Would you take a pay cut for job satisfaction?

[cupcakesmakeyouhappy]

I have been offered a job in a nursery (basic pay), meaning leaving the NHS (slightly more money with potential increase as I'm at uni half way through a mental health nursing degree). Currently, shocked by the demands, staff, responsibility and feeling challenged, drained, tired, physically sick and slowly losing compassion, focus and drive for the position of a mental health nurse. Not enjoying! At all! In fact it has has a big impact on my own mh.
I have written pro's and con's and con's to stay with the NHS are long. Con's for the nursery is just the salary.
I just want routine, structure and a happy working/family life.
At the moment I recieve maintenance and tax credits which in 8 years will stop.
Has anyone taken a pay cut for a happier life?

I left the NHS to work in a local care home. The NHS has changed out of all recognition it used to be a nice place to work but now there is an underlying bullying culture. The people who get to the top in the NHS don't get there because they are more intelligent than others or because they work harder but because they don't care who they trample over in their rise to the top.

Leave and have a better life

Went from full time teaching to part time. Money is tight but don't feel my head is about to explode anymore. Will be increasing my hours bit by bit, but will never go back to full time. My mental health and happiness are worth it.

I did. I didn't have much of a choice, tbh, as my department was being diminished (yes, I used that word deliberately as opposed to made smaller or something). Unfortunately, I am now full of regrets because the grass is not always greener but I had no idea. It's making me very stressed.

Yes, I would and have.

That said, I'd think very carefully about whether it's a good idea if you're in a tax credits situation. I would not wish to rely on the benefits system for a higher proportion of my living than I had to. Not with this fucking shower in charge. Would you have to go onto UC if your circumstances changed?

WRT mental health nursing and your current degree, will you have to pay anything back if you drop out? Are there any ways to use the degree that don't involve working in the NHS, if you complete it?

Thankyou everyone :)
I do not wish to continue with my studies. This is the reason for my post. It's just a massive leap into the unknown but the relief I feel it will bring me makes me want to do it.

I did last month! It's the best thing is ever done x

It was nursing I left too

Yes. Just now.

And based on what you are doing, I think you are hitting the market just right.

Yes, I dropped a pay-grade (same company, different role) so that I could work from home which has improved my quality of life no end. It's worth every penny dropped.

I did a very stressful office based job before I had my children, took a few years out to be at home with them and am now working in a nursery for literally half the money I was earning previously and I could not be happier. I absolutely love my job.

Yes just have... going from being a service manager to being a support worker. Less hours, less full on, more family time, more time to do my college work... 10 days left at work.cant wait. Will be poorer, but less stressed, healthier, happier.

I'd hugely recommend continuing with your studies. Once you're qualified there are many jobs you can do as a MH nurse. I have colleagues who did it who now provide one to one therapy in a GP surgery. Regular hours, flexible time, no unpaid overtime, lots of freedom and basically zero risk. It'd be a shame to quit when you're close to achieving a profession to take a role that pays very little and likely has little room for progression either. You may be happy to take the pay cut now but think about your future: as a nurse you can be on up to £30k, you'll struggle to achieve half of that in a nursery I think. I'd be wary of imposing a ceiling on yourself.

You can also qualify and just do a few bank shifts to maintain your reg and have a bit of a break in a chill job after you qualify before you like for the right job.

Yes every single time

Ps, I'd consider a pay cut for a better job I enjoyed more in many instances, but not going from a nurse salary to a nursery worker salary. Too big a drop and as I say, limits you lots in the future.

In your case while you're studying I would.

Generally I wouldn't as I go to work for the money.

Pps you hear a LOT of horror stories about the NHS but I've honestly never had such a brilliant employer. Great wages, benefits, pension, security, and in my area management is fantastic and we're well supported and trained and respected with loads of freedom. So don't believe everything you hear!

I'd definitely finish the nursing degree and then reconsider.

SABeeTiger can I ask why?

Be3Al2Si6O18 do you mean nursery is best way forward?

MooominMamma I can imagine it to be a lovely job. I popped in to the nursery today and it just makes me feel happy :)

Thankyou all and I'm happy you have all found something that works better for you.

Yes, and I have. I worked for a business for 3 years which was owned by a married couple. They ran the company out of their home and the entire first floor except for the kitchen was used as office space. The job was ok for a while, but as time went on, all they did was fight. And I mean screaming fights. One time I showed up for work and they were screaming at each other SO LOUDLY that I got back in my car and went home. I would be so stressed out and anxious about going to work, and so shattered when I got home that I couldn't take it anymore.

Finish your degree, work part time at the nursery until then. I worked part time all through my degree. I’m 20 years into the NHS. A mental health degree gives you so many options from working with school aged kids, occupational health, mainstream inpatients, community. It gives you a pension you won’t get anywhere else and a great incremental salary. If your passion is children then specialise in that field. Don’t give up now, you do t have to be stuck in what your placements have shown you. The world is bigger than that. But stop now and you are limiting any future progression.

Think carefully. You chose nursing for altruistic reasons, you wanted to help people. But it also gives a lot in benefits. NHS isn’t perfect by any means, demands outstrip supply every day. But find your niche and you can feel happy, fulfilled and have a decent quality of life. It just takes time.

I did, and I'd do it again. I left a stressful job to change career, and started on NMW. I've been doing my new job for five years and feel lucky every day to be doing what I do. I'm also now earning more than I was in my old job, after being promoted.

I wouldn't want to waste the work I'd done on a degree though. If you really don't want to continue could you see if you could transfer the credits, even to do an Open degree at the Open Uni?

I worked in mental health and it damaged me! I left to work in a basic min wage job. I'm much better for it!

Yes currently working my notice period and I don't have another job lined up... maybe madness but my health & wellbeing have to come first can't put a price on them! I may live to regret it but only time will tell. The relief I've felt since handing in my notice has been immense... I'm a clinical support manager not NHS based but NHS funded

I would but in your case I’d finish your degree course. You will have more options to choose from including jobs you won’t have heard of. Eg with a nursing degree you could work in the pharmaceutical industry in research and development, that’s a path you would likely never have thought of but many nurses/midwives come out of the NHS into Clinical research roles. So possibly there are many other options open to you.
Or could you change to a different type of nursing?