Career change from nursing. Has anybody done this?

[frazzled74]

What do you do now? Are you happier? Currently work full time on an acute ward. Band 5! Used to love it, now hate it , need a change but don't drive and would like family friendly hours. Not necessarily nursing and happy to retrain . Ideas please?

Watch with interest. Sometimes I think I would love to do something different but not sure what. Working a couple of nights a week at the moment. Fits in well at the moment though. Sorry not much help! How about a change in nursing maybe not so acute ? community nursing, still quite pressured though.

Switch to health visiting?

A friend moved into family therapy.

im not a nurse but i know a few nurses who have moved to counselling and are happy, and also running child development courses

I am in the same situation. I'm desperate to leave Nursing after 27 years of doing it , I have finally admitted to myself that I can no longer cope with the stress, responsibility and continual dilemmas. I have continued for so long because we need the income and it fits around my family. I have no idea how to get out though having never done anything else since I was 18!

Occy health?
Podiatry?

A rep for a company...you'd need to learn to drive though.

I did 12 years...... had a 30 something crises, moved to Thailand and became a diving instructor! !!! Lol (dds were 15&13.) Now I work in hospitality management. You have huge transferable skills. ..... what do you want to do? ??

Oh and I'm much much happier. ... i now look after people who are happy to be staying with us :)

I moved to research nursing within nhs so keep leave benefits, hours to suit and opportunity to move specialities. It doesn't suit everyone as generally 12 month contracts but no one at my trust has been 'let go' in the three years I've been here and even if you have a year of research behind you it opens doors to training, management etc

Ooh and I love it! Had applied for exactly the same reasons as you and was a bit meh when got the post until I started.

Thanks, a few ideas there to keep me going. I may look into counselling as I've always been interested in doing that. Not sure what qualifications I would need .

Training perhaps?