unhappy with school nursing

krhknob · Apr 6, 2010

Go back to what you like to do. NOTHING is more miserable than hating your job.

I just returned to school nursing after leaving it last year when the 2008-2009 school year ended. I had decided I just couldn't take it anymore. I'm not a career oriented person at all and got into school nursing for the typical reasons (schedule same as my kids, summer's off, etc.). I'd been a stay-at-home mom for 15 years prior to that and was ready to work again and figured this would be a great job. My school was 2 miles from home - it was perfect. I loved it the first year. It was just challenging enough and with all the time off we get, it didn't feel so much like a full time career. The second year was fun because I knew what I was doing and felt very comfortable. By the third year I was bored. I fondly referred to it as my "Groundhog Day" job (giving a nod to the movie). Same routines, same kids, same teachers, same stomachaches. And, although I much prefer autonomy to the hassels of daily 'teamwork', it did get very isolating. Monday - Friday was also a grind and I was constantly behind at home which really bothered me. I loved the environment and had gained the respect of the principal and teachers, the kids liked me and I got along well with the parents so it was a hard decision but I felt it was time to move on.

Well....I took a job as an employee health nurse at a hospital working 3 days a week. I figured the money wouldn't be much less since school nursing doesn't pay as well as working in the hospital does. And I thought it would be an easy transition - sort of like being a school nurse for adults. Oh my. I absolutely HATED it. The hospital environment was stuffy, foreign and uncomfortable to me, the bureaucracy frustrated the heck out me and the work was even more rote than school nursing. I only lasted 10 weeks! Next, I went to work for a travel vaccination company who also did flu clinics in the fall. I enjoyed the flexibility but it, of course, was seasonal. I decided to learn the travel part of the business but the pay was inconsistent (commission based) and the work very, very repetative and non-challenging. I was just miserable and wondered what was wrong with me that I had had 2 great opportunities to make decent money working part-time and wasn't happy.

This winter, a friend of mine and fellow school nurse was offered another job she couldn't refuse so I waived the white flag and decided I needed to return to what I knew. I asked her to tell her principal she had a replacement for her if she was interested. I realized my full-time school nurse gig wasn't so bad afterall. So here I am. I'd rather not work Monday-Friday but I'm comfortable, in my element and discovered that all I really needed was a change of scenery, not a change of job.

My story's a little different than yours but the lesson is the same. I was tired of my job and all the irritating problems that came with it but found out that the grass isn't always greener. There will always be compromises and concessions - I found I'd rather spend my weeks doing what I'm good at in an environment I'm comfortable in and just try to embrace the parts of the job that are less than perfect. Not liking your job sucks the life out you - you need to go back to what makes you feel good. I empathize greatly with your struggle to balance what you need and what you think is best for your kids and family but be gentle with yourself. Your family will understand. If not immediately, they will some day.

Good luck!