Who Has Quit and if You Did What Do You Do Now?

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After 15 years I have decided to quit the profession of nursing. I have been a OR nurse for a big hospital and a smaller clinic. I thought about going back to school but the idea of continuing in nursing frankly makes me ill. I have made some friends and it has been a steady paycheck but that is it. I just flamed out with no chance of a relight. I am no longer challenged; I enjoy mopping the floor more than anything else. I have had my fill of jerk surgeons, smart mouth PA's (wanna be doctors), arrogant CRNA's, lazy ST's and PCA's. If I plug in one more bovie or connect one more suction I am going to spontaneously combust. I tried agency but we all know what your assignment is going to be when you show up; worst hack with a ST that could barely fog a mirror. I also enjoy working with a bunch of women who all PMS around the same time every month. I love you but somedays it's too much. My question is, has anyone moved on to a different career and if so what are you doing?

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Specializes in Emergency, Med-Surg, Progressive Care.

I can't relate to your situation, but I find your honesty and writing skill refreshing. I can see myself in your same position in a decade, though. I'm already trying to find my way out of bedside nursing and into pencil pushing, and I have yet to graduate (although I work as an LNA). Perhaps an MBA, or a master's in information technology would be suitable for you?

You seem like a smart guy, and I am confident that you can figure a way out of your situation.

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Specializes in Trauma, ER, ICU, CCU, PACU, GI, Cardiology, OR.

unquestionably, serious thinking on your part must have taken place to come to this decision. however, you're not alone, even though i hate to admit it, i know of two other colleagues of mine that have change careers after being in nursing for many years. having said that, one of them went into commercial pilot school and the other is finishing law school. therefore, if you're truly ready and you have thought this through, i wish you the very best in all of your future endeavors...aloha~

p.s. a word of advise, don't let your license expire, it's a good backup plan...just saying:cool:

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Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.
My question is, has anyone moved on to a different career and if so what are you doing?

I felt almost the exact same way about my previous career (engineer/corporate). After 15 years, I had started hating my job.

I tried to figure out if there was anything I liked about it and I learned that I cared about people and enjoyed working with them. Nursing seemed like an option for me so I went that direction and it was worked out great. It didn't hurt that nursing jobs had comparable pay and benefits.

I would suggest you think about what you like doing, or if there is ANY aspect of your current profession you enjoy and think about what profession has you doing a LOT of that.

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Winx51,

I think it has to do with becoming an adult. You want to work with other adults, and really so many in healthcare may just never mature. Docs especially. There is no fixing that when we have all been "brought up" in abusive environments.

Add PMS to that and, well, that's also why I really don't like nursing either. Another thing there just seems no way to fix.

You've got a lot of experience. You should easily do Clinical coordinator, Case Manager, etc. You could administrate a surgicenter. I've seen ads off and on for these things. I've also seen some OM surgeons wanting OR nurses to cross train for OM surgery. You'd work in the Dental office assisting in minor surgical, then go to the OR for the big stuff. Lots of specialized training. The hospital crap doesn't apply to you as you would not be "theirs".

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Net glow you hit the ail on the head. I guess my post was a little rough. What a f'd up environment though. If the public knew what went on in a OR thy would be mortified. I should write a book. I'm 40 so a complete career change is in the works. I applied to 3 ICU internships but never received a call. Its not like it used to be; hospitals would rather pay a new grad 24.00 an hour versus 38.00 an hour for a 15 year rn. I don't know what to do. Maybe I'll get a job at lowes.

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No kidding. Funny it's not about how good you will be in a job. It's often something stupid like getting hired because you are friends with the floor secretary or something. There are so few newer nurse jobs but a lot that are heavy responsibility out there that want very specific experience that you just cannot get these days.

I agree with you, barely able to make my start to where I wanted to go either. If a decent paying other career option showed itself, I'm gone. My license is up for renewal, and I actually entertain the thought that if some other job came up outside of nursing I'd be so happy to give up my license! That's kind of like having thoughts of suicide isn't it? Same thing. I'm actually tossing around the idea of walking away from nursing, like it's more than a possibility.

I love this blog, if anything it'll give you insight that lots of people are thinking the same thing, but powerless to change it this is one of my favorite posts from it:

A Cartoon Guide to Becoming a Doctor: What to do when you're being pimped: An algorithm

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Have you thought about sales? You can make some decent money using your knowledge without having to work as a nurse. It can be hard to get into, but the people I know who do it seem to like their job. They also have some control over their daily schedule, but it can be very demanding.

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Gotta say, I remember the feeling. I retrained to nursing after another career field for 30 years. Its been a tough go, but Im better off now and liking nursing better each shift. I remember the flame out and feeling like I had no other option. Just want to say Good Luck!! Sometimes its better to walk away than go down in flames........

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Why not go back to school? Getcha BSN!

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Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.

I haven't really left nursing, but I got a non-nursing degree to do something different. I went to theological seminary and now am in foriegn missions 6 months out of the year. I love that I can use my RN knowledge in both fields, but I also enjoy doing non-medical missions. There are endless possibilities out there, and we nurses that aren't from a second career I find are always terrified to take that first step. You aren't failing when you come back to nursing. You only live once.

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Specializes in Peri-Op.

I was kinda bored with my job too. I decided to use it to let me move where me and my family want to visit for a period of time. My first stop has been vail. I work evenings and homeschool my son. We get to hang out all day together and he does his school work at night. My wife works 4 days too.

Snowboarding, hiking, biking, skating, camping... Whatever.

We all have fun together and experience living life a lot more now. We will be here for another year, total of 18-20 months then off to the northwest US. Nursing is the one job you can take almost anywhere and get a job that pays great money. I am able to afford my home in tx still so my daughter can stay there for college while we all travel around.

Don't let the job take over your life. Take hold of your own life with the job giving you the means to do so.... Sometimes the job gets to me but I have learned to just blow it off and enjoy my days with my family in a way I couldn't without this particular job....

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