Why do you think nurses leave the profession?

Nurses Professionalism

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  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 geriatrics, hospice, private duty.
All of the above along with horrible scheduling that gets old after so many years.

I somehow found myself in a four on two off rotation night position. I get one weekend off every six weeks and get put on call for nurses and CNAs every other weekend I get off. I will never work this schedule again, but I am determined to get my 'one year recent facility experience'.

This isn't counting recent staffing and policy changes that mean I am the only nurse in the building with essentially one CNA.

I can't wait to be done!

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I think people get burned out and tired of BS. Nurses are the people at the bottom of the hill standing with arms open. We all know what rolls down hill. After a while people can't take any more.

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I left a position I loved because I was feeling overwhelmed by the insane demands placed on the nursing staff. PT doesn't want to take the patient on a walk? Nursing can do it. Doctor doesn't want to make sure the dismissal paperwork has the correct medications on it? Nursing can do it. Nursing aides don't want to cut their breaks short even though the floor is going crazy? Nursing can pick up the slack. Patient would prefer to be unconscious in a drug-induced haze? Why won't nursing give them more medications? Why aren't there enough sodas in the fridge for all the visitors to have a six pack? I pay your salary! Oh, and my favorite: "we've had an increase in falls lately, so whenever your total knee patients are out of bed, you have to be within arms' reach of them. No, you can't be charting or straightening the room, you have to be able to put your hands on them at a moments notice. I don't care if it takes twenty minutes or if it repeats four times a day. No, the patient can't refuse to have you in there. What do you mean, not everyone wants to have you watching them poop? Oh, and why are you behind on your work? Your other patients are being neglected. No, we're not paying overtime so you can chart."

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Specializes in ICU,ER,med-Surg,Geri,Correctional.

I think I choose "Poor management" which I feel is the result of many of the other options 1. Overworked

1. Overworked- This is a result of the hospital administration trying to save money ,clearly as nurses we see all the waste in other depts. and other features. Example is how these mega system are more involved in making the buildings and rooms like 5 star hotels, and the major very costly TV commercial productions. Money wasted on PR instead of improved care.

2. Underpaid- Hospitals know that we as nurses are just wired to put our desire to care over everything. They take advantage of our nature and get away with all healthcare workers being underpaid.

3. Treated badly by patients- This evolves around the business aspect of the customer is always right!

4. Treated badly by families-This evolves around the business aspect of the customer is always right!

5. Treated badly by managers- Too many managers are in position by popularity of administration and not their accomplishments. So they become very insecure and sorry "suck up" to authority.

6. Treated badly by other nurses- As long as management can keep discord and bickering within the staff. They know that as we are divided and less powerful.

7. Treated badly by other members of the interdisciplinary team (physicians, PT, OT, ST, social workers, case managers, dieticians)- The other team members see how we are treated by management, simple they see us as sub-servant and tx us that way as well

8. Too much responsibility-Management has always been so quick to put more task on the nurses and then lie under the cloak of "this improves care" example years ago we had techs, EKG tech, Lab Techs, Resp techs, and a lot more NAs. So they cut back on the assist for nurses and saved money.

9. Not enough authority- Wow perhaps not enough Effective Authority would be closer. We have too many (sorry old saying) Too many chiefs and not enough Indians". Seems everyone who does not wear a nursing uniform or scrubs have mega authority. But very little responsibility.

10. Administration treats us like we are as replaceable as the roll of toilet paper in the restroom-"We here how we are a dime a dozen" They don't care , this is a pysch technique to make us feel a state of worthlessness. I remember when we use to be consider an honorable team member with seniority, as opposed to now the more vintage nurse are considered as obstructionist.

11. Mentality that the patient is always right-This evolves around the business aspect of the customer is always right!

12. Increased focus on patient satisfaction scores-They cant come up with a viable Acuity system to distribute equal and fair work assignments. But Bingo! did not take long to develop satisfaction scores. Once again in some hospitals the nurse are the ones who while attending to you loved ones is making the phone calls and follow-ups. Part of my evaluation for my 2% raise was based on my quota of follow-ups!

13. Decreased focus on proper patient care- Proved time and time again. The nurse/patient ratio has a direct effect on the pt outcomes. Put this simple proof seems to be swept under the carpet.

14. Dangerous nurse/patient ratios- See above#13

15. Feeling trapped in a lose/lose situation- This is the making of the zombie nurse. Yes boss whatever you say

So I blame much of our problems on the high end of management, the administration. The folks who while they are getting Million dollar bonus and raises have the balls to have meeting to tell us the healthcare workers how much money we are losing, and how we will need to cut staff, be willing to work outside your unit and discipline. and oh BTW Wage freezes. We as nurses are not a dime a dozen, and a nurse takes care of patients, not customers. I encourage my friends when the go to the hospital for tx to always ask the nurse"How many other patients to you have?. Since the administrators don't give a rats behind about how we feel. perhaps eventually their "Customers will get more educated and say" You can have my fancy flat screen TV,and Solid oak crown molding,. I prefer more nurse and healthcare people taking care of me. Then the word of mouth will once again be the best PR..... Sorry very long!

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Dnnc52, you said it very well. To only add: One of the reasons I became a nurse was to have a job. When one never knows from one day to the next if they will have a job, or whether the unemployment benefits will run out without another job, no way to exist.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Not true Art... you just need to know where to look and how to market yourself.

Nurses are prized within many business venues. I have a lowly associate degree, make the big bucks working from home.

Hey just curious, what do you do from home, if I may ask???? Thank you.

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NAILED IT!!!!

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Nurses leave the profession for all the reasons that are listed. Lack of respect and being overworked with unsafe nurse/patient ratios. Managements that have no respect for years experience and do not listen to what knowledge they have. Also lack of respect from patients and families is becoming very high on the list.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.
....The nursing staffing has not changed BUT the numbers of middle managers in the hospital environment and the numbers of higherups has increased with new positions being created for them constantly. Something is wrong with this picture.

That's not only in the hospital environment lee1. I work in a SNF, 90+ beds. On the day shift we have 4 nurses on the units. We also have 7-8 nurses in management or desk positions. The DON, the ADON, 3 unit managers [one of these is part time and not in that position every day, she also holds a floor nurse position] , 2 MDS coordinators and the memory care unit director. That's a ratio of 2:1 for management to floor nurses. To add to that insanity the floor nurses are still responsible for entering orders, fielding MD and family calls, admission paperwork, follow up on appointments and rounding MD orders, monitoring care plans and making changes as needed..etc. I'd really like to know what it is exactly that all these management nurses do all day because it sure isn't anything that lessons my work load!

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Nursing is something I still love to do. However, the reasons these ladies give are all very valid reasons for leaving. I will add this to the hospital nurses. I know that you have more critical care with your patients. But they should try anywhere from 25 to 50 patients or more in the long term care settings. From anywhere from 8 to 16 hours a day. The mental stressors are enormous. You get blamed for everything

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Actually what I said is true because looking around, marketing yourself, and finding other opportunities definitely counts as advancing a career. Heck, send me your address and I will send you a truckload of whining do-nothing burnout cases who can help you "make big bucks working from home."

You'd run from your own house screaming.

Spot on Art.. I did "advance" my career.

However, referring to nurses that feel stuck as "a truckload of whining do-nothing burnout cases " is quite mean spirited. I am happy to offer my experiences to my fellow nurses, in hopes to guide and educate.

As far as running from my home screaming... not gonna happen. Have a Pit Bull and a Glock ;)

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

I bet if nurses's could 'carry' on the job there's be a WHOLE lot less trouble and complaining from patients and families! :eek:

And what about "Bring Your Pit Bull To Work Day" ? That'd work, too!

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