - not just hospitals. Lab techs and phlebomist are also high demand.

Very glad you are doing well, healing and moving forward after all you have been through. I think the majority of nurses would leave the profession if they had other options or felt they had other options. I have been an EN since 1990. Healthcare has changed, both for the good and the bad, since then but nursing has become more..abusive for lack of a better word. I'm not talking about some a-hole patient or family member or even the occassional crusty co-worker, I'm talking overall now. Nurses seem to be expected to dedicate their lives to their jobs first and family/friends/personal life way second. I know there are nurses who are happy to do that or feel they were "born" to be a nurse..that was never me. My situation is different in that I have no sustained the loss you did or have gone through answering to the BON for an issue, but I did just recently (this week in fact) resign from a job that was making the mental health issues I struggle with way worse. I accepted a position that will be less stress and unfortunately much less money but it will allow me some breathing room & the ability to have an income without all the additional stress. I understand your statement that you are living better because you gave up. I gave up trying to make the job I resigned from "fit", I gave up feeling guilt about not being able to hang in there w/it..all of. I gave up trying to control everything and when the much lesser paying job came up, I took it - it's a leap of faith and a lot of prayer for me that it will at least cover my bills, but I know I can always find a second job or cut expenses and for a better quality of life, like you, it will more than be worth it.

I was offered a similar position a while back and declined it. Too many red flags when I looked at the totality of the offer..knowing M-Thurs. it would be 15 hours of call each night (5pm to 8 am the next morning) then from Fri. at 5 p.m. to Monday morning at 8 a.m. continuous and being the solo nurse each night and all weekend day and night.. just too much. I also looked at the salary based on the number of on call hours (123ish) and it ended up making the hourly wage less than $25/hr. I think the 7 days off lures a lot of nurses into these types of positions but when you drill down on the time/pay you are giving/receiving..it's not balanced in the favor of the nurse or even equal for sure.

Agency I worked for the SN performing the SOC could order PT/OT/ST/MSW for an eval if the SN felt there may be a need. From there it was up to the PT/OT/ST and/or MSW to decide if the patient could benefit from their service and if so, obtain the MD order to provide care based on their eval. The SN never scheduled visits other than nursing and the HHA if the patient had HHA services.

Epic allows for that but OASIS documentation does not, you can't move from one area of it to another unless the previous questions have been addressed. If the patient doesn't have a lot of meds or comorbities, no wounds, no IV's - you probably could get an admission done in 1 1/2 hrs. with the care plans etc included but most nurses who have not works HH for several years, take much longer - regardless of how fast they are - because the actual documentation system sets the pace. And it sucks. Like others have said, I would never work HH again. It is absolutely not worth it except to those nurses who know they were born to be a HH health nurse and have stuck w/it for decades.

Documentation for HH has changed expoentially since you were last in the field in the 1990's. I too worked HH in the mid 90's and it was all paper charting and mostly post ops or new diabetics. Patients now are sicker and require more care, many have wound vacs, multiple wounds, trachs, IV, etc. It is RARELY a 30 min visit. Documenation is on a tablet or laptop via HCHC usually and it's a difficult system. OASIS is mandatory for HH (not hospice) and there are productivity points based on the type of visit you perform. So you may be paid salary or hourly but both depend on the points. Visits can be anywhere from 30 min to several hours depending on what service code is assigned. Documenation after the visit is not paid as it's considered part of the visit. Unless they agency is willing to assign you 1 or 2 visits I don't see how you would be able to work just 2 hrs. You have to account for the drive time, in home time and documentation time after the visit. HH agencies where I live don't normally have a dedicated SOC nurse, many hospices do though but if there aren't SOC then other visits are assigned. Set your boundaries from the beginning where you decide to work HH or you will be burnt out in short order.

I've never understood the thought process of waiting a year to leave a job if one knows, without a doubt, it is not a good fit for them - for whatever reason. That is a time that is spent unhappy, stressed and wasted in finding another position that is more aligned with what the individual needs/wants. I hope you are able to find something else long before a year - life is too short.

Employers in the state I live in follow federal laws regarding pot - even if legal in the state since it's against federal law its a no go. Depending on how much, how long OP smoked it would depend on if it showed up in routine drug test. I wondered too how OP was able to refuse to sign the forms at the testing as that is usually a requirement or as others have said sample isn't used. Also a huge flag for the potential employer so it may have been better to just go w/the testing then deal w/the negative outcome, if any, once results returned.

Though I wrote this post several years ago..the song remains the same in many ways for me though the depression/anxiety issues have become much more difficult to manage and the relief between bad bouts are now shorter. Activities of daily living (grocery shopping, cleaning, etc) in addition to working take more time and effort now. Menopause and the phyical/psychologicial changes that naturally occur with it, have not helped. I wish more people understood that mental health issues, brain based illnesses, effect every area of a persons life, 24/7/365 just as any other illness or diease process. I don't know if I have given up or reached a point of acceptance, but overall, I don't care much anymore if life gets better/easier. Any dreams of financial stability, happiness and the like I no longer consider an option. I take the good from the day when I can find it and continue to carry the weight of the other as best I can. I have found working a M-F clinic type position or in an office setting made things worse - I'm introverted, older and found it difficult to make small talk on a daily basis with other staff or pretend to enjoy the mandatory luncheons, "we are family" type working enviroment. I'm not saying those things are wrong, they just were not a fit for someone like me. I hope others who have read or commented on the post originally are doing better.

I have read and found comfort in so many of your posts. THANK YOU for BEING YOU. I am so sorry you are facing what you are, I truly hope for your comfort and peace now and in the days to come.

I ended up interviewing after my original post at an office in Georgia so my response is only based on what I was told during the interview at that branch. RN's are paid $21 and change an hour for the first 9 week (orientation time) No cell phone alloment is provided during the orientation though expectation is personal cell is used for all business related calls/texts Mileage is reimbursed during orienatation but at a lesser rate than once off orientation but the Director wasn't sure on the exact amount Uniforms are not provided Once off orienation RN's pivot to per visit rates which vary depending on type of visit (admission, regular, etc) Mileage is paid only between patients homes and is calulated by the tablet Travel time is no compensated - meaning if you have patients that live an hour apart the mileage is paid but travel time is on you Any documentation done outside the visit is no compensated as it's considered part of the visit. So, if you have an admission with a wound or IV or bot and are in the house for 3 or 4 hours depending on complexitiy of admission then have 2 more hours of documentation to complete later the RN is paid only a set amount for the visit no matter how long it takes. Calls to patients/family members/caregivers/MDs/DME companies/labs/other staff members are not compensated time either but is considered NVA (non visit activity) some of which does count toward productivity requirements. If productivity is not met for the week the expectation is an additional day or two if necessary will be worked to try to hit productivity points. If the employee is not able to meet productivity points over a few weeks then the employee can be moved to part time or PRN - though the employee has no control over the census, patients going into the hospital or refusing visits. The set up is very beneficial to Amedisys as they are able to pay low wages while expecting 24/7 commitment from their field staff. This is exactly why, at least the branches around where I live, are always hiring. I thought maybe after the covid chaos they would rethink their approach to home health and appreciation of staff but that is definitely not the case. Again, I can only speak to the branch I interviewed at. I turned the job down. For the amount of work/drive time they are wanting the balance of work/life and compensation is just not there. Which is why all of the current staff except for one is agency.

This isn't a traditional home health RN Case Management position - it's a CM position for patients receiving private duty care. If there is a difference in what the company pays for mileage and the government allowance if the company pays less than the government allows you can deduct the difference. Many do that in jobs, like home health, that mileage is a business expense. I've been paid mileage from home and back home when I did on call for hospice - I was paid from the time I left my home and for mileage until I returned home so it can be done.

LTC and Home Health are within nursing, just a different speciality than acute, etc. As far as any job being better than no job, guess it depends on if you are in a position you need your bills paid.

Though hospitals scream they need nurses they are notoriously slow to respond to applicants..part of that is the ebb/flow of when new grads hit the market. Hospitals can bring them on for a lot less than an experienced nurse. You may have to broaded your area - if you are only looking at local hospitals you may want to consider something a little further out - if for nothing else to get your feet into the hospital setting as that would definitely make you more marketable to other hospitals. Understand completely not liking the clinic work - I had a job very similar to that - absolutely hated it. Good luck