So nervous about actually leaving my hospital job

rebrrn · Apr 2, 2015

Yes! I primarily work CVICU, but I have a passion for hospice care. I can't seem to get out of my own way, because I feel like it would mean I'm less of a nurse if I were to do Hospice full time. I certainly don't think hospice nurses are inferior, so then why do I feel this when it comes to me choosing that path? You are certainly not alone when it comes to being scared. As long as you are leaving the hospital under good terms, the door will remain open for you to always come back. Worst case, you don't like it. Most companies know that some people are not made for certain positions and are understanding if it doesn't work out.

caliotter3 · Apr 2, 2015

I feel like that when my bed is really warm and the room is really cold. You have to make the move sometime!

nurseontheway · Apr 3, 2015

Yes, I think that change can almost feel paralyzing at times. However, I know that it is necessary at times. I am also trying to get into home health. I would like more flexibility in scheduling and am tired of waking up so early. I know that you will be okay even though it may take time to get used to your new surroundings.

Libby1987 · Apr 3, 2015

Pretend you just woke from a dream to having to return to your hospital job. Would that make you more or less anxious than you are now?

What are you hoping to find in HH, or what would you need to find to have no regrets? What would make it worth it?

GuEsT78 · Apr 3, 2015

Trust your feelings. Your unhappiness with hospital nursing is telling you to move on. My hunch is that within about six weeks you'll be so loving your new work that'd you'll be mad at yourself for not making the move sooner. Six weeks, psychologists have found, is about how long it takes for a new environment to seem normal.

Also, I know when I worked in a hospital, my satisfaction hinged primarily on how long I cared for specific patientsâ€”the longer, the better. That was one reason why, despite emotional stress, I wanted to work with children who had leukemia. Home care is likely to mean similar long-term care, patients you get to know well, and none of the politics of hospitals.

And besides, those 15 years of experience in a hospital mean that for at least several years making the move back won't be hard. You can always go back.

babynurse73 · Apr 3, 2015

I so hope you're right!!*^

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Wendy

babynurse73 · Apr 3, 2015

Pretend you just woke from a dream to having to return to your hospital job. Would that make you more or less anxious than you are now?
What are you hoping to find in HH, or what would you need to find to have no regrets? What would make it worth it?

Libby.....

I fear regretting the move I guess. But I'm looking for everything thy HH is known for.... m-f (basically), more time with patients, less stress (the kind that is exclusive to hospitals... Constant interruptions, running around all day, staffing). I work in psych right now w/ a manager that has no psych experience and it shows, but to her credit, our hospital is assigning nurse managers 2 and 3 units.... So the much needed changes never get done. I'm getting off track here so in a nutshell im burnt out! I've stayed on so long that the change is terrifying. The pay is great, so the cut in pay is a huge factor as well. At this stage of my career I would like to stay put in a company and possibly move up. Not interested in doing that on the hospital.

I sort of admire those who stay in one specialty their entire career. I was in labor and delivery for about seven years, I run in to my old friends from that unit and they say ....you still have that wanderlust Wendy? I think some truly have found their passion and others stay because they fear change......i'm not exactly a job hopper, I've stayed in MedSurg for about three years, labor and delivery for seven, and psych for two years. I would like to get somewhere and stay. I'm hoping home health will be my passion. It sounds wonderful, but when I read the negative it bums me out and I start second guessing because I know every job has its stressors.....but I'm trying to think positively! Thank you for your thoughts!

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Wendy

Libby1987 · Apr 3, 2015

You'll get more patient time compared to acute care, you can count on that.

I read about some of the experiences here and they sound like they're working for crackerjack operations.

OTOH, where we had to work OT, nights and weekends in acute care, we about flip out when we have to make evening visits or the day falls apart and you end up chasing your tail. There are no easy nursing jobs and HH attracts a lot of beat up burnt out nurses or those who struggled with the pace of acute care. There a lot of positives in HH but it isn't just an easy job, I think of it as a more doable job.

JustMeRN · Apr 3, 2015

I left the hospital in September after 15 years. I was terrified. The first week of orientation I second guessed. Now I think it's the best career choice I have made (so far).

annie.rn · Apr 3, 2015

I had the same feelings as the OP when I switched from Med-Surg inpatient nursing to outpatient hospice. It was a big adjustment and I hated it for the first few months but after getting into the groove it was much better in a lot of ways than inpatient nursing. As a previous poster mentioned, there are no easy nursing jobs. You will find things you love about your new job and things you hate about it. Hopefully you will find more things you love about it than you hate. I kept a prn job at the hospital for the first few months of the hospice job just to have an out if I couldn't stand it. Maybe you could do that and it would give you a sense of peace to know you could fall back on the familiar. I am no longer doing hospice but I am glad I gave it a try. I may go back to it one of these days.

Riven · Apr 3, 2015

I left a hospital job that I had held for 16 years to go into HH nursing about 18 months ago.

I admit, I really struggled at first in home health, it is just....well, very different than floor nursing.

Now, I feel I made the right decision. Like someone has pointed out, if you find it's not your cup of

tea, you can always return to a hospital environment.

Take a deep breath, relax, and if it doesn't work out, don't beat yourself up.