Stressed out and Getting Out

Yikes! I wince as I read about my colleagues across the country getting out of nursing. I went back to school for my MSN and am now working as an NP for a great cardiology practice. I realize that I am one of the lucky few. My heart aches for all of you who are putting up with horrendous conditions and feel that the only way to save themselves is to leave. I certainly don't blame any of you---I went back to school so I could stay in nursing but not as a staff nurse.

I'm thinking that we should send a link to this forum to our elected leaders--perhaps Hillary Clinton and some of the other female senators/reps (ie Barbara Mikulski, Dianne Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, etc). I don't know how else to open their eyes except to have them read about what is REALLY going on in our hospitals and LTC facilities. Anybody game????

I also agree that we need to band together--UNIONIZE!!! Yes, I'm sure most of us chose nursing b/c we enjoy working with patients and providing care but that doesn't mean we have to be martyrs to do it--as one poster said, we still have bills to pay too!

Bless all of those who are both staying and leaving nursing--best wishes to all!

Laurie

Hi Everyone! I am in a part time accelerated 2yr program to earn my BSN. I have a B.S. in psychology and I am employed full time as a mental health crisis worker. I have been on this website before just browsing the topics but this particular one tonight made me compelled to be a registered user so I can reply. I understand to certain degree all the stressors that come with nursing due to the fact that I work closely with the ER nurses in my job. However after reading these posts I am starting to question am I doing the right thing? I enjoy working with people, when I was three yrs. old being a nurse was my first career aspiration!:) I hear so much frustration in these posts and I can relate because I have the same gripes in my present job (working short staff due to budget cuts, working 16 hr days sometimes 40 hrs in three days, uppermgt thinking they know what is best, the list can go on)! I decided to go back to school because I really needed a career change. Perhaps I am going from the frying pan into the fire! Or just maybe I've become that much more prepared to become a nurse! Either way I hope we can all try to find a happy balance that our jobs, whatever they are, do not make us ill.

Pomfrey, you probably are jumping out of the pan and into the fire, but what the heck, we all do that. Good luck. I doubt you'll rest until you give nursing a try. :)

the grass is always greener................I commend anyone getting out of job that is making them miserable. the patients deserve better and so do you. i worked retail for years and hated it. i am much happier being a nurse. sometimes you have to experience different things before you get a true picture of what you really need to make you happy. some people are just not made to work with the public. and believe me retail is no joke. the holidays are coming up and you have not seen bad behavior until you have seen customers in a department store. i hate retail like some of you hate nursing. could not pay me to put up with customers. at least in the hospital people are more humble because they are sick. that's just my experince, and i am very people friendly so i don't tend to have many conflicts. nursing is not for everyone and there are jobs in healthcare that nurses can do that require little or no patient contact. i have a friend who is an insurance rep and loves it. another does phone triage. another works 9-5 in a cardiology clinic. these are all former bedside nurses who were aggressive enough to find something they like. no job is perfect, so you have to do the best you can to find a balance. good luck to all.

Casemgr1- I am so sorry you are so stressed. A career change is a BIG decision. I OFTEN thought of it too. I was a unit manager, and my responsibilities were out of this world. I recently changed from full time to PRN. My husband and I had to do a little financial planning, but now I find I have more freedom to work when I want to work. And when I need to make a little more money, I pick up some extra shifts. I went from a 48 hour work week to a 24 hour week. I cut it in HALF!! Yeah, we do without some things, but my SANITY and HAPPINESS is worth more than the satellite dish... I also do patient care, I go in, take care of my 7 patients (which is OUTRAGEOUS in itself), and do the best I can, and LEAVE. It worked for me....just an idea, maybe just for now, until you find something else. All the luck in the world...:) L.

Casemgr1- I am so sorry you are so stressed. A career change is a BIG decision. I OFTEN thought of it too. I was a unit manager, and my responsibilities were out of this world. I recently changed from full time to PRN. My husband and I had to do a little financial planning, but now I find I have more freedom to work when I want to work. And when I need to make a little more money, I pick up some extra shifts. I went from a 48 hour work week to a 24 hour week. I cut it in HALF!! Yeah, we do without some things, but my SANITY and HAPPINESS is worth more than the satellite dish... I also do patient care, I go in, take care of my 7 patients (which is OUTRAGEOUS in itself), and do the best I can, and LEAVE. It worked for me....just an idea, maybe just for now, until you find something else. All the luck in the world...:) L.

absolutely right about the pay issue, kind of the same over here, we have some jobs, for example, my ex husband was a welder in a factory and made more than I did and he only had a GED! was not responsible for human lives, etc. I wonder if it's a global thing. I think nurses world wide should get paid more for the simple fact that we have lives in our hands and work in very adverse conditions most of the time. that's my opinion anyway.

I have to agree with you, Angel337. Forget Retail!

I returned to nursing last year, after 3 years in another career. I can tell you the grass sometimes isn't greener, just different. I would never advise someone to leave nursing. It's a very personal and difficult decision to make. For me, leaving had a positive effect. Other professions aren't without problems. There are bad bosses and troublesome co-workers, everywhere. Competition and jealousy in the workplace is the way of the world today.

I learned that the worst thing you can do on any job, is keep silent when something is wrong. Keeping quiet is thought to be the "professional" thing to do. It's the quickest way to achieve "Doormat" status, no matter what job you have.

I returned to nursing with a different attitude. I don't agree to anything without careful consideration. I set limits on what I will accept, and I don't run away from problems as I did in the past. Bottom line is, we teach people how to treat us by what we accept. Nursing has accepted too much. Too bad they don't have mandatory Assertiveness Training in all nursing programs.

the grass is always greener................I commend anyone getting out of job that is making them miserable. the patients deserve better and so do you. i worked retail for years and hated it. i am much happier being a nurse. sometimes you have to experience different things before you get a true picture of what you really need to make you happy. some people are just not made to work with the public. and believe me retail is no joke. the holidays are coming up and you have not seen bad behavior until you have seen customers in a department store. i hate retail like some of you hate nursing. could not pay me to put up with customers. at least in the hospital people are more humble because they are sick. that's just my experince, and i am very people friendly so i don't tend to have many conflicts. nursing is not for everyone and there are jobs in healthcare that nurses can do that require little or no patient contact. i have a friend who is an insurance rep and loves it. another does phone triage. another works 9-5 in a cardiology clinic. these are all former bedside nurses who were aggressive enough to find something they like. no job is perfect, so you have to do the best you can to find a balance. good luck to all.

Based on the message about USA vs. Australia and the wage difference, I am just curious here, but what is $18/hour in Australia if converted to American money?

Your comment about your ex who is a factory welder with a GED making more money than a RN just chaps my behind! I can add to fuel to the fire by this comment.........my ex who works for Southwestern Bell gets double-time pay anytime he has to work a Sunday. Can you imagine any staff nurse ever getting double-time pay?

absolutely right about the pay issue, kind of the same over here, we have some jobs, for example, my ex husband was a welder in a factory and made more than I did and he only had a GED! was not responsible for human lives, etc. I wonder if it's a global thing. I think nurses world wide should get paid more for the simple fact that we have lives in our hands and work in very adverse conditions most of the time. that's my opinion anyway.

Good luck in your new position CseMgr1...hope it works for ya! :)

Just another idea for those here who are looking for interesting job options. Many of the Weight Loss places (Curves, LA Centers, Jenny Craig) love to hire nurses as program counselors. What appealed to me there is it would provide support for ME as well as other women trying to lose weight.

Course I would take a pay cut, but we all know money ain't everything. Its fun thinking about what I will do when kiddos are out of college and I don't have to work quite so hard.

Someday I may be a : Doggie groomer? Library assistant? Flower arranger? Cake and cookie decorator? Lots of fun sounding things to look into...we needn't feel so 'in a rut' if can see our options. :)

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.