to give up nursing

[agedknees]

My legs ache. My back aches. I have a constant headache due to medication I have to take.

But I really love nursing. Have done it for 30 years and do not know if I could do anything else.

Any suggestions to what I could do if I gave up nursing? What do ex nurses do?

no idea what else you could do apart from nursing but when you think of something will you let me know?

I wouldn't recommend district nursing my back and knees are knackered with that Too many leg ulcers in cramped spaces.

Continuing care assessors look more office based or walk in centres maybe.

But if your arthritis is becoming an issue then I'm sure an oh assessment would help and (I think) trusts have a duty to alter duties/redeploy you if a disability or illness is being exacerbated by your job.

Hello

I am in the process of giving up nursing at the moment. I have worked in Occupational Health for the last 16 years. Very complicated circumstances have meant that I needed to move out of London and away from a part time job. To be honest I real enjoy the fact that I'm not a nurse any more! Thinking about working in a garden centre, but the pay isn't very good - £6 an hour!
I have renewed my registration, buy probably let it go next time round.

Jo

Jofins - was it hard to give up nursing?

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. I need to have a good look and see whats out there.

Think district nursing baaaaad idea, way too much crouching down looking at leg ulcers. But you prob know that.

I left the more traditional type of nursing to go and work with a specialist team in substance misuse, though this did mean moving to the other end of the country. Fascinating stuff, better banding, more respect, 9-5. What's not to like?

Hi agedknees

It hasn't been difficult at all. I qualified in 1985 and have worked in various different specialities. I enjoyed OH, mainly because of the lack of doctors! I suppose I miss the people I worked with, but not that much. I did go for a P/T Practice Nurse job recently, but didn't get it, which was a relief really. Didn't want to go back to evenings and weekends.
I want to do something more creative now - this is the next stage of my life.
Go on, be brave and try something new, you can always go back if it doesn't work out,

Jo

agedknees it might not necessarily sound attractive but there's a massive decline in the number of nurses going across to residential/nursing home care.... and i know there are lots of cons, depending on where you go - but there are some REALLY REALLY REALLY lovely homes out there that are crying out for an experience nurse like you, with flexible shifts, lovely teams, and happy, grateful residents.
(I realise too there are plenty of awful ones too but the way the industry is, I think you'd get your pick)
just a thought. might not float your boat. doesn't have to be elderly care either i suppose, i did some lovely work with people with learning difficulties, was amazing experience

Have you thought about continuing care, end of life co-ordination or something like continence service?

OUr local trust is desperate for chc assessors as there is such a backlog. It is only paid band 5 though.