Stressed out and Getting Out

Nurses Safety

Published

I am making the most of this beautiful and unusually cool August morning, by sending out resumes to prospective employers. Why? because the stress level has gotten so bad where I work, that people are actually exchanging fisticuffs with each other. Only two days before, our supervisor had had a staff meeting, to publicly announce her concerns with Upper Management "at all levels"...and to hold an improptu Stress Management seminar. It didn't and isn't working. A co-worker and I aren't even speaking to each other, after I turned her in a couple of weeks ago, for flying into me for "having less work than she did". Give me a break! :angryfire

I don't need this s---. I even applied for positions at Wal-Mart and at another retailer yesterday. I have had enough , and am getting out, while I still have the sanity to do so. :(

i think every nurse has, at one time or another, fantasized about "getting out."

i know i would miss it, though. i think nursing isn't a career.....it's what you are. i'm a nurse, and even if i never worked in nursing again, that won't change.

i want to meet people's needs and minister to the sick.

i cannot go without that.

there are good places to work.....if you don't like where you're at, keep looking. i ###### sure won't trade my career for being a "people greeter" at sprawl mart.

i shudder to think what they go through.....and what do they make, about seven or eight bucks an hour? get real.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am a fairly new graduate that went back to school to fulfill my dream of becoming a nurse after my ex-husband left. I was in a position to go to school full-time and took advantage of that! Before I returned back to school, I was a branch manager for a credit union....I hated it. At the peak of my career in banking, I made 17,500. And this was after 10 years in banking. I love working with people and helping others..... but I really felt very unappreciated to say the least.... long hours, bringing reports home and working everyweekend long hours with no overtime as I was salaried. At least, now, I feel as if I am making a difference directly in people's lives. I love nursing and as one said earlier it isn't what I do, it is what I am....

Good luck to those looking for a change and I wish you all the best! Take care

:p

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It really does take a special person to be a nurse. You have to be encouraging, sympathetic, caring, patient....to name a few. You have to be able to relate to all different people and all different situations. It really is quite a defintion of who you are. I really think that the nurses who are looking to get out are possibly just burned out. that can happen to the BEST of nurses. I once read that the average nurse lasts only 7 years in the nursing profession. :uhoh3: I suppose that depends on the job, the wage, the person, etc. but, since all of us here are nurses, we all understand the every day stress that the job brings. I love my job, personally. I know I have said that many times before, but I really can't say it enough. :) Anyway, I also want to wish those of you choosing other paths the best, maybe a break is all that's neccessary? Maybe not, but good luck to all of you !!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Just because someone is disenfranchised with the reality of nursing today does not mean they they are NOT good people. Enuf said.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Yeah, nurses listen, there is not a nursing shortage, the only reason there are fewer nurses in the field is because we are treated so poorly... If we were treated better you would have an over abundance of nurses. It's really disgusting at my hospital, they rant and rave about how they need us to work overtime, etc. because they don't have enough staff, and then they literally make our LPN's into CNA's. They were working out of their scope of practice they told us.....well now they are working beneath their scope of practice, plus we now have less staff then we did. Not only that, but they (hospital) then told the LPN's that they would no longer be needed in two years if they didn't get their RN....Well, the nursing schools are booked solid so these LPN's who were employed by my hospital for more then 30 years are now basically being thrown out of their jobs. I'm so sick of hearing that there is a nursing shortage when I KNOW there isn't. How could they do that to the LPN's if there was a shortage? Is this happening anywhere else? Tiliimnrn

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It must be happening everywhere...

It all comes down to the Almighty Dollar, IMO. It's the patients and residents I feel sorry for.

Oh, and us, too.....LOL. :chuckle

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It must be happening everywhere...

It all comes down to the Almighty Dollar, IMO. It's the patients and residents I feel sorry for.

Oh, and us, too.....LOL. :chuckle

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in pedi, pedi psych,dd, school ,home health.

before you get out...look ot another area..what REALLY makes you happy..i learned the hard way that it's not the $$ or the status...its the way you feel at the end (ans the beginning!) of each work day..i'm so lucky that I made the choice to take the job I have..I LOVE what i DO!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in pedi, pedi psych,dd, school ,home health.

before you get out...look ot another area..what REALLY makes you happy..i learned the hard way that it's not the $$ or the status...its the way you feel at the end (ans the beginning!) of each work day..i'm so lucky that I made the choice to take the job I have..I LOVE what i DO!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in O.R., ED, M/S.

There are so many areas of nursing to look into. I know people who did 5 or 6 different nursing jobs before they found the one that they liked. Sometimes direct patient care isn't for everyone and working more independently, without co-workers, is just your cup of tea. I have been in the OR for 28 years and wouldn't do anything else, at this point. WalMart are nice but really is this what you would want to do with all your hard work you put into nursing school. If you can, just get out of nursing for awhile and look at all your options and then get into something that makes you want to go to work everyday. As much as I love my job there are days I want to scream and go out and sit on the patio and be left alone. As someone said there is no shortage of nurses just attractive, well paying, low stressed jobs out there. Good luck Mike

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in O.R., ED, M/S.

There are so many areas of nursing to look into. I know people who did 5 or 6 different nursing jobs before they found the one that they liked. Sometimes direct patient care isn't for everyone and working more independently, without co-workers, is just your cup of tea. I have been in the OR for 28 years and wouldn't do anything else, at this point. WalMart are nice but really is this what you would want to do with all your hard work you put into nursing school. If you can, just get out of nursing for awhile and look at all your options and then get into something that makes you want to go to work everyday. As much as I love my job there are days I want to scream and go out and sit on the patio and be left alone. As someone said there is no shortage of nurses just attractive, well paying, low stressed jobs out there. Good luck Mike

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Government.

I just want to second the motion of looking throughout nursing for a good fit. I'm a community health nurse. I love it. My time is my own, I have essentially no boss, no scheduling issues, autonomy to do my work as I see fit. I have wonderful benefits and a great pension plan. Compared to hospital nursing, this is a very low stress job.

However, I make a whole lot less money than hospital pay. Often people say "money isn't everything" but they really want a low stress job that pays as well as the hospital. To me it was worth the adjustment. To many, they don't want to see their check go down by 1$ no matter how much better the job. It is all in your priorities.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment