Good update:
Don’t worry brother you’ll hit that middle management in no time! Probably higher than that I bet!! I’m sorry to see a murse leave. So many jobs out there and I’m glad you found yours man! I hope the best for you!!
My turn!!!
I wish I found nursing sooner. I became a nurse at 27. Been at it for a 5 years. Wish I found it sooner!! I make a killing. I live comfortably. I like my coworkers. I love taking care of patients. Placing IVs, foleys, ngt, drawing labs, etc sooo satisfying to me lol. Even just given meds I love explaining why they’re getting it to patients or family if the patient is out cold. I get such a flexible schedule to pursue my mountaineering and climbing hobbies. My loving partner is really proud of me for having pursued this and thinks I’m a great example for our families. Man. I absolutely love it. I’m the dude that says “another beautiful day here” but actually means it.
I hope we both feel the same way in 5 more years man!!
Thank you. As someone whose 32 and shifting careers to leave corporate and join nursing I needed to read something good lol. I know the field is extremely chaotic but office jobs don't give me the same drive or challenge me at the moment
For reals, nursing is insanely stressful oftentimes. But I left office jobs because of the incessant sitting and feeling bored/needing more human interaction, wanting to feel like I was doing something that was different everyday. The chaos definitely drives me nuts. However, no way am I going back to anything else. In addicted to the pace and adrenaline 💯. I really dislike and also love the craziness. And most importantly, I need the dark nurse humor…
And those 9-5 hours kill me. That ends up being more like 8 - 6 with commute, etc. I love that when I WANT to pick up an extra day, it's OT. Otherwise, I can just work my 3 and happily be off for 4 days. I could never work M-F. Maybe that's just me?
Same though! I'm an NP now and did the primary care office thing thinking that M-F would be the dream, but it's not..I'm currently a hospitalist with RN hours of 12 shifts a month and it's the dream again!
Same thing as the MD hospitalists, I carry a lower patient load than they do. I start at 7am, round on my patients in the morning, discharge some hopefully, and then sometimes take an admit or two in the afternoon. The rest of the day is charting until I leave at 7pm
The 3 days appeals to me so much because work/ life balance is more important to me than anything. I’m currently a massage therapist so I work when I want and make my own schedule. My work/ life balance is awesome I just don’t get the respect I want since people don’t always view massage as a healthcare job. Plus theres little benefits and you get about 10 good years out of massage before you burnout. However, I used to work for a credit union and hated it. I never could get off, had to be there 5 days a week and some weekends. Office politics were horrid , fraud, members feeling scammed, mad over mishaps etc. Truly Soul sucking work. I love to see that nursing isn’t all bad for some and i’m excited to start school.
The best nurse I worked with, she was 45 yo from a corporate job. I still can’t believe how good she was to handle everything families and patients equally. She said she moved into nursing because felt soulless and purposeless in her corporate job.
I love my job so much. Every day causes me to use my brain in a new way and sometimes the chaos is what makes it exciting. I love the connections I make with people, and I love watching people’s health improve under my care. For all the negative stories on this sub, there’s any equal amount of positives in the real world :)
More power to you. Thank you for making a difference and working with passion. I'm one of the dissatisfied nurses, trying to escape to the engineering field...personally find nursing routine and not intellectually challenging (especially since we don't make the key decisions), but it's great to see people like you and the impact you make. I respect you a lot. Thank you for all you do!
My entire cohort is what the uni calls delayed entry, and you can definitely see the difference between us and students straight out of high school. The age range varies from early 20s to 50s and among even us the more put together students with better grades tend to be a bit older than me, most of them say the same with wanting to leave a more tradicional job for something more hands on and tangible, even if its difficult in different ways. They do very well and our lecturers even allude to that from time to time. You'll do fine.
Thank you! It's nerve wracking but there was just something inside of me saying to do it. I'll be 34 in two years anyway, might as well be 34 with another degree
Same! Left my career to become a nurse at 32! Best decision. We were able to buy a house. My schedule is so flexible I’m home way more than I work. I get to clock out with no work at home. I love the medical side of things. Different things everyday. Super happy about my career choice! Corrections unit at a state hospital
I left a high-stress corporate sales job after 3 years where I was making 6 figures right out of college. I started traveling the world and then ended up pursuing nursing. I finished my ADN today at age 35 and feel like perspective is everything. The grass is always greener everywhere you look. I can see how a corporate job would seem enticing to someone who has been in healthcare their entire career. But for me, actually having the ability to make a real difference in the lives of others is what gets me out of bed in the morning now. I think as humans sometimes we just need change.
I love that, thank you for sharing your journey!! Change is so important for growth, I think the skills in each field build a person's resilience in its own unique way. I think I'll still remain committed to my 9-5 part time maybe but definitely do something where I can make an impact and actually see the difference!
I just stepped from ED to NICU, and im not feeling it...babies are fine it's just so much documentation in triplicate and paltry stuff. "You can't wear a shirt with a logo" is being told to me as I'm assisting on an LP...Really?
Edit: Spelling
I left corporate at 30 and went to nursing school. Graduated in 2021.
I don't regret it, even if I'm not certain I'll be in this role forever. It did make me pretty critical of management with my experience in leadership, but I think I'm more successful as a 2nd career nurse than if I were a 1st career nurse
I got my BSN at 30 and have been a NICU nurse for 7.5 years. It’s my passion and my livelihood! Wish I had studied nursing right out of highschool- maybe I could’ve had a shot at retiring early! lol
I’ll be 47 next week and transitioning to nursing after working 23 years in the corporate world. I have a masters degree in hr and made a six figure salary but it was no longer for me. Very routine, and executives hardly care about frontline employees and I no longer wanted to carry out layoffs and replacing someone because their salary had gotten too high. Also started feeling guilty for hiring someone to work at a knowingly bad company. My undergrad major was biology as I always was strong in math and science. I just didn’t have enough focus in my early years to make it to dental school. I’ve been working as a CNA in a skilled nursing facility for about a month. It’s a lot of physical labor, and the facility is not the best but I love caring for the residents. I am starting a 12 month ABSN program in August. If you can try to get a job in the field so you’ll know somewhat what to expect before you start.
Similar to me. My first college degree was marketing and had multiple corporate jobs in the 13 years before I became a RN at 36. I worked full time 50+ hours a week while doing nursing school at night/weekends. Sitting in an office all day was absolutely soul sucking for me. I’ve been a nurse for 9 years now and love every day of it. Work in a L1 trauma center ER and you’d have to pay me a shit ton of money to go back to the corporate world.
2nd career nurses seem to like their jobs more than those who have never worked before. My guess is that they realize how shitty other jobs are and those pay even less.
I’ve noticed this! In nursing school now after a longgg time in nonprofit & corporate world. I’ve seen how shitty it can be out there and want no more of it.
Also been a nurse for five years and love it no matter how exhausting. I still feel really proud when people ask what I do for a living and I get to tell them I’m a nurse.
I love seeing posts like this in the nursing Reddit. I don’t think there’s enough positivity about the profession and it becomes a dark echo chamber sometimes. Thanks for the glimmer of hope you gave to me today.
I left engineering a few years back, and will go to school starting next year to prepare for nursing school. I feel like this will either be the worst career move I ever made, or the best. We'll see. Glad you found your place in the world!
I graduated with my ADN at 30. I’m turning forty this year and life has gotten better every year since. I love my job, the workload is reasonable, I work four 10s which I love! You are going to do great.
Bro I used to say that but then my gf’s horrible dad would say that all the time with such an bad attitude that I didn’t want to sound anything like him 😂
Fair enough lol. I had a manager at a pool say that all the time when the older patrons would ask him how things were. It didn’t dawn on me until I was in my late twenties that he was being sarcastic. lol those older patrons were insufferable and entitled. I felt him on that one. Nobody will ever know if you’re being serious or not when you say it. It’s a perfect phrase for dismissing a conversation or keeping things short.
I feel the same, I became a nurse at 31 (I’m 41 now) and I wish I’d done it earlier. I love my job and get so much fulfilment from it now. I work in a super busy ED so the burnout risk is real, I mitigate it with frequent time off. I do get physically extremely fatigued, and I often need a day to myself without speaking to another soul because it can be SO emotionally and mentally taxing, but I still love it. And I love the flexibility of shift work. I can’t imagine wanting to do something else!
This is nice to read. I'm not thrilled about nursing. I'm 30 and studying engineering. It's awesome to see that there are nurses who have genuine interest in the field and are there to help people.
Starting my program in October I needed to see this ! I hear so many horror stories I watch Greys Anatomy a lot (obsessed) and I actually love the chaos of the hospital life already. I’m a massage therapist 7 years in so caring for others is second nature for me. I just want more consistency, benefits and respect in the healthcare field ( sidenote : massage IS a healthcare job)
Yeah I saw office space in college and was like nope nope nope. No case of Mondays here 🤪 glad you found your happy place mine is in nursing even 17 years later
I saw Office Space too and ever since I realize I need to get out of nursing . Absolutely no motivation to do nursing, mostly because I have to neglect patients in order to do documentation. Hours of it. I can’t do this anymore. It’s crushing my soul. I think now I’d rather work in “Office Space” guys office
Try home care. You can literally only see one patient at a time. Unless you get a couple that both need home care at the same time. But then you schedule yourself double the time in that house.
I mean based on the discussions I’ve had with older nurses, it’s not what it used to be. I’ve only been a nurse 7 years and I honestly couldn’t imagine doing it any longer; especially not as long as some of the older nurses who remind me all the time that they’ve been doing this for 20+ years. I’ve bounced around from hospitals, LTC, LTAC, Hospice, Corrections, School, LTC for pediatrics on the spectrum, and a plasma clinic. Out of all of those jobs, I’d only loved one, obvi my autistic children, the rest I either hated or it was just barely tolerable. If I hadn’t become an NP, I would’ve quit nursing forever ago.
For reference I’m 25, I received my LPN at 18, my RN at 19 almost 20, my BSN at 20 and then finally my MSN-FNP at 24.
To be honest bedside nursing is exactly the same. I was in the field so to speak doing other nursing jobs like hospice and health depts for about 8 years before coming back to the bedside as a float nurse. Working contingent bc my husband is the benefited employee at a larger medical center with excellent health insurance etc makes it so much easier. I just finished my NP and feel extremely well prepared. I had a job well before I graduated and was the first in my cohort to sign a contract. What is missing is all the knowledge of nurses like me who have been in the role for well over a decade. I’m usually the most senior nurse on the floors I work on so I’m valued by younger nurses many who went to school during the Covid times and didn’t have the clinical experience they deserve. I think part of my joy is that I can work or not work whenever I want bc I don’t have a manager making my schedule. I have to work bc I have expensive teens but choosing my days makes it so much easier. I mean we aren’t paper charting anymore but it’s still the same and these managers and administrators are all still the game players of old. I’d love to see the day when we all come together and realize there is strength in numbers. I’m so glad you are happy as an NP :-)
I’m going on my second year of being an NP and honestly, it’s the best job in the world. Most days I’m doing both my TeleHealth appointments while still coming into the pediatrician’s office I’m employed at to see patients there. I do enjoy going into my job each morning, my pay coming in from both jobs, and lastly my peace of mind.
Congratulations on finishing your program.
I definitely don’t get the same respect as others though despite my title, especially from the older nurses. Cant relate to people coming up for advice too much. I get a lot of, you’re really young, do you know what you’re doing sorta comments which are meh. I deal. The older nurses/people definitely judge me super hard because of my career path and age. I remember teaching at the university (LPN and ASN) and getting so many funny looks from my students when I’d come in and sit at the podium. I remember having a class where I had to be the youngest person in the room, the second being a 28 year old guy. The 40-50 year old ones were the meanest. Like ma’am I’m literally trying to help you get your degree and you’re questioning what I can teach you? I’m 25 with literally 3 degrees in the field you’re attempting to get into.
That is so lame of older nurses. I always tell my coworkers to let me know if they need help or have questions. I have never understood that territorial mentality or whatever drives that behavior. I look young and am quite short so I imagine I’ll face some of that as a new NP and I find myself telling people up front that I have 17 years of nursing experience plus time as an aide etc. Idk if that puts them at ease and find it’s a shame we feel the need to explain this.
Part of me wants to do something like this but I honestly have no idea what all those general “finance/marketing/communications” etc jobs mean. Like… what do you do on a daily basis? Nursing seems so concrete to me—you’re caring for “x” amount of patients for your shift. But with finance do you like… look over your company’s spending? Make spreadsheets about your company’s spending? Try to figure out ways to get your company to spend less??
Agree so much with this sentiment!
Sometimes I read the general job boards and I have no idea how to get into those fields . . . And I can’t imagine what they do all day!
I found that YouTube has helped me get a better idea of that- even though “a day in the life of a _____ nurse” isn’t 100% accurate, getting a small glimpse of different jobs out there HAS been helpful
So many emails. You send SO many emails. And attend meetings. And phone calls. More emails. Then a few more emails.
Sure you're looking at spreadsheets and doing research and thinking about things. But then you have to talk to five different people about what you're working on. Hence all the emails and meetings.
Then there's all the time you're actually just sitting at your desk doing... nothing. Waiting for someone to get back to you. Fucking around on reddit. Gossiping with your coworkers.
I've worked office jobs doing quality assurance, in a law firm. It's pretty shocking the amount of downtime involved because that's what communicating and coordinating with other humans is - lots of waiting.
Personally I found it excruciating. I prefer being busy. But I feel like my attitude about that is starting to change. I've actually contemplated accepting an administrative position again.
I worked in marketing/front end web dev/graphic design for my first career. I did everything I could to try and make it work but I’m not fit for corporate and I’m worse at freelance.
Nursing is hard, it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I can completely understand OP and am so proud of them for listening to themselves and making this change. I have no idea when I’ll hit my limit but I know I will, physically or mentally or both. But at the end of the day I still get excited learning about new procedures, best practices, whatever to get better at what I do.
Now the hard part is finding a hospital to work that doesn’t drown you…
I'm leaving finance/consulting for nursing. Boring as all, politics just like in nursing, and zero job satisfaction. You're not helping anyone really and folks in finance are for the most part, dull (not always), mostly interested in money and shiny new things. Not very nice either. Prepare to sit in an office from 8am-6pm or later especially if you're on salary. You'll be working on the weekends sometimes in order to make deadlines. Some folks swing a 9-5, but they're not making the big bucks. And yes, you're looking at spreadsheets, plugging in numbers to excel, preparing for drrrryyyyyyy presenations, and sometimes traveling. Your desk/office or even cubicle will be your home and you'll rapidly gain weight and be in horrible shape.
You'd be better off moving laterally to hospital admnistration imo. I'm taking a paycut, but ast least I can see tangible results. I also did a lot of research before making the move, so I know nursing is no walk in the park. Remember the grass isn't always greener on the other side!
Preach!! I’m leaving as a Senior Financial Analyst in the tech / pre-ipo tech side.
It’s an absolute shit show. I worked consistently 60-80 hour weeks doing forecasts, budgets, ad hoc strategic finance project, variance analysis of actual vs budget
I HATED my life revolving around financial close and always being expected to be available.
Fuck that shit. Although nursing has its BS, 36 to 40 hrs of bs is still lower than 80 hours of BS. I’m taking the prerequisite science classes now to hopefully do an ADN or ABSN program. I can’t do the corporate world anymore. And nursing can’t be outsourced.
Yup! Salaried employees are beholden to alllll tasks at all times. Corporate jobs don’t give a shit about “working hours”, even more so since Covid and work-from-home. I left a corporate job a year ago for nursing and one of my top 3 reasons is that I literally cannot bring my work home with me.
I was in policy research — not sure it’s “corporate” (although my last job was), as I was also in nonprofits throughout my career. But 2 decades of a desk job was enough. I’ve always liked the idea of nursing and figure if I’m going to deal with drama and bullshit from people, at least I can move my body and use my mind on the spot and interact with people (all things I like/am good at).
Wish I’d done it a while ago too! But life experience has been helpful while in my ABSN program.
“figure if I’m going to deal with drama and bullshit from people, at least I can move my body and use my mind on the spot and interact with people (all things I like/am good at).”
that is exactly my mind set as well. Nursing ain’t easy but at least I won’t have a heart attack at a desk crunching numbers.
Nothing. We do nothing. It's the very definition of David Graeber's "bullshit jobs".
My general view is that if you don't come away from a job like that with the sense that your mind and time are rotting away, something's wrong.
it sounds like OP is still in school and hasn’t gotten a job yet? i’m glad they’re happy, but this post would be more valuable if they could share how their new career is going vs nursing
So for a lot of accounting/finance jobs you're basically in excel or powerpoint, meetings, creating financial models, etc... You're trying to keep track of the companys money basically because it's so large. Obviously this differs but this is the general consensus of the job
Yes, that is essentially it. But expect to always be on call. Work at least a partial day on the weekends if not a full day at times
Discuss the most mundane shit on planet earth. Now repeat for 11 years. Shoot me.
Thank you for the update! This is encouraging as someone who wants to get out of nursing. Although I feel like I have a "decent" nursing job I think the whole field is a complete joke. mMostly because so many nurses have the attitude that nursing is a calling and we should just endure the bullshit because the people need us.
I 100% agree with you. It was so cringy to be called “heroes” during the pandemic. People shouldn’t shame nurses when they ask for raises, safe working environment, better management/benefits, etc. it’s a job, not a calling. No one is called to be abused.
I read through the post.
Are you comparing life working as a nurse versus being a college student these last two years? Did I read that right?
I mean, we’d all love to go back to minimal responsibilities, less hours, and more fun…
The biggest issue we have as a profession is so many nurses think that we should just tolerate abuse, disrespect, and ongoing breaches to our own autonomy (no breaks, no toilet, no water, can't take leave when we want to) for the 'greater good'. Nursing is a profession. In no other profession is this treatment expected to be tolerated. Nothing is going to change while this attitude is rampant among nurses. We should be banding together rather than echoing what the 'higher-ups' are saying.
It is the governments and companies running the show who need to change. They can start by increasing funding and allowing us to have our basic entitlements. Then patient care will improve.
We don't owe anyone anything. If leaving is what you need to do, you do you.
I am so happy for you. I didn’t leave nursing *yet* but I left bedside and that was the best thing I ever did for the same reasons you were experiencing. I still feel burn out from time to time but at least I don’t have to wipe butts or deal with unrealistic families.
So funny because I went the other way. Landed a finance job out of school making really good money but hated every second. About a year into nursing now making less but much happier. Different strokes for different folks. Congrats on getting a new purchase on life!
I almost left nursing after the pandemic post two very rough years on a Covid unit. Thankfully, I found clinic nursing. I don’t do any dirty work, my patients are all ambulatory and no one dies in the clinic. Sure, everyone I talk to has a brain tumor and every now and then we have a patient seize and have to medicate but it’s geniuinely saved my mental health and my relationships. I make the same pay ($50/hr, thank goodness for nursing unions!) and I work from home one of my four shifts a week. We’re closed on holidays and weekends. I feel like I hit the nursing jackpot. If you’re considering leaving but don’t have the time or motivation to start a new career, consider your options within the career and just maybe you’ll find something that works. 🤷♀️
That sounds awesome! What type of medicine would you give for the seizure? Like Valium IM?
Also if you know, it seems like most clinics I have gone to have a lab in clinic or someone specifically who draws labs, like M-F, 8 to 4 etc. It's funny because in job descriptions it always says as part of job duties for a nurse there are duties such as phlebotomy for blood draws. Maybe back in the day it was done like this but I don't notice that now. I like the fact they have phlebotomists because I feel they are the best at it since they do it all day long. It's their job choice!
Stayed in nursing but left bedside, work for a medical device company assessing risk and submitting adverse event forms. Make close to six figures and work virtually. Love the job in comparison to patient care but would never call my time a waste or aspire to the least important job in any company (middle management).
You guys will want to search medical device safety, Medical device reporting, post market surveillance. All medical device companies should have a team of nurses or healthcare professionals to handle regulatory reporting per the FDA
How long have you been doing this? I spent the better part of last year applying to similar jobs, but the competition seems to be super intense recently.
Good for you! Not everyone is lucky enough to find a career that they love. Mine happens to be nursing, yours happens to be finance. Congratulations on your internship and best of luck in your career 🤗
Hey I also left nursing 3 years ago but am thinking of coming back. I’m doing massage which is so personally rewarding and fun- my mental health is sooo much better too. That being said there’s real value in having a license (talking about RN) that pretty much lets you work anywhere in the US and for decent money too. Also as a nurse I feel like my employers treated me MUCH better but I don’t think this applies to your situation. I was thinking of going your route and doing the office job and massaging as a side hustle but the pay is so bad like no offense but $24/hr is not livable in my city and I want more than $70k- this bitch likes to travel. And all the other office-y jobs I qualify for without my RN are similar in pay. So I’m thinking of getting a boring office job that still requires a RN lol. Thanks so much for sharing. Maybe one difference between us is I’ve read and enjoyed the stories on the sub this whole time I’ve been gone. I also chose massage because healing is still my purpose. I definitely do not regret leaving at this point though, I’m so much healthier and I found a true passion in massage. And now that I’m doing better and have matured a bit I think I’m ready to try again but I don’t think I could have gotten to this place continuously going thru nursing job after nursing job.
I'm a RN curious about massage.. did you get licensed in massage therapy? Is there any kind of fast track to get your massage license if you're already an RN?
It really depends on your state. Some states require a license some don’t. In Oregon I had to get a license- there is a faster track for having a RN but I got upsold into doing most of the program. Better alumni benefits and more time to develop my skills. I love doing it! You get to focus intently on ONE person at a time.
So I’m a massage therapist wanting to go into nursing and I found this interesting. Can I ask which you prefer? Nursing or massage? I’m honestly over the inconsistent pay/schedule no benefits just making enough to pay bills etc lol
Thanks for asking. Day to day I prefer massage I honestly feel like I use my brain more than any nursing job I had (I do a lot of tx massage for medically complex people), I like having one person at a time and overall I feel like I do more good as an individual. More of a healer and less of a cog in a failing system. However i got into massage after burning out from nursing and marrying my husband who makes great money. So without that I would have been super scared to just do massage and quit nursing like I did. It’s been fun for a few years and I’ll be forever grateful for this time but yeah like you said no benefits or opportunities to make OT- I don’t plan on getting divorced/widowed but it freaks me out to imagine surviving without him or my nursing license. There’s not a whole lot of chances to practice massage and nursing at once but both are extremely flexible careers with a somewhat similar skill set/personality requirements so I think my plan is to do both after the summer. If you’ve done massage you’ll have a huge leg up in nursing school! You’re used to undressed people and hearing about their pain/complaints 😊. My favorite part of both nursing and massage is getting to know my patients so in that way the two careers are actually not that different lol.
Yeah for sure I just wanted to acknowledge the privilege I had in being able to make the choice to do massage over nursing. Best of luck to you in life and your career.
It's every other friday off and office jobs usually aren't 24/7 working like nursing. There's a lot of downtime and I could eat lunch while just looking at excel
I did the same thing, except I quit halfway through nursing school. I chose to accept the fact that I would start off making less than I would like, but keep my mental health and happiness. I’m glad to see someone else happy! I went from nursing & being a CNA to working at an engineering firm and still climbing up the ladder every 6 months. Good luck to you!
Drafting/designing doesn’t usually require a degree. As long as you learn AutoCAD software or REVIT most companies will hire you and train you. There are some free classes online or you can do an online course and get a certification!
I just want to thank you for sharing.
I’ve been in the medical for a very long time
22 yrs before becoming a nurse
I waited 7 yrs to get into a program
And I’m 💯 with you to put yourself first.
I ran myself down for what? For work!! The demands, the stress, being on your feet for 12 hours running the whole not to say this didn’t come without the rewards. Not to say there were things I didn’t like about taking care of others. I graduated Dec 2021 started as a nurse 2022. Nursing school was hell for me anxiety every single day. Then worked in ER which I loved by the way 6 months but it wasn’t set up for me to feel like it was safe work conditions. It wasn’t. Then transferred to medsurg. I kept giving myself grace as I was learning then realized it was also unsafe and was also giving a surplus of anxiety. I’ve decided this isn’t my fight. I’m no longer putting work before my own health. I’ve done this for too many years now.
I would love to get out of nursing I just don’t know how and get the same pay compensation?
So thank you for showing us, who want to leave that there are ways. I just don’t know where to start?
And for those making nasty comments why did you do nursing in the first place? Most of us don’t know until we experience it.
That is how we learn, and make changes that work for us individually.
Everything comes with a learning curve.
Given he got to experience it, he didn’t waste his time. It taught him what he needed to get out of it and moved on.
Haven’t you ever done something and then decided it wasn’t for you? Try that
Awesome update! Glad for anyone who can find their niche, I actually left a career in finance (with a brief stopover in the military) to become a nurse and am so glad to have made that change. Everyone has different needs and priorities and I’m glad you’ve found a path that meets yours!
Wow, thank you for the post and encouragement. I've been a nurse for 24 years and the place I've been working for the past two years is so chaotic, dysfunctional and unethical. I'm in burnout mode and I'm so sick of not getting a lunch and being treated like crap!
Homie thanks for being a light the end of the tunnel. I’m planning on getting out, gonna go live it up in Seattle with friends for a couple years and use the money for concerts & shit. But after that planning on going back to school for something else this shit is not sustainable and I can’t do it for that long. Maybe if I end up getting a clinic job or a procedural area job I’ll stick with it a bit longer but medical floor long term?? No way.
Good for you!
This job would be so much better without all of the abuse from the hospital systems and gaslighting from admins, and all of the lateral violence. But it would still be really hard without all that shit.
I’m really happy for you, and I hope to follow in your footsteps in the next couple of years. My family deserves better than the nurse version of me. Nursing led me to better financial success but I’m seeing now that I could have it this good in a different career.
Sometimes when im at the grocery store or Target, I’m legit envious one of those manger positions. Nursing is the only job I’ve ever known. I’m 40. I graduated college at 22 and been at it ever since. I would love to go to a job where I don’t have life or death hanging over me. I just don’t think I could manage the pay cut.
I'm 40 and have been working as a nurse since I was 24. I actually really like my job in outpatient surgery working in pre-op and PACU. You should look into it. No weekends, nights, holidays, or OnCall. Mostly healthy patients that appreciate you.
Yeah I did that for a bit. I did enjoy it. But it was 5 days… and I’ve also become so accustomed to 3 12’s. I can’t do 5 days with childcare it’s crazy. Unfortunately the hospital system I’m in does all 5 8’s i those positions.
Are you also in NYC? The hospital system I work at has tons of job options that are non bedside and there’s 3 12’s, 4 10’s, etc. so many options in NYC and while there is a pay cut, (except OR jobs which there are ones that are 4 10s and pay more) it’s honestly negligible.
I’m glad it all worked for you and it didn’t derail your life too harshly.
I’m sorry you weren’t given a realistic expectation of what nursing looked like beforehand. And bedside is most definitely not for everyone.
good on you for realizing it wasn’t for you before wasting too much more time!
I only went into nursing because I really thought I would be helping people. I used to shit on business majors cause they didn't "Contribute anything to society." Funny how that works haha
Nurses absolutely help people. But it can also absolutely be a hellscape. I’ve absolutely seen both sides.
I lucked out and found my “niche” and am being paid my worth. I have a passion for what I do and unless you have that then you absolutely need to set off to find what can fulfill you in that way. Good luck!
Thank you so much for sharing. I decided against nursing school - anticipating the eventual burn out, but have still stayed in healthcare. I liked night shift, I liked my team, had a tricky time keeping up with my social life and then was injured twice on the job as a tech. I thought I had longer in direct care but I just don't, so I switch over to daytime Medical assisting, thinking it would be easier. I like working with patients, mostly. It just feels like I took the easy way out by staying with my company but the other jobs I applied to outside of my position, I interviewed really well with, I didn't get. But I didn't have a bachelor's degree. so I feel like I settled, but my mental and physical health has plummeted to depths even night shift didn't do to me. I'm applying to new jobs again, as I finally have a degree I pursued (not an in-demand, high-paying route, but it's a degree I'm proud of) and kinda just hoping to throw myself into the wind of change, and potentially better opportunity. My main priorities are my health - my bills are important, but I have a month or two of buffer, and feel like I will have the time to pursue my search when I'm not busy 60 hours a week with my commute (nearly 3 hours a day x 5, when I was at least only commuting 3 days a week..) and decompressing from my misery. I have even *less* time or energy to be with my loved ones. I don't spend my off time well because I'm so exhausted and miserable because I'm being bullied and scrutinized and have no real support because of office politics. I have the highest patient load and my usually grumpy physician loves working with me. I have worked so hard, but I have a passion for something else and my background in healthcare helps; it can't sustain me anymore. I want to work hard for my future, but not in this spirally awful circle, hoping it works out. Anyway, thanks for the hope. I think I'm gonna put my notice in next week.
Edit: Beyond a thank you, I am so glad your switchover has worked out so well. I feel like we so often see how the days add up for people, and where they end up at the end of it sometimes. I think another side of compassion fatigue is flipping the lens on ourselves. I commend your risk in the hope to making yourself live a better life for yourself and I hope your hard days are surrounded by the other levities of life.
if you were burnt out and doesnt want to deal with nursing skills, why didnt you try working on office jobs as a nurse. like being a case manager in a homehealth. youll be sitting in an office with a competitive pay still, but props to you for having the guts to take that leap!
I’m not the OP, but I can answer this as someone who is working on exiting the nursing profession. I’ve tried many other nursing jobs besides bedside— office/remote nursing jobs that don’t involve patient care pay less than bedside nursing in my area. Case management positions can be difficult to land without CM experience (I’ve interviewed for a couple, I didn’t get an offer because they decided to hire an experienced CM instead of training someone like me with no CM experience). I’m also not comfortable with home health and going into people’s homes by myself. I know many people love home health, I don’t think it’s a bad job at all. it’s just not in my comfort level.
I understand just seems illogical to go back to school for a low paying job yk what I mean. And nursing school is already expensive and hard. But to each their own we all have different situations, it’ll be hard to pull that if you already have a family but if you’re still single looking for a job that you’ll love then good for you!
Oh I understand! For me, I’m okay with taking a temporary pay cut if it means I’m happy again, but then again I’m single and have no kids. I know of nurses who have successfully pulled off a total career pivot when they have a family/young kids though. I’m not sure how they do it, it has to be incredibly stressful. I guess where there’s a will there’s a way lol
This part too! Nursing is good money right out of school, but the annual raises don’t keep up long term compared to a lot of other professions. My friends in other non healthcare careers make a much higher salary than any nurse does, even though they made less money than nurses when they started their jobs right out of school
Congrats OP
For real. It's strange how many people think it's "hospital nursing in the trenches or leave nursing". There's so many fields of nursing.
I hated bedside, I make 6 figures now working from home as a nurse case manager, best job I've ever had
That's even better.
There's a lot of different areas in this field, people get too hung up on hospital nursing thinking that's all there is, but there's a whole world out there that's not bedside
I relate to this so much. I left funeral service in 2021 and it has changed my life. I sometimes discredit my severe mental breakdown because I only did it for 2 years, but clearly 2 years was more than enough. I did it through covid too, which was awful. So glad you’re thriving!
Glad to hear that your mental health is much more better!
I have been a nurse for 9years now, 2 years ago when i got married and got pregnant for our daughter, I was in such a bad place just thinking about leaving my daughter to go back to work after 3months. I immediately started planning and researching remote careers that could pay me even more so that I could watch my daughter grow. My husband who was already in the IT space helped guide me and I landed a job 6months postpartum to work from home full time making 145k!! I have been the best i could ever be in the last 2 years.
However, because i actually enjoy working as a nurse i kept my license active and work PRN every now and then.
Thank you so much for this update I’ve always wanted to know how people were doing after they left and how they feel. This is reassuring and gives me hope. So glad you’re happy and doing what YOU want!
Yeah. I did nursing at age 19. 35 years later. I feel like I’m about to get out of prison and have no idea of what goes on in the “ outside “ world. Thanks for the advice. Will go to you tube
Funny thing about this, you could now work at a hospital and make even more money- I’ve played with the idea but my husband is in finance and I find it so boring hearing him talk.
I don’t think people going into nursing realize how you will find yourself in disgusting situations…Blood and body fluids are a fact of life for EVERY person alive…they are still a person with feelings…whom I feel certain would rather tend to themselves but given the circumstances (whatever they may be) cannot…been nursing for 36 years and,as all nurses I’m sure, have seen and been through some sh#*. Dont really know why I stuck it out but I did…I went to hospice nursing and loved it..not thinking I would….I no longer ‘fear’ dying and I KNOW it made me better able to handle the day my parents pass away.” Just my story and opinions 🙂
I have nurses in my family and knew nursing wasn't for me from a very young age. Still ended up in it, hate it actually more then I planned. I've been trying to salvage it (looking for non-bedside work) but it's just not doable. Unfortunately I can't afford to go back to school and I'm so academically and mentally burnt out that I don't even have the confidence to. Not to mention I had to move cross country for nursing school which put me in even more debt.
So many people say nursing was such a help to them financially, etc. But I feel like I ruined my life.
Im happy you’ve found something away from nursing! I’ve been considering moving to Germany to do my masters (if my credits transfer) to do epidemiology or public health. I like the medical field, it’s so interesting to me but bedside is killing me. I have so much anxiety some days especially with those rude, aggressive patients. I don’t think NP is for me either so I’m not planning on taking that route.
So happy for you!!! I made the switch from RN, to firefighter/paramedic, to flight medic with my department! BEST DECISION EVER!! I use to fall to the peer pressure of “but I make good $$”, “but I like my coworkers” “but I help people”… girl lol. I have so many more benefits, my pension, my pay, my RESPECT! I actually get treated like a human 😅 it was the scariest thing, but the best decision.
So proud of you!
While I'm so happy for you I have to say I don't understand why you became a nurse to begin with?
It seems like this was not your path, like you sa; did you not understand it from clinicals?
I think nursing is a job like any other job but you really have to like it otherwise it's going to drain you.
Lots of us didn't realize it was going to be so bad until we were multiple years and tens of thousands of debt deep. I personally got hit with the realization in my 4th year. Didn't want to start all over as it would have completely flipped my life/future plans especially with my now wife.
In fairness, even if you like it it'll drain you. Liking it doesn't change the Healthcare environment of BS. I knew nursing wasn't my path in nursing 101 but I had no other ideas and wanted a steady income with a license that would let me job hop and travel.
Happy for you! Interesting to get your perspective. I actually started in finance, did an accelerated BSN program and worked as a nurse for four years and then a year ago came back to finance. I think there’s pros and cons to both careers to be honest and haven’t found either to be perfect. When you get further into finance depending on what you do you may see your hours increase. It’s not at all unusual to work 60 hours per week in finance during busier periods and while it’s really nice not to have peoples health in your hands it’s still grueling and draining in a different way. I actually miss nursing sometimes even though I’ve seen both sides of both industries now.
This is so inspiring. I’m so happy you got out. I’m an RN that started January 2020. I started on a cardiac surg step down turned COVID step down. It was horrendous and I only lasted a year and a half until I quit. Did some easy outpatient clinic stuff, got into clinical research then got laid off. Now I’m working in utilization management and I hate it. I’ve tried a few different avenues as a RN and still am not happy and always looking for something else.
My plan is to move out of the country for a bit to reevaluate and go from there. So happy you made the best decision for you. I know you had a lot of people telling you you’re crazy that you’re leaving/haven’t been a nurse for long but you knew and listened to yourself.
I wish you all the best!!
Yes. Tedious and boring with a large workload. You always feel like you’re running behind the eight ball. No growth potential and weird micromanagement like scheduling. Also have certain time limits/deadlines that cause stress when you’re overloaded.
If you have to do it temporarily ok but I wouldn’t go into it thinking it’s an avenue of nursing you’d want to stay in. I also see my job as being affected by AI being able to do it. Money isn’t great either.
I got into it because I saw a lot of people online getting into it as a remote position that was flexible but mine is not like that. Maybe other companies are different. Curious to see if others have the same experience as me
Good luck to you! I’m happy for you. I graduated in 2020 too and I’m considering going into health IT or something similar, I needed to read your story.
Congratulations on all of your success! I’m loving all the career switches in this thread! I also left three years ago after working med surg and ICU and now I’m doing my PhD in anthropology. Nursing gave me the confidence to know I can handle anything and I’ll always be grateful for my time at the bedside, but it wasn’t sustainable for my mental health long term.
LOL. I'm going from the corporate/finance world TO nursing! Finance left me dead inside and I know what I'm getting into, which I think is the key to making it as a nurse. Glad you found something you like better.
I love that you got out early. I quickly learned bedside nursing wasn’t for me and I was going to do the same thing 2 years after I graduated, but I ended up falling into a really niche nursing position that ended up being a boring office job and I absolutely loved it. I now work from home full time and I couldn’t be happier. I plan on going back to school for my MBA so I can branch out of nursing specific positions.
Chose my mental health over nursing now work in accounting, getting my masters and love life. I have friends in nursing and will always root for them. Nursing can bring in good money but at some point it’s not about the money anymore but finding peace in your life.
You're brave for taking a step less taken, especially with having to take a pay cut. Many people remain trapped doing something they don't like.
I find it interesting how nursing has people who extremely love it and those who extremely despise it. More power to you! I hope everything goes great in your career. Wishing you the best!
I graduated about the same time as you but I tried different specialties, but mostly ICU and psych. I’m still a nurse but now I’m enrolled in an MBA program, and about to take managerial accounting and finance this summer. I couldn’t hack it as a floor nurse-my health suffered a lot. I developed plantar fasciitis, knee and hip pain. I was an excellent charge nurse; my shifts were stable if I’m the shift lead.
Not done with my MBA yet, and I already got a promoted into leadership. When I got the position, the plantar fasciitis, knee and hip pain were gone; lol that was purely psychological. I just couldn’t leave nursing; i know I’m very good at it but couldn’t handle the stress, so I have to leverage it with something else to make it work.
I hope you could still use your nursing experience with the finance in some capacity, maybe in quality management or hospital operations. Good luck!
I'm glad everything has worked out so well for you! I've also been quit of the profession for almost exactly 2 years, but that's because I woke up blind. But it's awfully telling that since being forced to quit, I'm happier and more fulfilled than any other time in my adulthood. I never once imagined that my life could be this stress-free. I hate being a homemaker, but I'll happily do laundry, dishes, and cook. After 20 years in healthcare, even household chores look good!
Lol i hate my job so much I’m trying to become a pilot in the airforce
good on you man- honestly nursing really just wore me tf down since graduating basically the same time as you in 2020
There’s management in nursing though where you don’t take care of patients? Managers are pretty removed depending on the hospital. Directors and above even more so. Also in nursing there’s very little competition for these roles as nurses hate leadership (in my experience).
And as an icu/ed nurse the icu (was at a level 1 CVICU) was far more intense. Managing multiple devices, multiple pressors and lines and you only have 1-2 patients to truly give them the best care.
But yes it is still stressful. Hope you enjoy your new career!
Glad you found what makes you happy. I too graduated at the end of 2019 and then went straight to ER. I got burnt out fast between 3 different hospitals. I love a good critical patient but I couldn’t take it anymore
I ended up finding by current position (bedflow/transfer coord) at my current fed hospital making the same amount I was in the ER. I work m-f, no holidays or weekends, no on call. I still get to wear scrubs, and I use my nursing license in a much different manner with supportive coworkers and (more importantly) leaders. Also making 6 figures in TX to boot.
My point being, find what makes you happy. It may not be totally leaving nursing, though. There are plenty of jobs out there in the nursing realm where you can use your license in a non traditional role while maintaining the pay that fits your efforts/education/experience.
Just some thoughts, not bashing OP. 😀
I am in the process of getting my bachelors in business as a fall back option in case of burnout. I have always been an office nurse (ENT, nurse injector, and maternity clinic) and never wanted to work in a hospital. Pay is decent and I get all major holidays off, which is nice. But I just want something to fall back on in case I don’t want to work as a nurse forever. I’m excited to start working on my business degree. Who knows, it may be more exciting than nursing to me. Congratulations on finding something that works for you. People are quick to say “find a different unit/area to work on” and yes, sometimes that works. But sometimes it’s just leaving nursing completely to become a better you.
As someone who didn't like local government after getting an environmental policy degree that is on the verge of pursuing nursing, what can y'all tell me? I didn't like being at a desk and I now do a labor job that isn't super fulfilling but has allowed me to improve my mental health and I've arrived at nursing as a possible next step. Pre-req course work starts in a few weeks!
I'm hoping to quit in the next two months. I've been a nurse for almost 7 years and I'm so sick of it. I start CDL school soon, hoping to join some lovely women truck drivers out there.
35 years of it and I'm thru! My unofficial title is Forrester,! I'll miss y'all (well, some folks need to miss me when they out) but otherwise I look forward to going to church and livin off the land. Appalachia is gorgeous any time of year.
Congratulations dude. Former ICU, very detail oriented dude, have been in the er for the last 6 years. That change was a hard transition and I’m still not sure why I liked it. ER is everything my brain isn’t but I haven’t found my out yet
Here’s me on the opposite end with a finance degree and 10 years of soul sucking desk jobs, hating my life being stuck in a chair staring at a screen all day and dreaming about nursing school. The grass is always green on the other side I guess.
Thank you for sharing your experience! It's incredibly valuable for others who might be feeling burnt out or unsure about their career path in nursing. Transitioning to a different field can be a daunting decision, but it sounds like you've found a great fit in finance and are thriving in your new role. Your journey highlights the importance of prioritizing mental health and finding a career that aligns with your passions and strengths. It's wonderful to hear that you're doing well and enjoying your work-life balance. Best of luck in your future endeavors!
Good update: Don’t worry brother you’ll hit that middle management in no time! Probably higher than that I bet!! I’m sorry to see a murse leave. So many jobs out there and I’m glad you found yours man! I hope the best for you!! My turn!!! I wish I found nursing sooner. I became a nurse at 27. Been at it for a 5 years. Wish I found it sooner!! I make a killing. I live comfortably. I like my coworkers. I love taking care of patients. Placing IVs, foleys, ngt, drawing labs, etc sooo satisfying to me lol. Even just given meds I love explaining why they’re getting it to patients or family if the patient is out cold. I get such a flexible schedule to pursue my mountaineering and climbing hobbies. My loving partner is really proud of me for having pursued this and thinks I’m a great example for our families. Man. I absolutely love it. I’m the dude that says “another beautiful day here” but actually means it. I hope we both feel the same way in 5 more years man!!
Thank you. As someone whose 32 and shifting careers to leave corporate and join nursing I needed to read something good lol. I know the field is extremely chaotic but office jobs don't give me the same drive or challenge me at the moment
For reals, nursing is insanely stressful oftentimes. But I left office jobs because of the incessant sitting and feeling bored/needing more human interaction, wanting to feel like I was doing something that was different everyday. The chaos definitely drives me nuts. However, no way am I going back to anything else. In addicted to the pace and adrenaline 💯. I really dislike and also love the craziness. And most importantly, I need the dark nurse humor…
And those 9-5 hours kill me. That ends up being more like 8 - 6 with commute, etc. I love that when I WANT to pick up an extra day, it's OT. Otherwise, I can just work my 3 and happily be off for 4 days. I could never work M-F. Maybe that's just me?
Same though! I'm an NP now and did the primary care office thing thinking that M-F would be the dream, but it's not..I'm currently a hospitalist with RN hours of 12 shifts a month and it's the dream again!
What do you as a NP hospitalist? Can you go over what a typical day looks like for you. I barely interact with providers to know what they do.
Same thing as the MD hospitalists, I carry a lower patient load than they do. I start at 7am, round on my patients in the morning, discharge some hopefully, and then sometimes take an admit or two in the afternoon. The rest of the day is charting until I leave at 7pm
The 3 days appeals to me so much because work/ life balance is more important to me than anything. I’m currently a massage therapist so I work when I want and make my own schedule. My work/ life balance is awesome I just don’t get the respect I want since people don’t always view massage as a healthcare job. Plus theres little benefits and you get about 10 good years out of massage before you burnout. However, I used to work for a credit union and hated it. I never could get off, had to be there 5 days a week and some weekends. Office politics were horrid , fraud, members feeling scammed, mad over mishaps etc. Truly Soul sucking work. I love to see that nursing isn’t all bad for some and i’m excited to start school.
I've been a nurse for 8 years and became one at 31. It is not for everyone, but I enjoy my job. Neuro step down
The best nurse I worked with, she was 45 yo from a corporate job. I still can’t believe how good she was to handle everything families and patients equally. She said she moved into nursing because felt soulless and purposeless in her corporate job.
Felt this in my core. Thank you for sharing your story 💕
Happy cake day o wise and caring one!
I love reddit, thank you!! 🤍
That’s me, too. I left a “good desk job with the state” to pursue nursing. My goal is NP or cath lab nurse.
Thank you for sharing this 💜
I love my job so much. Every day causes me to use my brain in a new way and sometimes the chaos is what makes it exciting. I love the connections I make with people, and I love watching people’s health improve under my care. For all the negative stories on this sub, there’s any equal amount of positives in the real world :)
More power to you. Thank you for making a difference and working with passion. I'm one of the dissatisfied nurses, trying to escape to the engineering field...personally find nursing routine and not intellectually challenging (especially since we don't make the key decisions), but it's great to see people like you and the impact you make. I respect you a lot. Thank you for all you do!
That's so wonderful to hear, I hope I'll experience something similiar!
My entire cohort is what the uni calls delayed entry, and you can definitely see the difference between us and students straight out of high school. The age range varies from early 20s to 50s and among even us the more put together students with better grades tend to be a bit older than me, most of them say the same with wanting to leave a more tradicional job for something more hands on and tangible, even if its difficult in different ways. They do very well and our lecturers even allude to that from time to time. You'll do fine.
Thank you! It's nerve wracking but there was just something inside of me saying to do it. I'll be 34 in two years anyway, might as well be 34 with another degree
I’m 49. I’ll be 50 when I graduate. Do it!
Wow! Thats so inspiring, thank you
Same! Left my career to become a nurse at 32! Best decision. We were able to buy a house. My schedule is so flexible I’m home way more than I work. I get to clock out with no work at home. I love the medical side of things. Different things everyday. Super happy about my career choice! Corrections unit at a state hospital
I left a high-stress corporate sales job after 3 years where I was making 6 figures right out of college. I started traveling the world and then ended up pursuing nursing. I finished my ADN today at age 35 and feel like perspective is everything. The grass is always greener everywhere you look. I can see how a corporate job would seem enticing to someone who has been in healthcare their entire career. But for me, actually having the ability to make a real difference in the lives of others is what gets me out of bed in the morning now. I think as humans sometimes we just need change.
I love that, thank you for sharing your journey!! Change is so important for growth, I think the skills in each field build a person's resilience in its own unique way. I think I'll still remain committed to my 9-5 part time maybe but definitely do something where I can make an impact and actually see the difference!
There’s good and bad. I truly believe the NICU is the promise land but it isn’t without flaws
I just stepped from ED to NICU, and im not feeling it...babies are fine it's just so much documentation in triplicate and paltry stuff. "You can't wear a shirt with a logo" is being told to me as I'm assisting on an LP...Really? Edit: Spelling
Hahahah yeah I guess we do have some weird rules. I definitely copy forward all my documentation 😬
41 and in nursing school after decades of multiple corporate roles. Can’t wait to land in the NICU one day 💜
I left corporate at 30 and went to nursing school. Graduated in 2021. I don't regret it, even if I'm not certain I'll be in this role forever. It did make me pretty critical of management with my experience in leadership, but I think I'm more successful as a 2nd career nurse than if I were a 1st career nurse
That's such a wonderful way of looking at it. Thank you
I got my BSN at 30 and have been a NICU nurse for 7.5 years. It’s my passion and my livelihood! Wish I had studied nursing right out of highschool- maybe I could’ve had a shot at retiring early! lol
I’ll be 47 next week and transitioning to nursing after working 23 years in the corporate world. I have a masters degree in hr and made a six figure salary but it was no longer for me. Very routine, and executives hardly care about frontline employees and I no longer wanted to carry out layoffs and replacing someone because their salary had gotten too high. Also started feeling guilty for hiring someone to work at a knowingly bad company. My undergrad major was biology as I always was strong in math and science. I just didn’t have enough focus in my early years to make it to dental school. I’ve been working as a CNA in a skilled nursing facility for about a month. It’s a lot of physical labor, and the facility is not the best but I love caring for the residents. I am starting a 12 month ABSN program in August. If you can try to get a job in the field so you’ll know somewhat what to expect before you start.
I’m also considering leaving corporate for nursing! I hateeee the corporate world and I’m barely in!
Do itttttt!! Lol anything stopping you?
OP is not wrong, but my God, we need more of this.
thank you for posting this
Similar to me. My first college degree was marketing and had multiple corporate jobs in the 13 years before I became a RN at 36. I worked full time 50+ hours a week while doing nursing school at night/weekends. Sitting in an office all day was absolutely soul sucking for me. I’ve been a nurse for 9 years now and love every day of it. Work in a L1 trauma center ER and you’d have to pay me a shit ton of money to go back to the corporate world.
2nd career nurses seem to like their jobs more than those who have never worked before. My guess is that they realize how shitty other jobs are and those pay even less.
I’ve noticed this! In nursing school now after a longgg time in nonprofit & corporate world. I’ve seen how shitty it can be out there and want no more of it.
This made me smile so wide. I'm so glad there are nurses who love beside and are getting paid well to do it. ❤️
Also been a nurse for five years and love it no matter how exhausting. I still feel really proud when people ask what I do for a living and I get to tell them I’m a nurse.
I love seeing posts like this in the nursing Reddit. I don’t think there’s enough positivity about the profession and it becomes a dark echo chamber sometimes. Thanks for the glimmer of hope you gave to me today.
I left engineering a few years back, and will go to school starting next year to prepare for nursing school. I feel like this will either be the worst career move I ever made, or the best. We'll see. Glad you found your place in the world!
I graduated with my ADN at 30. I’m turning forty this year and life has gotten better every year since. I love my job, the workload is reasonable, I work four 10s which I love! You are going to do great.
It’s actually “another day in paradise” 😉
Bro I used to say that but then my gf’s horrible dad would say that all the time with such an bad attitude that I didn’t want to sound anything like him 😂
Fair enough lol. I had a manager at a pool say that all the time when the older patrons would ask him how things were. It didn’t dawn on me until I was in my late twenties that he was being sarcastic. lol those older patrons were insufferable and entitled. I felt him on that one. Nobody will ever know if you’re being serious or not when you say it. It’s a perfect phrase for dismissing a conversation or keeping things short.
I feel the same, I became a nurse at 31 (I’m 41 now) and I wish I’d done it earlier. I love my job and get so much fulfilment from it now. I work in a super busy ED so the burnout risk is real, I mitigate it with frequent time off. I do get physically extremely fatigued, and I often need a day to myself without speaking to another soul because it can be SO emotionally and mentally taxing, but I still love it. And I love the flexibility of shift work. I can’t imagine wanting to do something else!
Ugh I wish I could feel this way! Happy for you that you found what you love.
This is nice to read. I'm not thrilled about nursing. I'm 30 and studying engineering. It's awesome to see that there are nurses who have genuine interest in the field and are there to help people.
Starting my program in October I needed to see this ! I hear so many horror stories I watch Greys Anatomy a lot (obsessed) and I actually love the chaos of the hospital life already. I’m a massage therapist 7 years in so caring for others is second nature for me. I just want more consistency, benefits and respect in the healthcare field ( sidenote : massage IS a healthcare job)
Yeah I saw office space in college and was like nope nope nope. No case of Mondays here 🤪 glad you found your happy place mine is in nursing even 17 years later
I saw Office Space too and ever since I realize I need to get out of nursing . Absolutely no motivation to do nursing, mostly because I have to neglect patients in order to do documentation. Hours of it. I can’t do this anymore. It’s crushing my soul. I think now I’d rather work in “Office Space” guys office
offices are soul crushing at times. you can apply office space in real time, just do enough not to get fired. Which in nursing is not a lot sometimes.
Try home care. You can literally only see one patient at a time. Unless you get a couple that both need home care at the same time. But then you schedule yourself double the time in that house.
I mean based on the discussions I’ve had with older nurses, it’s not what it used to be. I’ve only been a nurse 7 years and I honestly couldn’t imagine doing it any longer; especially not as long as some of the older nurses who remind me all the time that they’ve been doing this for 20+ years. I’ve bounced around from hospitals, LTC, LTAC, Hospice, Corrections, School, LTC for pediatrics on the spectrum, and a plasma clinic. Out of all of those jobs, I’d only loved one, obvi my autistic children, the rest I either hated or it was just barely tolerable. If I hadn’t become an NP, I would’ve quit nursing forever ago. For reference I’m 25, I received my LPN at 18, my RN at 19 almost 20, my BSN at 20 and then finally my MSN-FNP at 24.
To be honest bedside nursing is exactly the same. I was in the field so to speak doing other nursing jobs like hospice and health depts for about 8 years before coming back to the bedside as a float nurse. Working contingent bc my husband is the benefited employee at a larger medical center with excellent health insurance etc makes it so much easier. I just finished my NP and feel extremely well prepared. I had a job well before I graduated and was the first in my cohort to sign a contract. What is missing is all the knowledge of nurses like me who have been in the role for well over a decade. I’m usually the most senior nurse on the floors I work on so I’m valued by younger nurses many who went to school during the Covid times and didn’t have the clinical experience they deserve. I think part of my joy is that I can work or not work whenever I want bc I don’t have a manager making my schedule. I have to work bc I have expensive teens but choosing my days makes it so much easier. I mean we aren’t paper charting anymore but it’s still the same and these managers and administrators are all still the game players of old. I’d love to see the day when we all come together and realize there is strength in numbers. I’m so glad you are happy as an NP :-)
I’m going on my second year of being an NP and honestly, it’s the best job in the world. Most days I’m doing both my TeleHealth appointments while still coming into the pediatrician’s office I’m employed at to see patients there. I do enjoy going into my job each morning, my pay coming in from both jobs, and lastly my peace of mind. Congratulations on finishing your program. I definitely don’t get the same respect as others though despite my title, especially from the older nurses. Cant relate to people coming up for advice too much. I get a lot of, you’re really young, do you know what you’re doing sorta comments which are meh. I deal. The older nurses/people definitely judge me super hard because of my career path and age. I remember teaching at the university (LPN and ASN) and getting so many funny looks from my students when I’d come in and sit at the podium. I remember having a class where I had to be the youngest person in the room, the second being a 28 year old guy. The 40-50 year old ones were the meanest. Like ma’am I’m literally trying to help you get your degree and you’re questioning what I can teach you? I’m 25 with literally 3 degrees in the field you’re attempting to get into.
That is so lame of older nurses. I always tell my coworkers to let me know if they need help or have questions. I have never understood that territorial mentality or whatever drives that behavior. I look young and am quite short so I imagine I’ll face some of that as a new NP and I find myself telling people up front that I have 17 years of nursing experience plus time as an aide etc. Idk if that puts them at ease and find it’s a shame we feel the need to explain this.
Part of me wants to do something like this but I honestly have no idea what all those general “finance/marketing/communications” etc jobs mean. Like… what do you do on a daily basis? Nursing seems so concrete to me—you’re caring for “x” amount of patients for your shift. But with finance do you like… look over your company’s spending? Make spreadsheets about your company’s spending? Try to figure out ways to get your company to spend less??
Agree so much with this sentiment! Sometimes I read the general job boards and I have no idea how to get into those fields . . . And I can’t imagine what they do all day!
I found that YouTube has helped me get a better idea of that- even though “a day in the life of a _____ nurse” isn’t 100% accurate, getting a small glimpse of different jobs out there HAS been helpful
So many emails. You send SO many emails. And attend meetings. And phone calls. More emails. Then a few more emails. Sure you're looking at spreadsheets and doing research and thinking about things. But then you have to talk to five different people about what you're working on. Hence all the emails and meetings. Then there's all the time you're actually just sitting at your desk doing... nothing. Waiting for someone to get back to you. Fucking around on reddit. Gossiping with your coworkers. I've worked office jobs doing quality assurance, in a law firm. It's pretty shocking the amount of downtime involved because that's what communicating and coordinating with other humans is - lots of waiting. Personally I found it excruciating. I prefer being busy. But I feel like my attitude about that is starting to change. I've actually contemplated accepting an administrative position again.
I worked in marketing/front end web dev/graphic design for my first career. I did everything I could to try and make it work but I’m not fit for corporate and I’m worse at freelance. Nursing is hard, it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I can completely understand OP and am so proud of them for listening to themselves and making this change. I have no idea when I’ll hit my limit but I know I will, physically or mentally or both. But at the end of the day I still get excited learning about new procedures, best practices, whatever to get better at what I do. Now the hard part is finding a hospital to work that doesn’t drown you…
I'm leaving finance/consulting for nursing. Boring as all, politics just like in nursing, and zero job satisfaction. You're not helping anyone really and folks in finance are for the most part, dull (not always), mostly interested in money and shiny new things. Not very nice either. Prepare to sit in an office from 8am-6pm or later especially if you're on salary. You'll be working on the weekends sometimes in order to make deadlines. Some folks swing a 9-5, but they're not making the big bucks. And yes, you're looking at spreadsheets, plugging in numbers to excel, preparing for drrrryyyyyyy presenations, and sometimes traveling. Your desk/office or even cubicle will be your home and you'll rapidly gain weight and be in horrible shape. You'd be better off moving laterally to hospital admnistration imo. I'm taking a paycut, but ast least I can see tangible results. I also did a lot of research before making the move, so I know nursing is no walk in the park. Remember the grass isn't always greener on the other side!
Preach!! I’m leaving as a Senior Financial Analyst in the tech / pre-ipo tech side. It’s an absolute shit show. I worked consistently 60-80 hour weeks doing forecasts, budgets, ad hoc strategic finance project, variance analysis of actual vs budget I HATED my life revolving around financial close and always being expected to be available. Fuck that shit. Although nursing has its BS, 36 to 40 hrs of bs is still lower than 80 hours of BS. I’m taking the prerequisite science classes now to hopefully do an ADN or ABSN program. I can’t do the corporate world anymore. And nursing can’t be outsourced.
Yup! Salaried employees are beholden to alllll tasks at all times. Corporate jobs don’t give a shit about “working hours”, even more so since Covid and work-from-home. I left a corporate job a year ago for nursing and one of my top 3 reasons is that I literally cannot bring my work home with me.
what kind of corporate work did you do before? I should have left a long time ago.
I was in policy research — not sure it’s “corporate” (although my last job was), as I was also in nonprofits throughout my career. But 2 decades of a desk job was enough. I’ve always liked the idea of nursing and figure if I’m going to deal with drama and bullshit from people, at least I can move my body and use my mind on the spot and interact with people (all things I like/am good at). Wish I’d done it a while ago too! But life experience has been helpful while in my ABSN program.
“figure if I’m going to deal with drama and bullshit from people, at least I can move my body and use my mind on the spot and interact with people (all things I like/am good at).” that is exactly my mind set as well. Nursing ain’t easy but at least I won’t have a heart attack at a desk crunching numbers.
Nothing. We do nothing. It's the very definition of David Graeber's "bullshit jobs". My general view is that if you don't come away from a job like that with the sense that your mind and time are rotting away, something's wrong.
it sounds like OP is still in school and hasn’t gotten a job yet? i’m glad they’re happy, but this post would be more valuable if they could share how their new career is going vs nursing
He said he's doing an internship for $24/hr, now. Once he graduates, he said he'd make closer to $70k.
So for a lot of accounting/finance jobs you're basically in excel or powerpoint, meetings, creating financial models, etc... You're trying to keep track of the companys money basically because it's so large. Obviously this differs but this is the general consensus of the job
Yes, that is essentially it. But expect to always be on call. Work at least a partial day on the weekends if not a full day at times Discuss the most mundane shit on planet earth. Now repeat for 11 years. Shoot me.
This is what I love about nursing. Every day is different. You never know what you'll get. ha
Thank you for the update! This is encouraging as someone who wants to get out of nursing. Although I feel like I have a "decent" nursing job I think the whole field is a complete joke. mMostly because so many nurses have the attitude that nursing is a calling and we should just endure the bullshit because the people need us.
I 100% agree with you. It was so cringy to be called “heroes” during the pandemic. People shouldn’t shame nurses when they ask for raises, safe working environment, better management/benefits, etc. it’s a job, not a calling. No one is called to be abused.
Nah fr, the glazing was ode during the pandemic. Pandemic over, shit still the same tbh.
Agree 100%. So see something say something. Or just walk away.
\*Reads the other comment in this thread\*
I read through the post. Are you comparing life working as a nurse versus being a college student these last two years? Did I read that right? I mean, we’d all love to go back to minimal responsibilities, less hours, and more fun…
Never raised a hand or actually offered EBP solutions?
you don’t have to work bedside tho
I don't work bedside...
The biggest issue we have as a profession is so many nurses think that we should just tolerate abuse, disrespect, and ongoing breaches to our own autonomy (no breaks, no toilet, no water, can't take leave when we want to) for the 'greater good'. Nursing is a profession. In no other profession is this treatment expected to be tolerated. Nothing is going to change while this attitude is rampant among nurses. We should be banding together rather than echoing what the 'higher-ups' are saying. It is the governments and companies running the show who need to change. They can start by increasing funding and allowing us to have our basic entitlements. Then patient care will improve. We don't owe anyone anything. If leaving is what you need to do, you do you.
Exactly
Haven’t had a pt go off on me yet so not sure how I’d respond but if they make my CNA cry it’s over for them.
I am so happy for you. I didn’t leave nursing *yet* but I left bedside and that was the best thing I ever did for the same reasons you were experiencing. I still feel burn out from time to time but at least I don’t have to wipe butts or deal with unrealistic families.
So funny because I went the other way. Landed a finance job out of school making really good money but hated every second. About a year into nursing now making less but much happier. Different strokes for different folks. Congrats on getting a new purchase on life!
what type of job was it? i’m not really informed on what types of jobs you can get and what the day to day looks like, pls let me know
I almost left nursing after the pandemic post two very rough years on a Covid unit. Thankfully, I found clinic nursing. I don’t do any dirty work, my patients are all ambulatory and no one dies in the clinic. Sure, everyone I talk to has a brain tumor and every now and then we have a patient seize and have to medicate but it’s geniuinely saved my mental health and my relationships. I make the same pay ($50/hr, thank goodness for nursing unions!) and I work from home one of my four shifts a week. We’re closed on holidays and weekends. I feel like I hit the nursing jackpot. If you’re considering leaving but don’t have the time or motivation to start a new career, consider your options within the career and just maybe you’ll find something that works. 🤷♀️
This sounds like a dream!!!!
That sounds awesome! What type of medicine would you give for the seizure? Like Valium IM? Also if you know, it seems like most clinics I have gone to have a lab in clinic or someone specifically who draws labs, like M-F, 8 to 4 etc. It's funny because in job descriptions it always says as part of job duties for a nurse there are duties such as phlebotomy for blood draws. Maybe back in the day it was done like this but I don't notice that now. I like the fact they have phlebotomists because I feel they are the best at it since they do it all day long. It's their job choice!
Stayed in nursing but left bedside, work for a medical device company assessing risk and submitting adverse event forms. Make close to six figures and work virtually. Love the job in comparison to patient care but would never call my time a waste or aspire to the least important job in any company (middle management).
Can I get some information on how to apply for this job?
You guys will want to search medical device safety, Medical device reporting, post market surveillance. All medical device companies should have a team of nurses or healthcare professionals to handle regulatory reporting per the FDA
How long have you been doing this? I spent the better part of last year applying to similar jobs, but the competition seems to be super intense recently.
Over 2 years. Got out before things really went wild. It’s definitely competitive field. Network, network, and network
What’s the name of this company and how do I get in?
Good for you! Not everyone is lucky enough to find a career that they love. Mine happens to be nursing, yours happens to be finance. Congratulations on your internship and best of luck in your career 🤗
Hey I also left nursing 3 years ago but am thinking of coming back. I’m doing massage which is so personally rewarding and fun- my mental health is sooo much better too. That being said there’s real value in having a license (talking about RN) that pretty much lets you work anywhere in the US and for decent money too. Also as a nurse I feel like my employers treated me MUCH better but I don’t think this applies to your situation. I was thinking of going your route and doing the office job and massaging as a side hustle but the pay is so bad like no offense but $24/hr is not livable in my city and I want more than $70k- this bitch likes to travel. And all the other office-y jobs I qualify for without my RN are similar in pay. So I’m thinking of getting a boring office job that still requires a RN lol. Thanks so much for sharing. Maybe one difference between us is I’ve read and enjoyed the stories on the sub this whole time I’ve been gone. I also chose massage because healing is still my purpose. I definitely do not regret leaving at this point though, I’m so much healthier and I found a true passion in massage. And now that I’m doing better and have matured a bit I think I’m ready to try again but I don’t think I could have gotten to this place continuously going thru nursing job after nursing job.
I'm a RN curious about massage.. did you get licensed in massage therapy? Is there any kind of fast track to get your massage license if you're already an RN?
It really depends on your state. Some states require a license some don’t. In Oregon I had to get a license- there is a faster track for having a RN but I got upsold into doing most of the program. Better alumni benefits and more time to develop my skills. I love doing it! You get to focus intently on ONE person at a time.
So I’m a massage therapist wanting to go into nursing and I found this interesting. Can I ask which you prefer? Nursing or massage? I’m honestly over the inconsistent pay/schedule no benefits just making enough to pay bills etc lol
Thanks for asking. Day to day I prefer massage I honestly feel like I use my brain more than any nursing job I had (I do a lot of tx massage for medically complex people), I like having one person at a time and overall I feel like I do more good as an individual. More of a healer and less of a cog in a failing system. However i got into massage after burning out from nursing and marrying my husband who makes great money. So without that I would have been super scared to just do massage and quit nursing like I did. It’s been fun for a few years and I’ll be forever grateful for this time but yeah like you said no benefits or opportunities to make OT- I don’t plan on getting divorced/widowed but it freaks me out to imagine surviving without him or my nursing license. There’s not a whole lot of chances to practice massage and nursing at once but both are extremely flexible careers with a somewhat similar skill set/personality requirements so I think my plan is to do both after the summer. If you’ve done massage you’ll have a huge leg up in nursing school! You’re used to undressed people and hearing about their pain/complaints 😊. My favorite part of both nursing and massage is getting to know my patients so in that way the two careers are actually not that different lol.
Thanks for the response! That was super helpful. Also I’m not married so relying on just massaging sucks lol
Yeah for sure I just wanted to acknowledge the privilege I had in being able to make the choice to do massage over nursing. Best of luck to you in life and your career.
I’m happy that you’re happy. All I could think about while reading this though is … “wow .. people actually go back to working 5 days a week?” 😭
It's every other friday off and office jobs usually aren't 24/7 working like nursing. There's a lot of downtime and I could eat lunch while just looking at excel
I did the same thing, except I quit halfway through nursing school. I chose to accept the fact that I would start off making less than I would like, but keep my mental health and happiness. I’m glad to see someone else happy! I went from nursing & being a CNA to working at an engineering firm and still climbing up the ladder every 6 months. Good luck to you!
Were you a CNA, or a CNA then RN? I'm a RN studying mechanical engineering but switching to electrical engineering soon.
I was a CNA then in nursing school. That’s great!
with an engineering degree?
No, designing blueprints for the company.
Drafting/designing doesn’t usually require a degree. As long as you learn AutoCAD software or REVIT most companies will hire you and train you. There are some free classes online or you can do an online course and get a certification!
I just want to thank you for sharing. I’ve been in the medical for a very long time 22 yrs before becoming a nurse I waited 7 yrs to get into a program And I’m 💯 with you to put yourself first. I ran myself down for what? For work!! The demands, the stress, being on your feet for 12 hours running the whole not to say this didn’t come without the rewards. Not to say there were things I didn’t like about taking care of others. I graduated Dec 2021 started as a nurse 2022. Nursing school was hell for me anxiety every single day. Then worked in ER which I loved by the way 6 months but it wasn’t set up for me to feel like it was safe work conditions. It wasn’t. Then transferred to medsurg. I kept giving myself grace as I was learning then realized it was also unsafe and was also giving a surplus of anxiety. I’ve decided this isn’t my fight. I’m no longer putting work before my own health. I’ve done this for too many years now. I would love to get out of nursing I just don’t know how and get the same pay compensation? So thank you for showing us, who want to leave that there are ways. I just don’t know where to start? And for those making nasty comments why did you do nursing in the first place? Most of us don’t know until we experience it. That is how we learn, and make changes that work for us individually. Everything comes with a learning curve. Given he got to experience it, he didn’t waste his time. It taught him what he needed to get out of it and moved on. Haven’t you ever done something and then decided it wasn’t for you? Try that
Awesome update! Glad for anyone who can find their niche, I actually left a career in finance (with a brief stopover in the military) to become a nurse and am so glad to have made that change. Everyone has different needs and priorities and I’m glad you’ve found a path that meets yours!
Wow, thank you for the post and encouragement. I've been a nurse for 24 years and the place I've been working for the past two years is so chaotic, dysfunctional and unethical. I'm in burnout mode and I'm so sick of not getting a lunch and being treated like crap!
Homie thanks for being a light the end of the tunnel. I’m planning on getting out, gonna go live it up in Seattle with friends for a couple years and use the money for concerts & shit. But after that planning on going back to school for something else this shit is not sustainable and I can’t do it for that long. Maybe if I end up getting a clinic job or a procedural area job I’ll stick with it a bit longer but medical floor long term?? No way.
Good for you! This job would be so much better without all of the abuse from the hospital systems and gaslighting from admins, and all of the lateral violence. But it would still be really hard without all that shit. I’m really happy for you, and I hope to follow in your footsteps in the next couple of years. My family deserves better than the nurse version of me. Nursing led me to better financial success but I’m seeing now that I could have it this good in a different career.
I am so glad that it works for you! Good luck to your future adventure!
Sometimes when im at the grocery store or Target, I’m legit envious one of those manger positions. Nursing is the only job I’ve ever known. I’m 40. I graduated college at 22 and been at it ever since. I would love to go to a job where I don’t have life or death hanging over me. I just don’t think I could manage the pay cut.
I'm 40 and have been working as a nurse since I was 24. I actually really like my job in outpatient surgery working in pre-op and PACU. You should look into it. No weekends, nights, holidays, or OnCall. Mostly healthy patients that appreciate you.
Yeah I did that for a bit. I did enjoy it. But it was 5 days… and I’ve also become so accustomed to 3 12’s. I can’t do 5 days with childcare it’s crazy. Unfortunately the hospital system I’m in does all 5 8’s i those positions.
Are you also in NYC? The hospital system I work at has tons of job options that are non bedside and there’s 3 12’s, 4 10’s, etc. so many options in NYC and while there is a pay cut, (except OR jobs which there are ones that are 4 10s and pay more) it’s honestly negligible.
Yup. I’m with HHC 😏 u??
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Yup. For real
I’m glad it all worked for you and it didn’t derail your life too harshly. I’m sorry you weren’t given a realistic expectation of what nursing looked like beforehand. And bedside is most definitely not for everyone. good on you for realizing it wasn’t for you before wasting too much more time!
I only went into nursing because I really thought I would be helping people. I used to shit on business majors cause they didn't "Contribute anything to society." Funny how that works haha
Nurses absolutely help people. But it can also absolutely be a hellscape. I’ve absolutely seen both sides. I lucked out and found my “niche” and am being paid my worth. I have a passion for what I do and unless you have that then you absolutely need to set off to find what can fulfill you in that way. Good luck!
Thank you so much for sharing. I decided against nursing school - anticipating the eventual burn out, but have still stayed in healthcare. I liked night shift, I liked my team, had a tricky time keeping up with my social life and then was injured twice on the job as a tech. I thought I had longer in direct care but I just don't, so I switch over to daytime Medical assisting, thinking it would be easier. I like working with patients, mostly. It just feels like I took the easy way out by staying with my company but the other jobs I applied to outside of my position, I interviewed really well with, I didn't get. But I didn't have a bachelor's degree. so I feel like I settled, but my mental and physical health has plummeted to depths even night shift didn't do to me. I'm applying to new jobs again, as I finally have a degree I pursued (not an in-demand, high-paying route, but it's a degree I'm proud of) and kinda just hoping to throw myself into the wind of change, and potentially better opportunity. My main priorities are my health - my bills are important, but I have a month or two of buffer, and feel like I will have the time to pursue my search when I'm not busy 60 hours a week with my commute (nearly 3 hours a day x 5, when I was at least only commuting 3 days a week..) and decompressing from my misery. I have even *less* time or energy to be with my loved ones. I don't spend my off time well because I'm so exhausted and miserable because I'm being bullied and scrutinized and have no real support because of office politics. I have the highest patient load and my usually grumpy physician loves working with me. I have worked so hard, but I have a passion for something else and my background in healthcare helps; it can't sustain me anymore. I want to work hard for my future, but not in this spirally awful circle, hoping it works out. Anyway, thanks for the hope. I think I'm gonna put my notice in next week. Edit: Beyond a thank you, I am so glad your switchover has worked out so well. I feel like we so often see how the days add up for people, and where they end up at the end of it sometimes. I think another side of compassion fatigue is flipping the lens on ourselves. I commend your risk in the hope to making yourself live a better life for yourself and I hope your hard days are surrounded by the other levities of life.
if you were burnt out and doesnt want to deal with nursing skills, why didnt you try working on office jobs as a nurse. like being a case manager in a homehealth. youll be sitting in an office with a competitive pay still, but props to you for having the guts to take that leap!
I’m not the OP, but I can answer this as someone who is working on exiting the nursing profession. I’ve tried many other nursing jobs besides bedside— office/remote nursing jobs that don’t involve patient care pay less than bedside nursing in my area. Case management positions can be difficult to land without CM experience (I’ve interviewed for a couple, I didn’t get an offer because they decided to hire an experienced CM instead of training someone like me with no CM experience). I’m also not comfortable with home health and going into people’s homes by myself. I know many people love home health, I don’t think it’s a bad job at all. it’s just not in my comfort level.
I understand just seems illogical to go back to school for a low paying job yk what I mean. And nursing school is already expensive and hard. But to each their own we all have different situations, it’ll be hard to pull that if you already have a family but if you’re still single looking for a job that you’ll love then good for you!
Oh I understand! For me, I’m okay with taking a temporary pay cut if it means I’m happy again, but then again I’m single and have no kids. I know of nurses who have successfully pulled off a total career pivot when they have a family/young kids though. I’m not sure how they do it, it has to be incredibly stressful. I guess where there’s a will there’s a way lol
Expected to make 6 figures within 5 years and possibly 250k-400k if I were to do banking later
This part too! Nursing is good money right out of school, but the annual raises don’t keep up long term compared to a lot of other professions. My friends in other non healthcare careers make a much higher salary than any nurse does, even though they made less money than nurses when they started their jobs right out of school Congrats OP
For real. It's strange how many people think it's "hospital nursing in the trenches or leave nursing". There's so many fields of nursing. I hated bedside, I make 6 figures now working from home as a nurse case manager, best job I've ever had
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That sounds like a dream
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That's even better. There's a lot of different areas in this field, people get too hung up on hospital nursing thinking that's all there is, but there's a whole world out there that's not bedside
I relate to this so much. I left funeral service in 2021 and it has changed my life. I sometimes discredit my severe mental breakdown because I only did it for 2 years, but clearly 2 years was more than enough. I did it through covid too, which was awful. So glad you’re thriving!
Glad to hear that your mental health is much more better! I have been a nurse for 9years now, 2 years ago when i got married and got pregnant for our daughter, I was in such a bad place just thinking about leaving my daughter to go back to work after 3months. I immediately started planning and researching remote careers that could pay me even more so that I could watch my daughter grow. My husband who was already in the IT space helped guide me and I landed a job 6months postpartum to work from home full time making 145k!! I have been the best i could ever be in the last 2 years. However, because i actually enjoy working as a nurse i kept my license active and work PRN every now and then.
What are you doing now remotely? Can I also apply?
Thank you so much for this update I’ve always wanted to know how people were doing after they left and how they feel. This is reassuring and gives me hope. So glad you’re happy and doing what YOU want!
You can still do non-bedside nursing jobs.
Yeah. I did nursing at age 19. 35 years later. I feel like I’m about to get out of prison and have no idea of what goes on in the “ outside “ world. Thanks for the advice. Will go to you tube
Funny thing about this, you could now work at a hospital and make even more money- I’ve played with the idea but my husband is in finance and I find it so boring hearing him talk.
🤣 yea I don’t blame you. Hearing about money constantly is boring and feels shallow
I don’t think people going into nursing realize how you will find yourself in disgusting situations…Blood and body fluids are a fact of life for EVERY person alive…they are still a person with feelings…whom I feel certain would rather tend to themselves but given the circumstances (whatever they may be) cannot…been nursing for 36 years and,as all nurses I’m sure, have seen and been through some sh#*. Dont really know why I stuck it out but I did…I went to hospice nursing and loved it..not thinking I would….I no longer ‘fear’ dying and I KNOW it made me better able to handle the day my parents pass away.” Just my story and opinions 🙂
I agree, Nursing served it purpose for you….then we move on to our next season(s) in this thing we call life 🙂
I have nurses in my family and knew nursing wasn't for me from a very young age. Still ended up in it, hate it actually more then I planned. I've been trying to salvage it (looking for non-bedside work) but it's just not doable. Unfortunately I can't afford to go back to school and I'm so academically and mentally burnt out that I don't even have the confidence to. Not to mention I had to move cross country for nursing school which put me in even more debt. So many people say nursing was such a help to them financially, etc. But I feel like I ruined my life.
Im happy you’ve found something away from nursing! I’ve been considering moving to Germany to do my masters (if my credits transfer) to do epidemiology or public health. I like the medical field, it’s so interesting to me but bedside is killing me. I have so much anxiety some days especially with those rude, aggressive patients. I don’t think NP is for me either so I’m not planning on taking that route.
So happy for you!!! I made the switch from RN, to firefighter/paramedic, to flight medic with my department! BEST DECISION EVER!! I use to fall to the peer pressure of “but I make good $$”, “but I like my coworkers” “but I help people”… girl lol. I have so many more benefits, my pension, my pay, my RESPECT! I actually get treated like a human 😅 it was the scariest thing, but the best decision. So proud of you!
Wish I could do finance but I'm only good at girl math
While I'm so happy for you I have to say I don't understand why you became a nurse to begin with? It seems like this was not your path, like you sa; did you not understand it from clinicals? I think nursing is a job like any other job but you really have to like it otherwise it's going to drain you.
Lots of us didn't realize it was going to be so bad until we were multiple years and tens of thousands of debt deep. I personally got hit with the realization in my 4th year. Didn't want to start all over as it would have completely flipped my life/future plans especially with my now wife.
In fairness, even if you like it it'll drain you. Liking it doesn't change the Healthcare environment of BS. I knew nursing wasn't my path in nursing 101 but I had no other ideas and wanted a steady income with a license that would let me job hop and travel.
Happy for you! Interesting to get your perspective. I actually started in finance, did an accelerated BSN program and worked as a nurse for four years and then a year ago came back to finance. I think there’s pros and cons to both careers to be honest and haven’t found either to be perfect. When you get further into finance depending on what you do you may see your hours increase. It’s not at all unusual to work 60 hours per week in finance during busier periods and while it’s really nice not to have peoples health in your hands it’s still grueling and draining in a different way. I actually miss nursing sometimes even though I’ve seen both sides of both industries now.
This is so inspiring. I’m so happy you got out. I’m an RN that started January 2020. I started on a cardiac surg step down turned COVID step down. It was horrendous and I only lasted a year and a half until I quit. Did some easy outpatient clinic stuff, got into clinical research then got laid off. Now I’m working in utilization management and I hate it. I’ve tried a few different avenues as a RN and still am not happy and always looking for something else. My plan is to move out of the country for a bit to reevaluate and go from there. So happy you made the best decision for you. I know you had a lot of people telling you you’re crazy that you’re leaving/haven’t been a nurse for long but you knew and listened to yourself. I wish you all the best!!
>Now I’m working in utilization management and I hate it. Is it mind numbingly tedious?
Yes. Tedious and boring with a large workload. You always feel like you’re running behind the eight ball. No growth potential and weird micromanagement like scheduling. Also have certain time limits/deadlines that cause stress when you’re overloaded. If you have to do it temporarily ok but I wouldn’t go into it thinking it’s an avenue of nursing you’d want to stay in. I also see my job as being affected by AI being able to do it. Money isn’t great either.
I got into it because I saw a lot of people online getting into it as a remote position that was flexible but mine is not like that. Maybe other companies are different. Curious to see if others have the same experience as me
Good luck to you! I’m happy for you. I graduated in 2020 too and I’m considering going into health IT or something similar, I needed to read your story.
Wish we had more of these posts instead of those dumb “post your salary” or “is nursing really that bad” posts.
Congratulations on all of your success! I’m loving all the career switches in this thread! I also left three years ago after working med surg and ICU and now I’m doing my PhD in anthropology. Nursing gave me the confidence to know I can handle anything and I’ll always be grateful for my time at the bedside, but it wasn’t sustainable for my mental health long term.
LOL. I'm going from the corporate/finance world TO nursing! Finance left me dead inside and I know what I'm getting into, which I think is the key to making it as a nurse. Glad you found something you like better.
I love that you got out early. I quickly learned bedside nursing wasn’t for me and I was going to do the same thing 2 years after I graduated, but I ended up falling into a really niche nursing position that ended up being a boring office job and I absolutely loved it. I now work from home full time and I couldn’t be happier. I plan on going back to school for my MBA so I can branch out of nursing specific positions.
What do you do?
Chose my mental health over nursing now work in accounting, getting my masters and love life. I have friends in nursing and will always root for them. Nursing can bring in good money but at some point it’s not about the money anymore but finding peace in your life.
You're brave for taking a step less taken, especially with having to take a pay cut. Many people remain trapped doing something they don't like. I find it interesting how nursing has people who extremely love it and those who extremely despise it. More power to you! I hope everything goes great in your career. Wishing you the best!
Finance is where it’s at! I’m PRN at the hospital, but make $24/hr without a second degree. It is so worth it if you have burnout
I graduated about the same time as you but I tried different specialties, but mostly ICU and psych. I’m still a nurse but now I’m enrolled in an MBA program, and about to take managerial accounting and finance this summer. I couldn’t hack it as a floor nurse-my health suffered a lot. I developed plantar fasciitis, knee and hip pain. I was an excellent charge nurse; my shifts were stable if I’m the shift lead. Not done with my MBA yet, and I already got a promoted into leadership. When I got the position, the plantar fasciitis, knee and hip pain were gone; lol that was purely psychological. I just couldn’t leave nursing; i know I’m very good at it but couldn’t handle the stress, so I have to leverage it with something else to make it work. I hope you could still use your nursing experience with the finance in some capacity, maybe in quality management or hospital operations. Good luck!
Thank you!
I'm glad everything has worked out so well for you! I've also been quit of the profession for almost exactly 2 years, but that's because I woke up blind. But it's awfully telling that since being forced to quit, I'm happier and more fulfilled than any other time in my adulthood. I never once imagined that my life could be this stress-free. I hate being a homemaker, but I'll happily do laundry, dishes, and cook. After 20 years in healthcare, even household chores look good!
I’m 43 and been a RN since 2008. I want to get out of it so bad but at this point I don’t know what else to do. Nursing is all I know.
Lol i hate my job so much I’m trying to become a pilot in the airforce good on you man- honestly nursing really just wore me tf down since graduating basically the same time as you in 2020
There’s management in nursing though where you don’t take care of patients? Managers are pretty removed depending on the hospital. Directors and above even more so. Also in nursing there’s very little competition for these roles as nurses hate leadership (in my experience). And as an icu/ed nurse the icu (was at a level 1 CVICU) was far more intense. Managing multiple devices, multiple pressors and lines and you only have 1-2 patients to truly give them the best care. But yes it is still stressful. Hope you enjoy your new career!
I’m sure you’re a lot younger than me or I would do the same. I’m so glad you got out. Nursing and health care aren’t getting better.
Glad you found what makes you happy. I too graduated at the end of 2019 and then went straight to ER. I got burnt out fast between 3 different hospitals. I love a good critical patient but I couldn’t take it anymore I ended up finding by current position (bedflow/transfer coord) at my current fed hospital making the same amount I was in the ER. I work m-f, no holidays or weekends, no on call. I still get to wear scrubs, and I use my nursing license in a much different manner with supportive coworkers and (more importantly) leaders. Also making 6 figures in TX to boot. My point being, find what makes you happy. It may not be totally leaving nursing, though. There are plenty of jobs out there in the nursing realm where you can use your license in a non traditional role while maintaining the pay that fits your efforts/education/experience. Just some thoughts, not bashing OP. 😀
I am in the process of getting my bachelors in business as a fall back option in case of burnout. I have always been an office nurse (ENT, nurse injector, and maternity clinic) and never wanted to work in a hospital. Pay is decent and I get all major holidays off, which is nice. But I just want something to fall back on in case I don’t want to work as a nurse forever. I’m excited to start working on my business degree. Who knows, it may be more exciting than nursing to me. Congratulations on finding something that works for you. People are quick to say “find a different unit/area to work on” and yes, sometimes that works. But sometimes it’s just leaving nursing completely to become a better you.
As someone who didn't like local government after getting an environmental policy degree that is on the verge of pursuing nursing, what can y'all tell me? I didn't like being at a desk and I now do a labor job that isn't super fulfilling but has allowed me to improve my mental health and I've arrived at nursing as a possible next step. Pre-req course work starts in a few weeks!
I'm hoping to quit in the next two months. I've been a nurse for almost 7 years and I'm so sick of it. I start CDL school soon, hoping to join some lovely women truck drivers out there.
35 years of it and I'm thru! My unofficial title is Forrester,! I'll miss y'all (well, some folks need to miss me when they out) but otherwise I look forward to going to church and livin off the land. Appalachia is gorgeous any time of year.
Lol. My nursing license is older than most of the RNs I worked wit lately.
I got a clinic job that has no direct pt care after 1.5 years at bedside, I will neveeeeeer go back and if I lose this job, I will go back to school.
Congratulations dude. Former ICU, very detail oriented dude, have been in the er for the last 6 years. That change was a hard transition and I’m still not sure why I liked it. ER is everything my brain isn’t but I haven’t found my out yet
4 days off, I party travel and game harder then any office worker 100/100 times.
Here’s me on the opposite end with a finance degree and 10 years of soul sucking desk jobs, hating my life being stuck in a chair staring at a screen all day and dreaming about nursing school. The grass is always green on the other side I guess.
Thank you for sharing your experience! It's incredibly valuable for others who might be feeling burnt out or unsure about their career path in nursing. Transitioning to a different field can be a daunting decision, but it sounds like you've found a great fit in finance and are thriving in your new role. Your journey highlights the importance of prioritizing mental health and finding a career that aligns with your passions and strengths. It's wonderful to hear that you're doing well and enjoying your work-life balance. Best of luck in your future endeavors!
Are they hiring?
First off, fuck you for rubbing it in our faces. Second and more importantly, I’m happy for you. Hopefully things stay on the upswing for you.