Wanting to leave nursing.

[LPNTELE]

Hello, young nurse looking for some advice. Sorry for the long post!

I graduated with my LPN 2.5 years ago. I have worked my first (and only) LPN job as a night shift telemetry nurse for nearly 2 years. I would like to add, night shift has been difficult for me, but I have gotten somewhat used to it. Day shift is totally out of the question for me. It is 100x worse than what I deal with on nights; but that is a different topic. I am at a point to where I am comfortable with my position as a telemetry nurse and I am content with the pay. The only problem is: I am not happy. In fact, I am realizing that I do not think I will feel happy being a nurse at all. I understand that this is a bold statement, especially coming from someone with barely any experience in nursing. However, I have found that any time I am floated out of the telemetry room (due to short staffing) I am extremely upset because I actually cannot stand doing nursing duties. I will always do my best, and will always take the very best care of my patients. I just hate it with every fiber in my being. The atmosphere is terrible. None of the nurses seem happy, unless we are extremely over staffed (which happens rarely). For the most part, there is an insane amount of drama and everyone turns on each other and bites everyone else's heads off. It's terrible! I always walk into work in a wonderful mood and leave completely the opposite.

Everyone (family included) tells me that I have a "dream job" or a "sweet gig" and I should not quit and I should be thankful because I won't find anything better as an LPN. I understand this. However, I just can't see myself doing this forever.

The point of this post: A job has opened up in my town for data entry. COMPLETELY not nursing related. It will pay roughly the same as to what I earn now as an LPN with an unlimited amount of overtime available. It has nearly all the same benefits minus the pension. It is a stable job, and it is completely work from home. I do not see a down side to working this job (other than not using my LPN whatsoever...what a waste! ugh!). I have heard nothing but good things about the company. I have been researching it up and down. Since they are looking for several positions to fill, it is a guaranteed job with plenty of room for advancement. I have been computer savvy since Jr. High. I have always had a passion for computer work. My dream job has always been to work from home, but nothing was ever legit. This is legit, and it is calling my name. I am just afraid of leaving my current job and instantly regretting it. I don't want to let my family down, or hear the "I told you so's".

The conclusion that I personally have come to is this: The worst case scenario is that I will hate the new job. (At least I followed my heart and tried, right?) I can always find another job at a clinic somewhere with my LPN and hope that the nurses are happier there. I just won't have the benefits that I did at my old job, and I will be taking a pretty big pay cut.

This is potentially a pretty big jump for me. I am just afraid to take the plunge. Any thoughts?

[Accolay]

We only get three options to vote? I decline. I have no advice for you. There are a lot of members who come onto these forums and plead for us to tell them how to make them like their nursing career, or how to find a job that meets X requirements to fulfill their lives. I can't do that.

This is the best I can offer: Lots of people dislike their jobs and the grass will forever be greener. We're all going to die. Do what you gotta do to make sure you can eat, pay your bills and find some fun before you do. Good luck.

[Accolay]

And about "following your heart"

[LPNTELE]

I very much appreciate your input. I agree that it will probably always feel like I can find better. That's just our nature as human beings. In the end for me it's all about making the same (if not more) money for a lot less stress. That to me seems like a win.

[Accolay]

You want advice? Ok.

In the end for me it's all about making the same (if not more) money for a lot less stress. That to me seems like a win.

Thus is the nature of the grass. Not to say that the stress level will be equal, more or less than your current job but that you really have no idea. Pay is the same... except no pension. That means the pay is absolutely not the same. That should be a deal breaker. BTW- I think it's basically everybody's dream to work from home. Is this your first job?

You say you're comfortable, and you're content, and nothing wrong with that but I think you need a little more positive stress. Part of your stress from floating could be because it's not your choice. Maybe if you actually committed to a nursing unit and were able to choose the job instead of being thrust into a work environment you don't normally have, your day would be better. At least you'd have some ownership.

You have a "passion for computer work." Great! How in the name of all that is holy do you think that data entry is going to fulfill that? Ok, we get it- you don't like your job, but now you're just throwing sh*t at the wall and hoping something sticks.

OK, a little harsh. Data entry. Perfectly honorable job, plenty of people do it and it pays real money. But after a few thousand hours doing that, how fulfilled do you think you'll be? Plenty of room for advancement? Really? Will you be promoted up to manage people from your work at home job? After six months, are you going to be in the same position asking what does it all mean? Go watch "Office Space" for homework.

Suck it up and find a job you can use your current training without getting floated. Or go to school for IT or computer science. Or go get that data job and rationalize the lower pay and boring job because you love computer work. It's your life.

[Aunt Slappy]

I voted that you should look for another LPN job first. You've only worked one place and one type of nursing. There are hundreds of ways to be a nurse. I've been a LPN for a bit more than 2.5 years and I just started my 4th job. Normally I wouldn't have that many in that short a time, but one went south super fast and super bad and I had to bail.

The job I just left was a M-F clinic job where I stayed for 16 months. It wasn't terrible, I could've stayed longer, but there was some stuff I got tired of dealing with and a lateral transfer became available. I'm three weeks in, and I managed to land the most chill, low stress job I've ever had since I started working at 16. I can't believe they're paying me nursing wages.

Keep looking around. You might find something awesome. And data entry by humans won't last many more years as a career, plus it will give you carpal tunnel syndrome.

[tkh1rn]

It is a fact that a very large percentage of Nurses leave Nursing all together within the first 5 yrs of Nursing. It's unfortunate. I have been on local, regional, and national teams to try to find ways to keep newer nurses in nursing. The problem seems to be that we have a lot of difficulty, especially in certain states and regions with getting employers, particularly Hospitals to implement things that will help. Many excuses why they can't or won't, but the bottom line is not many areas have an abundance of nurses. Having said all that, it can really be a night and day difference in how you feel about your job based on where you work. What speaks to me about your post is that you said the atmosphere is terrible. If the atmosphere is terrible, it's catchy, it pulls everyone into it. With this being your only working experience try another before you give up on it completely. When you interview with them, you should also interview them, ask questions about why Nurses leave their facility, what makes them stay, what is the average longevity? All of those questions can help you decide which facility you might want to try next. I hope that you find nursing can be what you thought it would be!