Who's leaving nursing?

ok2bme · Mar 7, 2010

I am..but that was the plan all along..to spend 14 months of my life in an accelerated BSN program so that I could make decent money while pursuing my true career, clinical & health psychology.

stacy110 · Jun 7, 2010

I agree with many of your thoughts about leaving nursing and I am currently conducting a research study to explore the reasons that nurses may choose to leave the profession. I am looking for nurses with at least 3 years of experience who are currently working in direct care positions that are seriously considering leaving the profession for another career. If any of you live anywhere near Pennsylvania and would be willing to share your perspectives for this research study, please respond to this post and I will figure out a way that we can get in touch.

smartnurse1982 · Jun 9, 2010

Anyone thought about occupational therapist or physical therapist? Sound like getter alternatives to nursing and there is a huge shortage of both. As a matter of fact,I wonder why I don't hear about the acute shortage of occupational therapists and physical therapist.

want2banurse35 · Jun 9, 2010

Anyone thought about occupational therapist or physical therapist? Sound like getter alternatives to nursing and there is a huge shortage of both. As a matter of fact,I wonder why I don't hear about the acute shortage of occupational therapists and physical therapist.

I have definitely been thinking about Occupational Therapist and even shadowed one recently. I live in the bay area in Ca and it's like the worse place you can be a new grad. I am supposed to apply to my universities BSN program this fall but I dont know with this economy. I really do not have time to waste or time to "wait until the economy get's better" I have classmates currently in nursing programs and they all said "the economy will be better by the time I graduate!" Well you know what they graduated last month and do not have jobs.

labrador4122, RN · Jun 9, 2010

Just wondering if anyone else is actively leaving or contemplating leaving the profession altogether. If so, I'm also curious as to what other fields/careers you're pursuing. I'm seriously considering returning to school to get my master's in library science. Anyone else in similar circumstances??

when I am done with my BSN, I plan to get a business degree and pursue administrative nursing

that is the plan anyway---

nursing is not easy, now I know why there was a shortage:eek:

labrador4122, RN · Jun 9, 2010

I am seriously considering another career. I like taking care of people and see them get better but i am sick of all the politics. I've never worked with so many backstabbing, sabotaging, jealous, bipolar, caddy, verbally/mentally abusive individuals. Some nurses and doctors can be downright MEAN, especially to new nurses. I've only been an RN for 2 years and it is starting to get to me. Doesn't help that our hospital doesn't support out nurses either. I have talked with other co-workers and some share the same feelings. I feel stressed, irritated, and sometimes depressed. I have no motivation to do anything when i get home from work. All i want to do is lie down on my bed and be a vegetable. I've gained 30lbs since i started nursing and my health is not as good as it used to be. I don't know if its the area of nursing or if its nursing in general. I refuse to do med/surg because of the patient to nurse ratio. I have no desire for ICU. Emergency room is too busy and too stressful. I don't know. I'm at loss because i really do love the medical field. I've been thinking about physical therapy or computers.

wow reading your post is like mirroring mine!

I have no clue what I want to do-- but I do know that I always wanted to to business, so I would like to incorporate a business degree with nursing and do administration, or budgeting money of the hospital.... things like that.

labrador4122, RN · Jun 9, 2010

I've been out of bedside nursing for 2 years, getting fired from the AL charge nurse gig I had for telling the executive director to f*** off because he wasn't replacing any of the CNAs who left. Lucky for me, I found a new career doing end user support for electronic medical records.. The pay is MUCH better and no pressures. Just an ocassional a**hole doc who yells and screams about the system. My reply to their tantrums is, "maybe so...but I know how to use the program."

they really do that!

I asked for a day position that someone left, and mind you our floor is very busy, and of course, they will not replace the RN

so the staff is short

carolmaccas66, BSN, RN · Jun 9, 2010

I have thought a lot about getting out of nursing (I'm auzzie and have about a year's experience only). The hassle with nursing agencies wanting me to drop everything to be on call, the permanent staff who treat you like you don't exist, the outright rudeness of some of the agency managers is unbelievable. And I have always said to agencies that I need notice to go into work, as I'm doing intense post graduate studies and spend a lot of time on the computer (nearly all my study is via internet). Seems they don't listen and only want young, pliable things who think they will get sacked if they don't comply (I am aged 43 BTW). One agency recruiter basically wanted me to work 24/7 and to drop everything to work & I outright refused. She wasn't happy and was extremely offensive and rude in what she said to me. I am actually considering making a formal complaint just to rattle her if it doesn't do anything else. If nurses don't refuse certain conditions, agencies will get away with treating nurses how they like.

Fortunately I have other, marketable skills to fall back on, and have been offered a year's contract in another beautiful city here in Oz soon, so I am very lucky to have this to go to.

Hospitals that are run by administrators (who may/may not be ex nurses) make life harder with recruitment and on the floor. Nurse recruiters are sitting behind a desk just ringing people and don't understand you need time to get somewhere (and I am new in the city I am in), to change, people may need to organise baby sitters, etc. I used to have to ring Dr's to come in to replace others who were sick, and that was difficult but I wasn't the one running around! I have had really awful gastric problems, mostly indigestion, from running out to shifts, not having time to eat and the facility would have no after hours canteen to get food from (or it was crappy food), so I was coming home, eating at odd hours & it doesn't agree with me. Now I'm on medication I wasn't on before and my BP has gone up slightly.

Nurses need to demand better hours, more time to get into work, more money for insitutions to pay for updated training, etc (the list goes on), and if we don't demand it, more will be leaving.

And in addition answering the blog re obese people, I despaired working in rehab trying to get overweight, unmotivated people to do ANY exercise to help them get better. I used to try everything to help them, but some of them were like beached whales and just lay there, and whinged the whole shift about everything and anything. God knows how others do it because I gave up and don't work in those areas anymore. How do you get people to help themselves? (and those big people do need to exercise for all the benefits it gives, not just to lose weight). I am really sick of it & have got to the point where I can't be bothered - let them go home and fall over and break another hip because they won't exercise to get stronger (statistics show as well this is what happens quite frequently), and get osteoporosis from smoking, poor diet, won't educate themselves, etc.

There are many problems with nursing and the system I know can't be changed right away, but nursing has been around a long, long time and we still don't have optimum conditions and stupid recruitment rules (everyone is scared of the lawyers as well, and getting sued). I think sometimes it is more stress than it is worth. And it is quite often glamourised on TV shows etc giving people the wrong impression.

I would not encourage someone young to do nursing at all now, or use it only as a back up for another, perhaps health related career.

needanewvisionrn · Jul 19, 2010

After 20 years and administrative positions, I am considering leaving nursing because I have found I lead by how I want to be treated; with respect, patience, and professionalism. This is not always supported by exec leads where they want militant leadership. And how dare I advocate for my staff for then I am perceived as not supporting the exec leads. It is sometimes not any easier for managers who want to do right by their employees! And one bad doc can make for a very messy situation when leadership does not want to upset the revenue driven apple cart!

SoundofMusic · Jul 19, 2010

Leaving my currently very stressful job for a part time RN position in rehabilitation place. It's not "sexy," but it will give me the break I need to study for my masters (NP) and pay a bit more attention to my son.

I'm going to see how it goes ...I can always go back if I feel the need. I just need a break from our insane floor.

Not sure I'll ever leave the medical/nursing field ever ....I'm too into it now. Time will tell.

Earthagirl · Apr 7, 2011

I too, am leaving nursing. The stress and anxiety on the job have been so overwhelming over the past year that I have decided to leap into another career here in my late forties. It is scary but I am considering a couple of different avenues. I am considering a certificate in medical coding and billing. A lot less money but likely a lot less stress. I am also considering paralegal studies or education. I know that I am not going to build on my nursing degree. I would love nursing if only and if only will never be the way it should be. :) I believe there will be life after my nursing career. I really do.

Earthagirl · Apr 7, 2011

As for the management who advocates for her staff. Thanks for being honest in a very dishonest system.