Those Who Have Left Nursing

Orion81RN · Dec 16, 2017

I don't agree with this at all. That cashier is pretty darn important to me when I have a raging headache and I'm out of Advil.
A life lesson for you. Saying "no offense" does not make your words less offensive.

I agree. Also, not everyone goes into a career for altruistic reasons. My husband is a sales manager for ATT, and he's more than important to not only his customers, but more importantly, to me. For my own personal satisfaction, I do have to work in a field where I feel I'm making a direct impact on someone's life. I currently do private duty and know how valued I am. That's important to me. But it is not to my husband. What's important to him is coming home to his family and making his impact on us. There is no shame on living for yourself and your family and not for the rest of the world.

As far as pay is irrelevant, get out of here with that non-sense. Send me your address EGspirit I'll forward my bills to you. I took a huge pay cut going from bedside to private duty to keep my sanity. No regrets, but to say pay is irrelevant is simply ridiculous.

Btw, my husband is amazing at his job, and is not your typical sales person. He does what's right for the customer, thus making a direct impact on your wallet for your phone, internet, cable bills :-) People leave the store on his days off saying they will return when he does.

guest52816 · Dec 16, 2017

A friend of mine and I were just discussing this very topic the other day.

We BOTH wish we could just be cashiers at our local Kroger! She has been a nurse for 20 years, and I just started in the profession a year and a-half ago.

It is good to know that I am not alone in feeling envious of folks who have jobs that end, when their shift ends, and have easy access to vacation time.

caliotter3 · Dec 16, 2017

An acquaintance went straight from nursing school to work as a missionary and has been in the same remote location since.

pixierose, BSN, RN · Dec 16, 2017

This thread popped in my head when I watched the poor cashier at Target get reamed out by a customer ahead of me last night. Apparently the item the customer thought was on sale wasn't, and the cashier got the tantrum side of it (despite the advertising being quite clear).

The manager (I think?) came over, gave her one of those $5 coupon cards, and then the customer left ... never once apologizing to the cashier for throwing the mother of all tantrums.

Customer service, man ....

Grass is always greener ... sometimes.

guest52816 · Dec 16, 2017

This thread popped in my head when I watched the poor cashier at Target get reamed out by a customer ahead of me last night. Apparently the item the customer thought was on sale wasn't, and the cashier got the tantrum side of it (despite the advertising being quite clear).
The manager (I think?) came over, gave her one of those $5 coupon cards, and then the customer left ... never once apologizing to the cashier for throwing the mother of all tantrums.
Customer service, man ....
Grass is always greener ... sometimes.

Well, I got reamed out by a family member two weeks ago, for daring to call to alert family that patient was declining.

The patient's family screamed at me: Are you saying she is going to die tonight? I replied, I don't know. You just need to do what is best for your family.

The response I got was more yelling: I've already said my good-byes. Don't call again unless she is about to die, or is dead.

Nice, huh? I didn't get an apology.

People are jerks. But I'm pretty sure I could shrug off the customer tantrum far easier than being yelled at for trying to do the right thing by a family and patient.

pixierose, BSN, RN · Dec 16, 2017

Well, I got reamed out by a family member two weeks ago, for daring to call to alert family that patient was declining.
The patient's family screamed at me: Are you saying she is going to die tonight? I replied, I don't know. You just need to do what is best for your family.
The response I got was more yelling: I've already said my good-byes. Don't call again unless she is about to die, or is dead.
Nice, huh? I didn't get an apology.
People are jerks. But I'm pretty sure I could shrug off the customer tantrum far easier than being yelled at for trying to do the right thing by a family and patient.

Maybe. She looked pretty shaken up, considering how the entire line was watching the exchange. It was about a mixer, for crying out loud. Having a reaction over a mixer. When it got to my turn in line I apologized on behalf of that customer, her response was that it wasn't that unusual especially around the holidays.

My point wasn't a "who has it worse," but that it happens. It's not fair. People in general can be orifices, in any which field.

I remember being a 16 year old girl being on the receiving end of a hissy fit of a lady at Macy's (I was a cashier). That hurt.... then. My 41 year old self could brush that crud off like a mosquito now.

I'd like to be a travel guide in Hawaii ... though I'm sure some egotistical jackass will find his way to me there too.

guest52816 · Dec 16, 2017

But least you'd be living in paradise, pixierose. LOL! Everything is so much easier in paradise!

lilly-may · Feb 23, 2020

On 12/12/2017 at 4:55 PM, RNCM123 said:
Would love to hear more success stories (not just quit/had kids). I want to get out of this profession so badly but I can't afford to take a huge pay cut either.

I'm 23, new grad nurse, and convinced nursing is not for me. Lacking passion, extremely introverted and huge anxiety and history of depression. Did you leave the profession? And any advice. I've changed specialities twice in less than 6 months, feelings have not changed. Is it wrong to leave the nursing field, it really does not fit my personality.

HandsOffMySteth · Feb 23, 2020

I'm headed the opposite direction. I served as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne got out and went into automotive for 10 years. After that I worked as a truck driver and warehouse worker for 12 years. The final straw was working in building maintenance and landscaping. I wanted something that wasn't so physically difficult and more cerebral. After looking into nursing I decided it's what I want to finish with. I have no illusions about how challenging it can be, but it can't be more physically demanding than what I've already been through. I see a bunch of young, inexperienced students who want to a nurse and don't have any idea what they are in for. I've already had a bunch of crappy jobs. May as well get paid for it.

Newbie101 · Aug 24, 2020

@lilly-may same boat as you. 22 years old new grad and basically everything you said is me too. How is it going? What did you decide to do?

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · Aug 25, 2020

The sad reality for a lot of nurses that would like to get out completely is they really are not financially able to do so. After a lot of years in the profession the best option usually becomes looking for another specialty, usually away from the daily grind of bedside nursing. Sometimes it means a cut in pay, but not such a drastic cut that it can't be managed. Sometimes the stars align and something away from bedside comes up that actually pays better.

harumi22 · Aug 27, 2020

On 8/25/2020 at 10:08 PM, kbrn2002 said:

The sad reality for a lot of nurses that would like to get out completely is they really are not financially able to do so. After a lot of years in the profession the best option usually becomes looking for another specialty, usually away from the daily grind of bedside nursing. Sometimes it means a cut in pay, but not such a drastic cut that it can't be managed. Sometimes the stars align and something away from bedside comes up that actually pays better.

It seems that the stars aligned for me, and I'm forever thankful. I found something way better than bedside, and it pays well, too.