I think I need to leave my career.... scared. A penny for your thoughts....

[Iwonder777]

Basically, I'm a specialist nurse.

Love the job itself (the patient aspects) but have come to the realisation with a broken heart that there's just TOO MUCH of the job to ever do.

I'm constantly on the back foot despite being known to be a conscientious caring capable nurse

The system can't seem to change ...,,,so I know I must leave before a) I burnout out completely or b) god forbid, I drop a ball.

I just can't do everything expected by the bosses. And this is with my staying late and coming in early.

My colleagues are in the same boat. Many leaving, many retiring as quick as possible. High sickness rates.

The thing is I love the job but it seems unanimous across the board that this service is now run on a show string with a higher expectation to deliver specialist care than ever

so in essence, what could I do next?

In terms of dipping my toe in the water of a possible career Change?

Nursing is all I know. I like shifting mountains for patients.

I don't feel I want to go back to my original branch of nursing.

I've a 3 year nursing degree and postgrad diploma. Both with distinction.

Thanks for any tips/help/advice.

Without wishing to sound harsh, the children are being put at risk by your employer's failure to put adequate resources into place, and not by your workload exceeding your capacity/ hours.

Sadly I know many nurses who had to decide between their patients and their own children, too many.

Have you seen anything advertised which has caught your interest in any way?

I'd suggest engaging with the stress risk assessment too, TBH.

This will likely be based on HSE Management Standards approach, and therefore workplace-focused.

All the nurses I know (I work in healthcare) seem a whole lot happier when they move into the community. I’ve got one friend who works for a health charity answering the phone and giving advice (like the British heart foundation). She does3 days a weeks d it’s 5 minutes from her house. Career wise she says it doesn’t set her in fire, but it works with family and she gets paid a bit better than she did as a community nurse.

I just feel like a right fool for getting myself into this mess.

I love the job too but I'm not a super hero looking at you bosses

I wish I knew what to type into indeed job searches to even find relevant jobs. That's where I'm at 🤷‍♀️😳

Have you thought about research? Rewarding, challenging and usually reasonable hours. Research nurses are usually clinical nurse specialists and you do the research training while working.

This was me 6 months ago but my career was in education leadership. I now work for an education charity for 80% of the previous salary, but far healthier work/ life balance.

Get some advice from a recruitment consultant. They will talk to you on the phone for nothing and give you ideas of sectors and employers you won't think of yourself. You are hugely employable! Good luck.

Ooh research. Sounds interesting. I'm scared I'm not clever enough eek but I could type that into indeed!

A recruitment consultant? Never even knew there was such a thing in relation to minions like me 😁 I'm being stupid but how did you even find one?!?!?!

You're not foolish OP, you're doing your best with insufficient resources and time

Health visitor, rep for wound care company, clinical trainer in the hospital, school nurse, or give up your pin and drop down to hca

I'm scared I'm not clever enough

I've a 3 year nursing degree and postgrad diploma. Both with distinction.

Have confidence apply for a few different roles, see what happens.

There is a well-trodden path into the CCGs, NHS Improvement, management consultancies for nurses, none of which are patient-facing.

Also CQC.
cqc.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/2/home?c=cqc&gsdr=

There are so many different nursing roles and roles that involve nursing skills but are maybe slightly different.
Depending on your background and skill set - there are new posts as mental health education practitioners (mild to moderate MH based mostly in schools) or admiral nursing (supporting carers of people with dementia), mental health navigators ( usually part of council services again for mild to moderate but for adults) just as a few examples. There are educational posts, there are things like assessment for CHC or bed management / triage of referrals (not my personal favourite things but some people enjoy them!) CQC inspecting, work in the charitable sector, I've seen some stuff advertised for supporting people who are off sick (through their employers) in writing support plans etc. and I think there are some phone based jobs for private health care or 111/999 take nurses to support their call handlers. Some general wards now have MH nurses as part of their teams too.
Cast your search wide until you find something that makes you find that spark of passion!

There are so many choices and opportunities in nursing, it is one of the most useful and flexible qualifications you can have.

Wonder I have PM"d you.

Some of the nurse specialists I know have opted to either just reduce their days or do compressed hours to give them an extra day out.
Atm many are carrying patiebt loads of 40%+ more than they should due to others quitting and not being replaced. So they in your situation have gone to management with requests for secretary for their admin and reduced any of the more time costly activities such as home visiting and ward rounds. Literally solely focussing on clinics.

Could you do any of the above?

Health visitor?
Teaching nursing at a local college?
Bank nursing?
Matron at an independent school?
School nurse?

111 have registered nurses working for them, they provide advice on more complex illnesses over the phone?

Could that be an option. I know 111 doesn’t have the best reputation but the nurse aspect of it is much better than the initial call handler.

Lots of jobs in pharma for HCPs. Medical information and pharmacovigilance are both open to nurses.

You could get s job at a university teaching nursing. You will be expected to complete a post graduate certificate in education over the first couple of years which the university pays for and supports. At least that is what happens at my institution.

Having said that, my have had several colleagues go off on long term sick with stress then leave and not be replaced recently...I work at one of the top universities for nursing but it is pushing us to the edge.

Some insurance companies employ nurses to help assess claims.

Have you looked at charities? Lots of current jobs looking for nursing qualifications in either advice or training type roles.