I’m a Nurse and I’ve just quit my job.

[Justcanthackit]

Ive Been qualified 5 years and struggled to find a role I’ve really enjoyed. I quit a new job recently after a week as the job wasn’t what was described at interview at all. I’m really not sure I want to stay in nursing as I’ve never enjoyed it, but I’m struggling to think of what else I could do with my experience and qualifications? Has anyone else been through this? And if you did leave nursing but did you go on to do?

Honestly feeling exactly the same right now. I’ve no idea what to do with myself or where to go. Don’t know if I want to stay in nursing, leaning towards no but it’d be a pay cut. Hopefully we can find some guidance :(

The first step is to do a skills audit to identify what transferable skills you have.

Sorry links aren’t working for me - search for National Career Service they have an audit and a lot of useful tools.

Have you tried the private health sector? things like IV clinics etc. Still looking after people but better working conditions?

I currently work within the private sector.

OK but within the private sector surely every employer is different?

I think we’ve all been through it. Have you thought about medical sales? When I got sick of orthopaedics I became a nurse advisor for a massive orthopaedic company, loved it. After I had kids I became a chemotherapy specialist and I’ve now got skills up to my eyeballs. What about theatres? Don’t throw away all that training when there is so much still out there.

I took a 5 year break from nursing due to being a parent carer and in that time I got a job as a family support work in a school. The job was really rewarding and included safeguarding, school health plans and pastoral support. I'd done school nursing before my career break and the family support job was similar but had a lot more involvement with the children.

I hope you find / found the right role for you - I quit nursing to teach clinical skills at Uni avd ended up in an academic career? I have never looked back, except occasionally through rose tinted glasses…

If anyone in this thread is interested, I'm aware of a study that's recruiting for early career nurses who have left within 5 years of qualifying - it's about "telling your story" which will help to raise awareness of why people might leave nursing with the aim of getting our voices heard. Here is the link
https://x.com/FionaBastow/status/1755177848875172239?s=20