The thought of leaving the nursing field brings me an overwhelming sense of peace....

[efda3]

~Slightly long read. I apologize~

I'm only a newbie in nursing and, already, the thought of leaving this field gives me a strange sense of overwhelming peace. I almost feel odd for admitting it. I feel like I shouldn't even admit that. I'm actually a little nervous to see what kind of replies I receive based off my honesty. I hope that people aren't too harsh. It's a feeling I have been struggling with, yet pushing down deep inside of me.

Don't get me wrong, I am passionate about it, but I just have those days where I daydream of doing pretty much any job, but nursing. The thought of getting out of nursing and accepting a mundane, office desk job actually gives me this overwhelming sense of peace & relief. This means something, because I actually got out of the office environment to go to nursing school. I originally planned on going for my NP..but things don’t look so bright for that field either. I’m wondering if I finish my BSN if it’s even plausible for me to think that I would be able to transition to PharmD, MD, PA, or DDS (programs). I won’t lie, I have my eye on PharmD due to time. I also have a general interest in almost every specialty & health related career, so I wouldn’t be doing something I don’t like. I love science and really love math. I’m ok with fulfilling pre-reqs. I just don’t want to have to start all over again..and at the same time..I’m weighing everything out.

I thoroughly enjoyed (besides the corruption/disorganization) learning the human sciences, nursing process, etc. Dirty work, grumpy patients, and the chaos of it all never bothered me much. It's the fact that I go home feeling "less than". I don't feel like I was able to really reach out to my patients. The conditions that nurses work in..just seem to be going down the drain. Forget the fact that one can move around floors, specialties, states, etc. I have seen this pretty much everywhere. Some are just worse than others, but overall, this field is extraordinarily stressful for the ratio of pay. I'm sorry to say that I am not one of those nurses that thinks "But it makes me heart feel warm to know that maybe I just helped ONE patient". Don't get me wrong, I feel awesome helping others, but I don't think it's enough to keep me in the field. There just seems to be a lot of abuse, harassment, cattiness, bullying, work overload, burnout, and an overall ungrateful attitude towards nurses. I will always be a nurse at heart, but I am also a human being and my happiness is essential. If I had to take a pay cut of $15,000 less (for example) per year, I would..if it meant I would be happier.

I am not sure if this is normal. A few of my nurse friends have expressed the same thoughts. Some are new grads (BSN) and haven't found employment in the last year, so they don't have as strong of opinions. For some strange reason, I feel extremely pressured to stay in this field. Pressured by family, friends, and everyone. You're always hearing that this field is in high demand, has great pay..etc. I feel like everyone else cannot see what I see. So here is my Q...I haven't even finished my BSN yet...and I am hesitating doing so. I don't want to spend another 4 years in school, if I pick a different major..but I don't know of any different majors that I could apply most of my classes to, right now, and finish up a Bachelors in 2 years..so my BSN seems like the most logical choice. If it's not, please speak now! I was looking into a Bachelors in Health Care Administration, but I am unsure if it's even more difficult to find work in that field. I know some of this has to do with the economy.

My question is...if I finish my BSN (as that seems to be my only choice..unless I want to start all over again for a new major) would the transition to PharmD, D.D.S, or M.D. programs be possible? What about P.A.? If I had it my way and could start all over again, I would have gone for Biology, straight out of highschool, and applied to one of the above at the age of 22. Sigh, I just want to live life. I would like to settle down, have a family, buy a home..but at the same time I am trying to be realistic and further my career/education.

Any feedback? Again, I'll be honest with you. I have these moments where I envy people who majored in a different field, and while they aren't making tons of money, they have stability and they are happy. It strikes me as unhealthy for me to already be growing anxious about a field in which I just entered. I'm just trying to find out if there are other options out there. I don't want to be "stuck" in nursing forever. If nursing was different, or improving, then yes...but I feel like I'm ignoring my basic instinct by staying in this field...regardless of the fact that I know I would do the best for my patients and perform well.I really feel sad that I entered a field where I felt I could make a difference in patient's lives and help them..only to find out that nurses are just seen as a way of affordable/cheap health care and many are practically slaved. It is a little upsetting to think of such bright individuals being subject to that. Nurses are intelligent beings, but not always treated as such.

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

I think people get sick of any field they've been in 4 a long time.

My gf is a CN with RDNS (community & home nursing) with 15 years experience, & she is so, so sick of the job. She is thinking of becoming a paramedic but is too old now at 44.

I've worked in hospitals now for 25 years and now I wish I had trained for something in another field entirely. I can walk into a clerical/admin job anywhere but wouldn't know the ins and outs. If I do that, or nursing in a hospital, I know exactly where I'm at. But you get sick of the non-nursing jobs too, and u can become a slave in them (try coordinating 10 theatres at a time, trying to keep patients, their families, senior nurses, grumpy surgeons & angry anaesthetists happy! THAT was more stressful than nursing!!)

When I'm not doing nursing as a job, I do miss it. However, I do NOT miss early shifts, cleaning up dirty bottoms, people's abuse or endless complaints over stupid things that don't really matter, and I do NOT miss trying to give advice to dumb people who will never, ever, ever listen to what u say, or even change in the slightest to help themselves & improve their health. It's pretty much a battle we as the generals, are losing.

The culture of nursing turns us into slaves I think. We become one with the patient/s almost, as we become so involved with them (even if we don't think we are involved). We have to try & be very professional in our work and - bar killing people in a war - I believe working one on one with sick people is truly the hardest job in the world. It's incredible stressful, tiring and, many times, demeaning & downright depressing. How old Flo Nightingale put up with it and supported all her nurses thru thick & thin, I will never know - & they didn't have anything modern at all. What strength & conviction they must have had.

And women now have even MORE pressures put on them - having to juggle work, children, daycare, keeping ur partner/hubby happy, running a household, trying to keep your looks, trying to be the best and most positive nurse you can while at work. We can't do it all - I don't care what anyone says. It has all gotten too, too hard.

If I don't get any of the permanent jobs I've applied for, I will leave nursing soon, maybe in 6 months, after paying off some debts, and am going to put my energies into writing re my experience as a nurse and working in hospitals. I also want to study history and love certain arts, so will probably do a combined degree or diploma.

I too envy other people who chose a different path. Many people I know don't have a degree, chose employment where they were trained on the job & now earn over $110,000 AUD per year. And where does our hard work and study get us? I feel like we as nurses are at the bottom of the scrap heap, with management standing on us, squishing us down relentlessly with their unyielding, heavy boots. And we're scurrying around trying to avoid them because they don't support us - and THAT is their job, which they don't do many times!

I feel really bitter about how I was convinced by others that nursing would lead me onto great things, etc. I really thought nursing would be the answer to all my prayers I wanted out of life, I truly thought it was a great career move on my part & a wonderful thing. Now I'm old, can't keep up with all the different shifts, have a mound of debt, will probably lose my house soon & have to move & can't even afford to pay for my next registration at this point.

Yes, if I left nursing I would miss certain aspects of it, and some of the money is good but I get taxed a lot. But the thought of getting out maybe in 6 months to a year, makes me feel absolutely ECSTATIC!

[chaxanmom]

I thoroughly enjoyed (besides the corruption/disorganization) learning the human sciences, nursing process, etc. Dirty work, grumpy patients, and the chaos of it all never bothered me much. It's the fact that I go home feeling "less than". I don't feel like I was able to really reach out to my patients. The conditions that nurses work in..just seem to be going down the drain.

This. I feel exactly like this. I decided to go back and take a few extra courses in anthropology and I'm going to pursue cultural/medical anthropology in graduate school. It has what I enjoy about nursing without everything that I hate. I spent a summer at NIH working in the social work department with Sickle Cell patients and found it to be FAR more rewarding that bedside nursing. THAT is what I want to do with my life. I can't stomach the idea of spending my life or even one more day in bedside nursing. I dreaded going to work then. I love the internship and wish that I could have just kept doing that work. I love learning about people and cultures and I love research. You don't have time to do that when you work the floor. Nursing research doesn't interest me in the least. I've always been an anthro junkie so it makes sense to use my nursing degree as a stepping stone rather than an end point.

[beewink]

This. I feel exactly like this. I decided to go back and take a few extra courses in anthropology and I'm going to pursue cultural/medical anthropology in graduate school. It has what I enjoy about nursing without everything that I hate. I spent a summer at NIH working in the social work department with Sickle Cell patients and found it to be FAR more rewarding that bedside nursing. THAT is what I want to do with my life. I can't stomach the idea of spending my life or even one more day in bedside nursing. I dreaded going to work then. I love the internship and wish that I could have just kept doing that work. I love learning about people and cultures and I love research. You don't have time to do that when you work the floor. Nursing research doesn't interest me in the least. I've always been an anthro junkie so it makes sense to use my nursing degree as a stepping stone rather than an end point.

Me too. I really loved nursing school and couldn't wait to put what I learned into practice. But it just never really happened that way. 14 years later and I feel like what should be done for the patients takes a back seat to paperwork and doing the bare minimum for my too large patient load. There is no time for teaching preventive medicine, it is all about putting out fires.

[chaxanmom]

Me too. I really loved nursing school and couldn't wait to put what I learned into practice. But it just never really happened that way. 14 years later and I feel like what should be done for the patients takes a back seat to paperwork and doing the bare minimum for my too large patient load. There is no time for teaching preventive medicine, it is all about putting out fires.

Yep! And I was soooo excited about research but in reality you spend all day every day running yourself ragged just doing patient care and charting. There's never any time for research unless you have years under your belt and other nurses think you're a bit coocoo for even being interested in bookish pursuits. Whatever. Buh bye scrubs. Enjoy your new life as dust cloths. lol!

[eyeball]

I agree with you 100%! I have only been a nurse for two years and I have more nights of dread than I have had in my life. Hospital nursing is terrible and although I feel a sense of pride and accomplishment from the care I give my patients - I am not fullfilled in what I do. The hospital breeds a negative and unhappy environment for nurses to work. I work hard - but come on - there is only so much one can do!! Task saturation - alongside extremely sick patients = recipe for disaster! You have to be on your toes at all times! I never thought I would dislike a job so much. I was so excited to become a nurse and know all I say to others is "don't do it" or "don't work at a hospital". I have realized that it does not get better and the future will only bring worse conditions (especially with this new legislation).

another reason for the nursing shortage - new grads start working and think "holy crap - what have I done this for". We struggle to make it through school to find out that the other side is very dark and unpleasant!

I have been a nurse for 4 months and this post speaks to my story. I knew it was going to be hard and that I'd need to work my a** off but I did not realize how utterly demoralized and depressed I would feel 4 months into the job.