Why do you think nurses leave the profession?

Published

  1. Reasons nurses leave the profession

    • 567
      Short-staffing
    • 314
      Too many tasks
    • 46
      Lack of upward mobility
    • 311
      Poor management
    • 212
      Underpayment
    • 144
      Other- please explain below

85 members have participated

I've been a nurse for awhile and have always contemplated what makes nurses leave the profession (or bedside for that manner). As a matter of fact, I have thought about it from time to time in the 13 years I've been a nurse. From my experience I have found that aspects such as short-staffing, too many tasks, lack of upward mobility, poor management and underpayment contribute to a nurses' unhappiness in their career.

I just wanted to ask the general nursing population regardless of how long you've been a nurse what your thoughts were. Do you think leaving the profession comes from one of the aspects listed above? Or is it something else entirely?

To be clear this is not a school assignment...;)

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

What the commuter said----all the above and MORE. That poll does not begin to cover it, allowing us to select only ONE item.

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My decision to leave the bedside included all of the above in addition to the hours. Years ago, I received great advice to always have a backup plan for when you hit TOS when there is a nursing surplus. I am seeing benefits cut as well as TOS nurses bring laid off. I am also tired of the politics and the lack of preventative care in our current system. I am also irritated that nurses benefits and pay keep on getting cut, frozen or piddly raises while the administration do not have cuts to pay or bennies.

I used to be the adrenaline junkie nurse who wanted the crashing IABP, CVVHD patient. I now love helping people make healthy changes so they can live the life they want. While I am grateful for all of the years of nursing, I am excited to start my life as an entrepreneur as I will be starting my business next year. I can not wait until the day I can hand in my resignation!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I am seeing benefits cut as well as TOS nurses bring laid off.
Please pardon my lack of knowledge, but what does 'TOS' stand for? Thank you in advance. :)
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Specializes in Neuroscience.

Too many tasks, and not enough staff in which to cut down on the nurse/patient ratios. When I have 3 or 4 patients, I feel that I can mostly provide good to excellent care and be attentive. Give me that fifth patient and I'll do the best I can, but I am spread thin. Most of the population I work with require pain medications around the clock, or they are slow moving, non-ambulatory and incontinent. 'nuff said. I am only ONE person for goodness sake.

Also, CHARTING. The charting is extensive and over the top. We probably have upwards of 8 hours or more of charting per shift. That is insane. Add in all of the little interruptions where you have to stop and get up over and over and over....again, all leads back to short staffing to save a buck, it's GROSS.

I wouldn't be as mad if the hospital system would stop acting like they actually gave a damn about patient safety. please. Who are they trying to fool. They care about lining their pockets.

I don't even care all that much about rude patients/other staff. I let that ish roll off my back. I only have to look at your face for a few more hours. At work I am a duck.

eta: I resent how the nurse gets blamed for EVERYONE else's screw ups. If the tech doesn't re-alarm the bed alarm and the patient falls five minutes later before the nurse could make it back to the room to check (why should we have to babysit the techs?), if PT/OT/lab don't put the bed back in the low position when they are done with the patient, if the bathroom in the room isn't clean and housekeeping didn't bother to do their job, somehow that overflowing trashcan is the nurse's job/fault. If the doctor who was consulted three days ago didn't bother to show up, it goes on and on. I love how every department seems to hate us, yet if we walked off the floor the whole hospital would collapse and nothing would get done. Have a seat.

/rant

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Nurses leave the profession for a myriad of reasons, including:

1. Overworked

2. Underpaid

3. Treated badly by patients

4. Treated badly by families

5. Treated badly by managers

6. Treated badly by other nurses

7. Treated badly by other members of the interdisciplinary team (physicians, PT, OT, ST, social workers, case managers, dieticians)

8. Too much responsibility

9. Not enough authority

10. Administration treats us like we are as replaceable as the roll of toilet paper in the restroom

11. Mentality that the patient is always right

12. Increased focus on patient satisfaction scores

13. Decreased focus on proper patient care

14. Dangerous nurse/patient ratios

15. Feeling trapped in a lose/lose situation

ALL of these. The unrealistic expectations placed on us are unfair and downright dangerous.

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TOS is Top of Scale. Sorry for the confusion!

I also forgot to add the wear and tear on my body.

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Specializes in Author/Business Coach.
What the commuter said----all the above and MORE. That poll does not begin to cover it, allowing us to select only ONE item.

I know the poll doesn't even begin to scrape the surface. I only allowed one item to be chosen because I wanted to know if one issue stuck out more than others.

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Specializes in Author/Business Coach.
ONE person for goodness sake.

eta: I resent how the nurse gets blamed for EVERYONE else's screw ups. If the tech doesn't re-alarm the bed alarm and the patient falls five minutes later before the nurse could make it back to the room to check (why should we have to babysit the techs?), if PT/OT/lab don't put the bed back in the low position when they are done with the patient, if the bathroom in the room isn't clean and housekeeping didn't bother to do their job, somehow that overflowing trashcan is the nurse's job/fault. If the doctor who was consulted three days ago didn't bother to show up, it goes on and on. I love how every department seems to hate us, yet if we walked off the floor the whole hospital would collapse and nothing would get done. Have a seat.

/rant

I also hated having all the responsibility of everyone else's job, but no control when I was at the bedside too.

What is the solution to this since the nurse is the "gatekeeper" of all?

Maybe adequate help? I think it's more complicated than that though.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

I voted other...explanation is how about an option that says "all of the above?' There are still times I feel good about about my job, but those times are getting few and far between. Overworked and underpaid is the new slogan of nursing everywhere!

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I left bedside nursing because I was walking out of the hospital crying all the time (and I didn't do that as a new grad.) The night before I had to go back to work, I would cry from anxiety and dread. I loved my patients and adored my coworkers, but I was burned out and the good didn't outweigh the bad anymore. Not getting to eat until 8 hours into my 12-hour shift most days, staying over at least an hour (sometimes 2 or more) every single day to chart ... I wanted so badly to deliver the care my patients deserved, but I couldn't. I couldn't promise patients that I'd round on them every 2 hours, I couldn't say "Is there anything else I can do for you? I have the time." I couldn't relieve their pain or nausea within minutes. I was asked to do so much more than I reasonably could with my patient load in a 12-hour time frame. It became very clear to me that I needed to leave when I stopped being able to fake a smile or positive attitude, both of which usually come naturally to me.

I miss bedside nursing, I miss my coworkers, I miss knowing that I made a real difference every day. But until we get nurse-to-patient ratios that are safe AND allow time for us to take bathroom breaks, eat lunch, etc., and until this patient satisfaction baloney goes away, and until administration really understands what they ask of their nurses, I'm not going back. So essentially, I'm never going back because healthcare is NOT going in that direction as far as I can see.

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Specializes in LTC, med/surg, hospice.

I haven't put my vote in yet but I will go with short-staffing.

The chronic short-staffing leads to us being overworked and that physical toll on the body.

The short-staffing also means at times, I can't satisfy everyone's needs as quickly as they want. Then guess what happens, patients and families complain.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
Nurses leave the profession for a myriad of reasons, including:

1. Overworked

2. Underpaid

3. Treated badly by patients

4. Treated badly by families

5. Treated badly by managers

6. Treated badly by other nurses

7. Treated badly by other members of the interdisciplinary team (physicians, PT, OT, ST, social workers, case managers, dieticians)

8. Too much responsibility

9. Not enough authority

10. Administration treats us like we are as replaceable as the roll of toilet paper in the restroom

11. Mentality that the patient is always right

12. Increased focus on patient satisfaction scores

13. Decreased focus on proper patient care

14. Dangerous nurse/patient ratios

15. Feeling trapped in a lose/lose situation

Nailed it.

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