Due to qualify and I don't think I can do this

[TheVeryIdea]

I'm due to qualify as a nurse in March and the closer I get, the more I feel like I no longer want to be a nurse. The hours are awful, I barely see my husband and children, the pay is rubbish etc

I came into this wanting to make a difference but I just don't feel like I can. I'm so worried I won't cope with the responsibility of being a qualified SN.

My DH knows a little bit about how I'm feeling but doesn't know just how much I'm dreading it. My family will be so disappointed in me if I quit nursing so I feel like I have no choice to but to stick it out.

I just don't know what to do! I have a job to go into once a qualify and I'm just so stressed and terrified!

Stick it out, qualify and start the job you have lined up.

Give it a year and then look at your options.

There are nurses working in private hospitals, nursing homes, factories (My aunt worked as a nurse for Rolls Royce for 20+ years).

Nurses are used to assess for ESA and PIP.

Clinic nurses and GP practice nurses often have close to 9-5 working.

If you want to stay in nursing with a better work/life balance work for an agency.

If you want to leave nursing then there are other options that will use all or part of your degree, I worked as a supply teacher and most of my time was spent teaching the anatomy and physiology units on BTEC and Access courses because a lot of health and social care teachers don't have that knowledge.

There's a lack of good textbooks for some parts of the HSC curricula if you fancy writing one.

I've known of nurses go to work as cabin crew.

Depending where you live working as a private nurse might be an option. It's mainly something you find in London, a family will hire a nurse for a family member while they are in hospital (private hospital, I've not seen it in the NHS) so you basically stay in the patient's room for a 12 hour shift. In reality the hospital nurses do 90% of the nursing, you just help with personal care.

But for now just stick with it an qualify.

Yes, I guessed you were referring to nursing when I saw your title. I have been nursing longer than you have been alive probably, now retired, so I understand where you are coming from.

I would say to you definitely finish your course, do not waste your efforts so far, qualify, start working and then give it 6months minimum before you decide which way to go.
You will not be alone, there are always colleagues to ask and you will not be expected to know everything, you will learn so much that will serve you in any career you choose.
You do not have to stay in the NHS, you may choose to branch out into research, Private hospital system, Private care at home, Diabetes clinics, private medical clinics etc, etc.
You may travel overseas to work etc. The world can be your oyster if you are adventurous. Actually you can travel the world (if you wish post Brexit)

It is understandable to have a wobble at this stage of your studies, just don't feel down about it.
After some experience You could also go on to study an area that interests you, eg, Human nutrition, and work in private practice if it interests you'. There are many possibilities once you finish your course so please don't give up.
Good luck and best wishes

Come to the community! Our nurses have regular day shifts of 8 hours with occasional lates (no nights) and some weekends. Some staff are on fixed working patterns for childcare.

Also we have quicker progression I think, we have nurses who are 3 years qualified going for band 6 posts, and there are regular adverts for band 7 assistant matron posts.

When staff have found the pace and physicality of our role too much they've gone onto day clinics and report it's all set hours and very sedate.

I think there's lots of roles for nurses now with extended practise and it will only develop further.

Or I have a friend who qualified and now works in nhs computer systems.

Do not go anywhere near teaching. The pay is low and the hours sound good but there’s a lot of paperwork which you do at home and a lot of pressure. Teachers spend very little time with their children.

ICU is very intense, maybe you’d be better suited to community or outpatients which have more family friendly hours?
I was lucky that I got my first job on the ward I did my management placement so the transition was a little easier but still daunting when your given the keys and told to crack on with it!

I felt the same. Did six awful months on acute medicine on qualifying then left to do a health studies degree full time with bank work on the side. I then sought out jobs with more social hours, rehab centres and district nursing for many years, until that service too introduced earlier and late shifts and refused me a set working rota for childcare. I'm now practice nursing whose hours are fab, and will grab and run with my pension at 55 in 7 years..
Would never choose nursing again though.

I also knew you were talking about nursing in your title.
I was in the same position and it is terrifying. I worked on a busy ward with no support. They just left us newly qualifieds to it and the ward manager was a bully.
I went to just working for the hospital bank and much preferred this as I could work when I wanted and where I wanted. I realised that there were a lot more supportive places to work.
ICU you will be working with patients 1on 1 and I'm sure it will be more satisfying than on a busy ward. Also you will get good training. Don't forget nurses are in short supply atm so you have choice in work. Move on if it doesn't suit you. Best of luck.

I felt the same after my 2nd last placement. My mentor was pretty crap and micromanaged me while having me do everything, didnt want me doing any HCSW tasks so I felt I couldn't look after my patient properly. I lost all my confidence and was sure she was going to fail me then she gave me an A! My DH was moved abroad and my DS was struggling with the separation...I wasnt even sure how i was going to manage my last placement.

I got to my last placement and thrived. I got all my confidence back and knew I was ready for the job. My mentor was amazing.

I finished in Sept and havent started work yet, for a number of reasons and think I'll be out until 2021. You have up to 5 years to register with the NMC and all you need is a reference from a registered nurse in your field if you feel you need to take a wee break and have some family time?

I knew you were talking about nursing too. I also think you should try it as you have got this far. However don't get yourself trapped into it. I am a mental health nurse and worked on the inpatient wards for over 15 years, I loved it at first but the kast few years were awful. So much stress and responsibility, managing staff and being in sole charge of the unit, all on band 5! I was desperate to leave, it was making me ill with stress but I just couldn't afford the drop in money to take on other non nursing roles.
I left to do community and although wanted to hand my notice in for a while initially, I feel that I have now adjusted and will stick around for a while to see how it goes. In terms of hours, I have part time set hours and days for childcare and bought extra annual leave so work life balance is great.

gonewiththerain

That does depend, I mostly worked in FE colleges and my rate is £100 - £180 per day, usually £150 a day. I also taught mostly 16+ and adults. If you work full time in a school I agree there is a lot of paperwork and unpaid home working but supply is very different.

Definitely finish the course, as you have said you will, it would be a shame to waste all of the hard work that you have put in already. Around here there are a lot of jobs in different departments for newly qualified nurses, the community and hospital hold open days and you can speak to people who work in different depts; do you think perhaps something other than ICU would suit you better? Depending on your local job market, I would be surprised if you couldn't find something else. Although rarer, there are opportunities for roles with more regular hours, my sister worked on wards for a year, and then went into community nursing, and now works doing school vaccinations, which is term time only and obviously only 'normal' hours. Good luck, and I hope you manage to find something that you feel less apprehensive about.

Not in nursing, but I look at people training in my field now and wonder how they are doing it. I want to tell them that it gets so much easier further down the line.
Things settle, routines develop, you build experience.
It would be a shame not to complete.
Good luck.

Sashh
I’ve done FE as well as schools and the pay wasn’t as good and the workload just as bad. I think with FE it depends on the college you’re working for but all teaching is very target driven.

I am still looking for alternative jobs at the moment, I took the ICU job as it was the only one available at the time. If something comes up in the community I'd absolutely jump at the chance!

Lots of outpatients roles that are 8-5 only where I am, as well as community nursing posts. Different kind of nursing, but just as valuable.

I also knew it would be nursing when I read the thread title. Didn't have time to reply before my 12.5 hour shift!

Being newly qualified is terrifying but it gets easier very quickly.

I would not recommend it as a career to anyone but given how close you are, get some experience under your belt and review your options.

I'm 18 years in and I've had enough but nowhere near retirement age yet. It's shit but I don't think the pay is too bad. I'm band 6.

Good luck.