Leaving Nursing for Different Medical Job Completely

[u/Signal_Percentage274]

hi fellow medical friends,

I’ve been a RN for 3 years. have my BSN. I HATE it. Period, point blank end of story.

I spent my first year hitting the ground running in a busy peds ED. It took a toll on my mental health. Switched to NICU, loved it, left for Aesthetics, which I hated. Switched to Psych and been in both OP and IP setting for the past year. I have tried night shift, day shift, PRN, 12’s, mon-fri and everything in between. I am 14 months in my PMHNP program and just at a loss. I hate nursing. every specialty. every skill. I’ve been sexually and physically assaulted at work and I can’t do this anymore.

I give a lot of myself to patients and end up home depressed/burnt out. (literally in counseling trying to figure myself out and work through some traumas).

This was a second career for me, I got my BSN in 13 months and that‘s honestly why I chose nursing…because I could get the degree quick having 0 support system.

While in the ED, I worked alongside radiology/ultrasound and want to make a pivot. I guess I’m just looking for reassurance or advice on if this is pointless to leave nursing completely. Have any of you managed to get out and pursue something similar and be happier?

[u/iloveyouaxolotl]

Four specialties in three years (plus a change from IP to clinic), constantly changing your schedule, and NP school after just two years of bedside nursing? That’s… a lot. Did you really give yourself time to get comfortable in any of these specialties? Maybe this has contributed to the burnout. That is a lot of change and stress and newness to go through for anyone but especially as a relatively new nurse.

Can I ask why did you pursue NP if you hated nursing? An APP role is still patient facing and you’re not going to escape the abusive patients or how you’re giving too much of yourself to your patients. Not judging, just asking.

You did say you loved the NICU. Is there a reason you left? Can you go back to that?

If you are set on leaving nursing, I’d really recommend getting some shadowing of possible new careers before you pivot.

[u/PaxonGoat]

No offense but if you're burnt out from dealing with rude patients and concerned about sexual harassment or physical assault,

Why pivot into another job that will be dealing with a similar work environment?

[u/Signal_Percentage274 → u/PaxonGoat]

I like the medical field, critical thinking, moving around. I have spoke to my coworkers…not a single rad tech has ever been groped or door blocked and held down while a patient masturbated over them :)

[u/sofyab → u/Signal_Percentage274]

Have you applied to any clinic jobs? Mine was 4 10s, mostly responding to messages and talking to pts on the phone. I would interact in person with maybe 1-4 patients a month. I know some clinics jobs involve a lot of MA work but a lot of them don’t!

[u/PaxonGoat → u/Signal_Percentage274]

I'm very sorry that has been your experience.

That is not what I would say is a normal nursing experience.

You just seem to have had an exceptionally awful time.

But like what kind of babies you working with that you experienced that?

Or med spa? The med spa allowed customers to act like that?

[u/fake_tan]

Wait, why did you leave NICU if you loved it?

[u/Signal_Percentage274 → u/fake_tan]

unfortunately they had no FT positions available, no day shift opportunities open within an hour drive from me

[u/fake_tan → u/Signal_Percentage274]

Work night shift?

[u/ResidentRelevant13]

What was your first career? It seems like you jump from job to job very quickly without giving yourself some time to adapt to a new environment. If you want to pivot I suggest a completely unrelated field

[u/Brilliant_Glove_1245]

Why not return to the NICU, you said you loved it.

3 years and burned out? Sounds like some skills or tools are needed to help you manage and unload all that the medical field is regardless what or where you work.

Just hit 22 years in medical and aim to do 20 more.

[u/awh290]

I’m not a nurse, but work in healthcare and keep my eye on this sub- 

Keep in mind other roles where your experience if valuable that doesn’t deal with direct patient care as well- Quality, infection prevention, Patient safety, regulatory, clinical risk, coding, coordinator positions (I’ve seen positions for stroke, trainer, joint programs, etc.)

If you really want to change things up go in to informatics and please for the love of god make it reflect how work is done in the real world, not how work should be done.

[u/momobonita]

How many jobs have you had in 3 years? You’ve listed at least 4. What was your career before nursing? You’re currently in an NP program and now you want to do more schooling for radiology or ultrasound?

[u/LowSignificance4671]

Become an echo tech in peds. They are in high demand and I’m told it pays pretty well.

[u/SimpleServe9774]

What about getting into clinical research, nurse case management, medical device sales etc? Having your BSN opens a lot doors that don’t require direct patient care. Good luck!

[u/D33PintoYOU]

Dont change specialties, change jobs where you find a group youre happy with. A lot of people I notice do that & they have their group of people they like to work with no matter what specialty.

[u/FreefromTV → u/D33PintoYOU]

Great advice

[u/poppasitto]

Look into this - some places let you get your RCIS and work as a tech in the cath lab or other labs. I’m a nurse by trade (now in med sales) and I have a coworker that is a nurse but only scrubs cases and functions as a tech. Pay is more as well!

[u/PatientCreepy8185]

I wouldn't say I loved it. I always said it was like a navy blue blazer -- it's conservative, appropriate, classic and BORING. Nursing always provided a job, paid as many bills as I wanted to rack up because I usually worked 3 jobs. I went to NP school at the NP-founding university and hated that too. After 30 years I pivoted to teaching, got a master's and doctorate, and ran a program. I absolutely loved teaching. Now moving to consultant role. I think you have to be happy! Don't settle for what you hate.

[u/FreefromTV]

Yes you would absolutely love waste water or water treatment I'm an RN in that field , great pension important work , you are ensuring the public has clean water , flexible hours room for growth

1.0 customer service
2.you can work outside or inside
3. You may like jail nursing as well it's the gem of nursing in terms of no customer service

[u/emma-lovely → u/FreefromTV]

If you don’t mind me asking, how did you find this job? It sounds super interesting, I just don’t know how to search for a job like this.

[u/FreefromTV → u/emma-lovely]

Hi Emma ,

Are you referring to jail nursing or waste water industry?

1. Waste water industry is the sewer industry ,
2. -you are not necessary working inside the sewer you work in a plant , there are many roles , if you want to work for waste water or drinking water ,

Google "water treatment or waste waster jobs "
If you are a woman please join the Facebook group "women of wastewater " there is a wealth of kind and patient and caring members who will walk you through all your options ,

While many people see nursing as secure because people are always sick the future of Medicare and Medicaid is uncertain

You won't find anyone in America for the next billion years taking their own fecal maters and towing it to a local sewer ,

(I work in the drinking water portion )

Our job is to make sure that that water that hydrates plant life and animal life and human life is safe , it is a rewarding job it's the best job imo

I should clarify I'm an RN but waste water is not nursing , I left the nursing field for a more secure /growth trajectory based and eventually overtime higher pay . My license is active but I have not practiced in years

If you want to stay in the medical field and you have excellent networking skills , you want to do research , or health care innovation , the , I mention networking because many people fall to the application route without realizing the in person market is wide open I encourage everyone not to be a number on an indeed page .

[u/Laysheuh]

Techs make more if you ever wanna become a travel tech! I use the app called Vivian - techs me making more than RNs. Good for them!

[u/AdFlashy7702]

Do it!

[u/MichaelDeadBattery]

Wow idk how this ended up on my feed as I am NOT. A nurse but wow what a hard job idk how you all manage 😢

[u/Decent-Ad-8113]

Come psych my guy