Wanting to totally bail out on nursing

[Bruin's Mom]

For the past two years I have been really thinking of getting completely out of nursing. I feel guilty about this since so much prestige and pressure is put on the nursing profession. I have had it up to my neck with pain in the but patients, demanding schedules, doctors who make nurses feel like village idiots, backstabbing and nit-picking from adults who act like children, and never being able to leave work at work. Has anyone out there bailed out on the profession, if so drop me a line and let me know. My heart isn't in it anymore.

[Bortaz, MSN, RN]

If you're that burned out, you should bail. You're not doing yourself any favors by staying.

[love-d-OR]

change specialty or unit first. Aso, if your work is your life, try to get a life again outside of work

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

How long has it been since you have had a vacation? A REAL vacation that lasts a week or more?

[caliotter3]

I would try the vacation and specialty change routes first, before attempting to bail.

[Amanda.RN]

I would recommend changing jobs prior to completely leaving the profession. Sometimes that helps rejuvenate how you feel about your job and the passion you have for doing it. If you've already tried this in the recent past though & you're still feeling this way, I think it would be totally reasonable to leave the profession completely. A lot of our awake time is spent at work, so it's important that we like what we do. The possibilities are truly endless in nursing though, so I think if you find your niche, you will enjoy it again. I hope this helps.

Keep your head up,

Amanda

[EmergencyNrse]

Yep, you're burnt. Get away for a little.

Reevaluate and go where your heart tells you.

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

I think alot of your burnout is related to where you are working. If you could find a better hospital or nursing home with good staffing ratios that should help.

Also consider getting out of bedside nursing, try to get into an insurance company or clinic job as that is usually less stressful and eliminates all the physical strain on one's back. My friend's a case manager and is very happy with that. She's been doing this for many years and worked at several different places after she left bedside nursing for you guessed it a back injury brought about by the lack of staff to move and lift people. She used to have nightmares about work which is quite common for bedside nurses.

[ninjago]

I, at times feel that way -burn out! I work with the agency now and I feel so much happier. I pick my own schedule. I get to go on vacation however long I want. Since I don't spend too long in one facility, there is less risk of getting into gossips and politics. I go there, do my work and go home. Don't have to deal with all the politics. And since I usually schedule my shift not more than 2 successively, I get to rest and relax and recuperate. I can do night or day shift, weekends or not. Totally my own schedule. It works for me well! You might want to give it a try and see if it works for you, too. Good luck! :)

[Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN]

Sometimes I fantasize about doing something completely different, for many of the same reasons you posted. But, I worked too long and hard for my nursing license, and I'm pretty good at this, and I don't know what else I could possibly do that would allow me to work part time and still pay the bills. I'm strongly considering a specialty change, while keeping a foot in the door to where I'm at now by going per diem, just in case I decide I miss it too much, and also to keep my critical care skills current.

Ultimately, though, I think moving away from the bedside and more into case/care management is my goal. Have you considered doing something less bedside-intensive?

[Momfirstalways]

I was an l&d nurse for10 years. I left went back to school for teaching. Taught five years and realized with four teenagers going to go to college could not make enough money to pay off my student loans and do right by my kids. I am back in nursing in l&d at a different hospital and love it. I regret going back to school! Maybe you should look for another specialty or work at a different place! Good luck! Hope you find what you are looking for!

[VioletKaliLPN, LPN]

(((hugs)))

it is 100% okay to feel that a profession is not working out for you like you had hoped it would-like you genuinely wanted it to. this is not unique to nursing, many people find that their profession is just not a good fit for their needs, so you are not alone by any stretch.

you have to care for yourself first and foremost, never feel guilty about looking out for your own well being and happiness.

there may be other options you can use your education for, perhaps working with an ins company or "nurse line".. in case you would like to use your education..

there is certainly also nothing wrong with completely moving outside of nursing, and choosing a different field.