Burned-Out Nurses Plotting an Exit

Finish your contract and look for a better one.

Yeah you’re right 🫩

“long post short, I posted in some finance subreddits about going part time after maternity leave. I've been a nurse for 5 years at the same hospital, I'm 7 months pregnant, currently work 3 12s in float pool, can make my own schedule, no weekend or holiday requirement. My MIL will watch baby one day a week. Essentially, after paying for 2 days a week for daycare I would be left with about the same amount of money as I would be going part time. I still get all the perks of my job, benefit”

“You could do it. But the schooling is no joke. Like youll need to study ALOT and even with an ADN program it'll still be a couple years before you can work.”

“After 12 years of RN at the bedside, I’m doing the SAHM thing as we anticipate our 4th kid. We have a 12, 9, 2 and soon to be babe. It’s a spread of development and commitments. While I felt very structured as a nurse, this doesn’t relay at home.. AT ALL. I feel life is so chaotic and I haven’t figured this out. My husband wants to offer some help in some way of the above things. What do you think you would find the MOST helpful? We talked about a maid probably once a week. Or a meal delivery fo”

Nah

“That sounds awful, especially for a new nurse. Is psych even something you want to work in? Are the skills you're learning skills that you will need in other jobs? If you're looking to do something different, it's perfectly reasonable to look for a different job and say that psych or peds or whatever the unit is just wasn't a good fit. It'll take a while to find something so you may as well start looking.”

Oh if someone could’ve talked me OUT of this career

“Hi! I am a new grad who graduated in December and started on a pediatric med surg / psych facility in March. Leadership says I have been doing great and I have gotten 6 patient recognitions since I started on my own in June, but I just feel so defeated. Our patients are too unstable to go to a psych hospital even when they need to. I have been kicked, punched, screamed at, bitten, and scratched. I have had patients try to hang themselves on my shift. Every shift feels hectic but unfulfilling - i”

Interesting. I thank you for this good info!

Grass ain't greener

“Hello all. I currently work for Kaiser in Socal as an LVN II making $39/hr. I’ve been working for Kaiser for 1 year now. Last year I applied to LA County for their LVN I position when I was job hunting and I landed an interview at LA General hospital but I was so nervous during the interview that I completely bombed it and I was told they decided not to move forward and then I landed a job at Kaiser as a new grad. I’ve always wanted to work for county so I reapplied again yesterday. Anyone here”

“I have taken a contract job in a long term care setting. The unit will be hematological oncology and the population is geriatric. Initially i thought this would be a good place to focus on hematology and oncology which is which is why i was interested. I have some concerns about exposure to bodily fluids (i anticipate some patients will be incontinent) and if/how i can protect myself. I have end0metriosis and wonder if it would be best if I give this position up and look for something else due t”

“has anyone else went to an outpatient clinic from bedside and hated it? i’ve done it recently and im already going back to my old unit on day shift (i did work nights). i thought the repetitiveness of the office i would like but i don’t. it’s just like that’s not what i became a nurse for, ya know? i miss the hands on patient care and feeling like i actually make a difference. i don’t feel fulfilled in the office, like there’s a big hole in my nurse heart. the people in the office are lowkey tox”

“So as of right now I’m in the process of finding another part time or full time job. And I wanna make sure this is an actually thing. But my current job right now has started cutting back my hrs rn I’m part time but I use to work 25hours and now I’m working 12hrs. Well last week it was 12hrs now it’s 11th then next week is 10hrs. It just keeps going down. And I’m not sure if it’s cause I’m part time or if it’s actually quiet firing or whatever. All I know is that was a drastic change. And yeah i”

“So right now I’m doing my pre-classes to go into a bridge program into being a RN. Right now my main job as a paramedic is to do ICU or critical care transfers (no I’m not a CCPMD) my goal is either ICU or trauma and I’m just wanting to know other people’s experiences as a RN in those roles and honestly if its worth it or if I should consider another path in health care. Thanks submitted by /u/Narrow_Flamingo_3251 [link] [comments]”

“Any advice on how to protect my license as a fresh nurse whos working at a nursing home? I had my first day today and boy oh boy did my baby nurse license life flash before my eyes. submitted by /u/berryenthusiast [link] [comments]”

“Hey guys! I recently graduated, and I’m starting residency in the next few weeks. I’m a HUGE daytime girlie, but my dream job/unit only had night-shift positions open. I took it without a doubt because it was already good enough that I got a job there as a new grad! Buuuut I can’t lie, I’m kind of terrified of working nights 😭 . I’m already a very sleepy person in general, so I genuinely don’t know how I’m going to stay awake all night lol. What time window should I be sleeping before a shift,”

“Hey r/Nursing . Two years ago I applied for a part time position on night shift as a nurse educator. It seemed too good to be true. 20 hrs a week, flexible shifts, and self scheduled time. I had at the time a 2 year old and knew at some point I'd have another baby on the way. Fast forward to now and my now 3 year old is in day care part time, and me and my wife watch the baby on alternating days. Due to family constraints and now a reduced pay, I work only Monday and Tuesdays. It just works”

“Hey antiwork. Two years ago I applied for a part time position on night shift as a nurse educator. It seemed too good to be true. 20 hrs a week, flexible shifts, and self scheduled time. I had at the time a 2 year old and knew at some point I'd have another baby on the way. Fast forward to now and my now 3 year old is in day care part time, and me and my wife watch the baby on alternating days. Due to family constraints and now a reduced pay, I work only Monday and Tuesdays. It just works ri”

“Hello ppl, I'm a german critical care nurse with a total of 3 years nursing training and 2 additionals years training in critical care/anesthesia. Asight of nursing I do a side job in a ambulance service as paramedic "assitant". I am a ACLS and PHTLS Provider. The world of offshore nursing/medic is a world I want to experience, especially oil rigs. To the CC nurses form EU/CH, (also AU, US, etc): How do you get into such jobs. I know there are trainings like BOSIET and Offshore Med”

“Hello! I’ve been a bedside nurse for 5 years now doing transplant care, general MedSurg and surgical! I’m thinking of doing travel nursing but scared of getting nightmare assignments has this been anyone’s experience ? Just looking for general stories and people’s thoughts! Ty ! submitted by /u/Additional-March-312 [link] [comments]”

“I’m thinking of retiring but want to stay in healthcare as a side gig. Just a shift or two per week. I’m so done with being a nurse. The overall responsibility is no longer worth my physical and mental health. I no longer want to be a nurse. Has anyone retired from nursing but took a lower level, non nursing potion like customer service, scheduling, etc, just to stay in the field? submitted by /u/Not_High_Maintenance [link] [comments]”

“I’m 28F. Pre-existing ADHD/anxiety/depression. I have been an RN in Canada for over 3 years. I’ve worked in healthcare (all hospital setting) since I was 18. It was my childhood dream to become a nurse. I’ve spent the last 2.5 years on an ICU step-down surgical ward. Following numerous traumatic incidents (violence, constant short staffing with HIGH acuity patients, toxic unit culture, horrific patient deaths/suffering), I have been diagnosed with PTSD and have missed ~6 months of work in the la”

“OP, this is the distinction I'd try to figure out before making the move. Is it psych itself that's draining you, or things like acuity, staffing, schedule and the particular environment? Pigment is one thing you could use to break down where the mismatch is coming from. Then I'd compare that with a few lower-acuity psych roles and other nursing specialties before giving up $18/hr to start over somewhere else.”

“When i was 17-21, I worked at a car wash. I am now 39 and after working in healthcare since I was 21 and having been a nurse, I long for those days of working there. I havs definitely said it many times that that car wash was the best job I ever had. It set false expectations of what a business should be run like. I know that the mid 2000s world and US economy was drastically different back then but I falsely believed things would improve over time. Not decrease. I was treated better there. Iron”

“Currently done phlebotomy for 7 years, just turned thirty and I think I want out of healthcare. What healthcare skills can I transfer to a new career? Anyone else done healthcare and changed to something else? Feeling burnt out, pay isn’t keeping up and have no desire to work nights to go to school! submitted by /u/bigboysincttv [link] [comments]”

“I know this question was asked a bunch of times, but i'm still unsure.. I, as a male nurse, graduated last year, worked 1 year in ped ER, then switched to SCBU/NICU after getting an job offer on linkedin cuz an agent saw my experience in ped ER. I had a chance to do a 1 day internship, taking a look at NICU + adult ER because of my ped ER experience. Even tho neonatology is not really my thing, i gladly accepted the offer, just because its a big occasion working at a much bigger hospital wit”

“I’m an 18 year old straight out of high school and originally thought about doing psychology but decided to do nursing after learning about the pay but now I’m having doubts about that too. There’s a side of me that doesn’t necessarily mind helping people but my main interest is making as much money as possible and it feels like I may have locked myself in a pretty bad situation right now. I currently attend a community college and majoring in health sciences so I can get accepted into a nursing”

“I’m a relatively new RN at a hospital in a city where nursing jobs are highly competitive, and I’m currently going through orientation with a preceptor. I recently experienced what I believe was lateral violence from my preceptor. During a shift, she became verbally aggressive toward me, spoke to me in a mean/angry manner in front of others, and at one point threw an oral thermometer at me while I was with a patient because she was frustrated that it was taking too long. There were other people”

“I need some advice. I’ve been an RN for 3 years, all in psych. I recently started a local travel assignment making $55 an hour, but the hospital is extremely high acuity, and I’m already feeling burnt out. Going to work is starting to make me really anxious. I recently looked into going back to staff nursing, but I was only offered $37 an hour, even with my experience. I have a lot of bills and I am still paying off credit card debt that I accumulated during nursing school, so that would be a bi”

“I worked with a nurse who once had a job in one of the wealthy countries in the Middle East. She worked for an agency and would escort patients to and from medical treatment in Europe. She would fly on the plane with the patient and family, be available during the stay and fly with them back home.”

“Hospice! We don't get enough EOL education. We're not the most fast-paced, but it's a side of nursing that most people don't get to see.”

Not everywhere is like that, but some sure as shit are.

“Hi there, I just wanted to vent a little bit and see what kind of opinions I could get. I started nursing at 44. I waited a long time to be able to devote my time for the studies that it takes to become a nurse. I bought into it all. How hard it was to become one well this must be an amazing career, right? I can't believe how little voice you have as a nurse in regards to helping to change systems to make things better for patients. I can't believe the gas lighting, the gatekeeping, the”

“I have been trying to shadow/observe different types of nurses and medical professionals to get exposure to areas of healthcare that you don’t always see during traditional nursing clinicals. I am currently in an ABSN. I’m looking for suggestions for unique, out-of-the-ordinary, or lesser-known nursing roles, especially anything that is fast-paced, emergency/critical-care oriented, specialized, or operates outside of the traditional hospital setting. What nursing jobs have you come across that m”

“Midwifery- It traumatised me more than any of the other nursing jobs I have ever done I am now just recovering from a ptsd flare up I have decided to change and go back to something else while I look for non bedside and recover.”

“Background: LPN for 5 years, work with vent-dependent pediatrics in a long term care setting. Just graduated (survived) an RN/BSN bridge program but considering delaying any career progression in order to be with my kiddo until they're older. Husband deploys half the year and we have no nearby family. I currently work PRN filling in for sick call and vacations, about 5 shifts a month. Also have done agency stuff as an LPN, all nursing homes, but great pay and only work when it makes sense to”

“I’m scheduled to take my NCLEX next month and I was wondering if anyone has experience in working w substance abuse or mental health facilities. I worked at a substance abuse detox in CA and it got super sketchy/ unethical which made me leave. I feel like psych is calling me so I’m curious if the sketchiness is all over or mainly in CA / FL due to being the “rehab capitols” submitted by /u/NervousRhubarb5772 [link] [comments]”

And nurse and life coach

“Just as the title says, I'm not confident that I will be good. I became a nurse recently and I am part of a training program with other new grads that got hired and we did our first simulation yesterday. I felt like a total chump, I didn't know what to do and my other new grads did the brunt of the work and as I tried to help I kept getting stuck and everyone else was just so good and had a flow going and I felt like a sore thumb. This is making me more scared of the future of when I sta”

“I’ve applied for a position in our pediatric surgery center and wanted to hear from people who work in a pediatric-only setting. Most of what I can find from OR nurses is about adults only or some brief peds patients, and some peds PACU advice. We’re a large academic level 1 trauma center with a full children’s hospital, I work in the level IV NICU currently. I’ve been a NICU nurse for almost 5 years now. The only other speciality I’d ever go into would be periop, and pediatric periop in my mind”

“I'm 24 and graduated with a BSc in Nursing from Nepal two years ago. I worked as a nurse for about 1 year and 3 months while also trying to apply for graduate school in the US. Because I was working full-time, I wasn't able to properly focus on applications or contacting professors for assistantships. I eventually left my job so I could focus on graduate applications and funding. My goal is to move away from clinical nursing and pursue a graduate degree in a related field such as public”

“Wish I had something more uplifting to post but I have to lean on you, my comrades. Only been a PA for a couple years. Been in two specialties already and my resume looks like shit because of it. Worked hard to get to this point, as we all do, but it’s simply not enjoyable anymore. The motivated 20 year old who originally decided to pursue this profession isn’t the same person I am now. Not sure if it’s the specialties I’ve chosen or the specific places I’ve worked, but I’m losing the passion fo”

“Hi! I'm looking for some career advice (or free therapy) in regards to my new job in the OR. I graduated with my BSN in May and began working as an OR RN in the beginning of August. So, I've been at this job for around 1 month now and I have a few issues with the training process and wondering if I am just not the right fit for the OR. My training is supposed to be 4 months. After one week, I was circulating well for a certain case so they began putting me in on my own which I did not fe”

“You have any customer service experience? Hospitals love that. I had 5 years of EMS experience, 2 years of ED tech experience, and then a ton of restaurant serving experience. Every one of the interviews I went on for a nursing job didn't seem to care about my healthcare experience, they all wanted to know about my restaurant background. Like some others have commented, you don't really have enough experience to really set you apart from other new grads. But if you can bring a different”

“There are tons of positions that are remote and hire nurses. Every job is different, no one here can tell you what this job will be like. Some remote nurse jobs are metrics based and they work non stop for the full 8 hours with strict start and end times and bosses who call if they see your status has been Red for more than 5 minutes and you didn't notify them you were going to poop and need childcare the whole time. Some are very chill and you can flex your hours and get away with no or min”

“I got offered a staff dev nurse job at a SNF/long term and acute care. I have no experience in this whatsoever only bedside medsurg. But I am very excited and interested about this opportunity. Anyone in this role now and have any advice or opinions? It would def be a better work life balance and def a pay increase. Would be focused on ensuring staff is up to date with certs/competences, training new hires, and doing in services. Looking for any input! submitted by /u/Outrageous_Tap_”

“I’m currently trying to decide what to do after high school, and I’m thinking of becoming a registered nurse and going down the route of certified nurse anesthetist. From what I’ve heard, the satisfaction of the job seems good and the pay is stellar, but I’m curious what people on this app think. I just want to know if it’s worth it to go for this career. submitted by /u/Novel_Routine5593 [link] [comments]”

“For some background, I’m currently an operating room circulating nurse and have been doing this for a little over a year since graduating nursing school. I never envisioned myself working in the OR and really want to work in the ER. I live in a pretty isolated town where job opportunities for new grads are slim so the OR was the only job I could get at the hospital. I figured I’d get my year in the OR down then transfer units, but landing an ER position is competitive and I have very little conn”

“So I’m a new grad, starting my first residency. Taking my pre-PALS, and passed by a question involving ventilators I felt so dumb for (mentally switched the replaced ventilator for suction as I read. Bit of a distinction between those). Immediately saw the error but I’m curious what stuff like this more seasoned nurses remember encountering. Let’s all be a little humble today because I am apparently a little stupid lol submitted by /u/DocumentOk3904 [link] [comments]”

“I'm a nurse practitioner who was making about $100k/year doing Botox and fillers at a corporate med spa chain. I got caught trying to go independent and was fired the same day. Now I've been approved for unemployment for six months and also got accepted into my state's self-employment program (it provides some support, but I'm still figuring out the details). I just signed a 2-year lease for a $3,500/month office space, with 30 days free rent in September before I start paying in”

“Hello, I'm a new grad nurse currently working my first nursing position on a cardiac stepdown unit at a large hospital in a major city. I've been working for approximately six months, and I feel like the job is quickly draining my energy and soul. I work nights, which has led me to feeling constantly exhausted, even on my days off. I find that when I'm not at work, all I want to do is sleep. I have no motivation, no productivity, and barely can get out of bed to do the most basic of”

“I’ve been an ICU nurse for 3 years I’m on a travel contract and planning to go back home and be staff afterwards (back to Texas). I’m struggling to decide between the two specialties. I’m just a lil scared to lose my adult critical care skills, but I’m a worried about violence and burn out from ED. But L&D scares me because it is so different but also because of how highly litigated it is. Plan is to be full time for a year then switch to part time once kids enter the picture. submitte”

“Hihi! I'm posting for feedback or advice on what to do. So currently, I'm a LPN (licensed practical nurse) working at an assisted living. Before that, I worked on the Telemetry floor at the hospital for 6 months and that was such a stressful and rough place to work as a new grad and omgg, it gave me pre-shift anxiety. I am taking a LPN to RN class program this Fall, which that class is required for applying to the RN program. My questions are should I continue to get my RN? And if I don&”

“I don’t really think anything. I don’t care what people think about me, I don’t judge others for the jobs they choose. Just do what you want and live your life.”

You are making the same amount of money doing less work. Don’t be dumb

“Had a friend once tell me she was considering doing NP/MS program to teach nursing (education was her dream but not in nursing) Her primary reason being it made more money than standard teaching job. Trying not to say anything that wouldn’t be supportive/mean but also she was so excited telling me how there was no clinical expectation. Cut to me on the phone with her stressed out and studying my ass off, post-clinical exhausted af”

“I currently work peri operative nursing. I work in an inpatient facility so I have the benefit of making inpatient wages which is much higher than outpatient earnings. The job is fairly simple. A lot of the patients are same day elective procedures but I still need to maintain my nursing skills because I need to monitor lab values and read rhythm strips. We hold for inpatients as well so need to manage chest tubes, traction and other monitored interventions. While we don’t fully recover patients”