I don’t want to be a nurse anymore… but I want to work in healthcare

[HBee04]

So … I’ve been a nurse for 10 years. I’m a mum to a beautiful 10 m/o little boy. I just don’t want to nurse anymore. I’d still like to work in health care though. I’m currently a band 6 nurse in the UK. My reasons for wanting to leave nursing are I’m struggling with my MH (long term and worsened after having my boy, I’m under the perinatal team atm) so I’m not coping with the stresses of nursing well. I miss my patients - although I’ve worked my way up the ladder, nursing isn’t what I thought it would be at the level. I’ve seen a job advertised at band 4, that I’d really love to go for. But I know the question will be asked ‘why’? I don’t know how to answer without sounding like I can’t cope with stress at all! What would you suggest I phrase my answer to the ‘why’ question as ?

I retrained as a medical secretary. I took a 2 year full time diploma course. Never looked back.

Just say it's a better fit for your family life at the moment.

It almost certainly is (and it's no-one's business either)

You can step back up/return once your son is older if you want to.

Maybe frame it that you love working in healthcare but you have had a major life change (becoming a morher) and you've had to do a lot of soul searching and want to prioritise your mental health for the sake of your child - which is suffering with the stress and responsibility that comes with being a registered nurse. You could frame it that this is a temporary plan for the next few years, at which point, you would reassess whether you would return to practice. I think any human in healthcare could understand that. It also shows that you are still passionate about patient care.

Thanks for this. I’ll take that tact. I’m not lying but not saying I can’t cope with stress! Ty 🙏🏻

How about a nurse in a private boarding school? they have flexible working hours.

Could you drastically cut your hours rather than cutting your banding? I find being there significantly less helps no end!

I’m pretty sure you need your school nursing masters for that. Although I’m a paeds nurse I don’t have my masters x

I have done :( I’ve gone from full time to 16 hours. I just don’t have the same love for the role I once did with the responsibilities and stress attached it.

Also in health care but I'm a CTM and a different profession. I can relate.

Honestly as a recruiter I would be worried at such a jump down so I would explain in your supporting statement

I'd explain your love of caring etc and just be quite honest and say you the hope the lower banding would give you the headspace to have more balance in your life at this time. I'd add in something about understanding you'll work under instruction despite your qualifications etc

Good luck!

I left nursing to become a health and social care lecturer at a further education college. Pay is around band 7 but the best bit is the holidays! Also much better work life balance

Vaccination team?

Just some other ideas to throw out there.
-Nanny. Would be especially useful for a family with a child with additional needs
-School nurse. A neighbour is an adult nurse, had no paeds experience other than her own child, no masters or school nurse type diploma and got a job she loves in a school term time.
-Play specialist. I 'think' there are courses you'd need, and its lower banding than 6, but might be rewarding and lower stress
-Phlebotomist
-Osteopath. This would require further training. I used to attend an osteopathy school clinic and majority of the students had a previous career- police, personal trainers, finance etc. There are part time and full time courses. Once qualified, you could rent rooms and set your own hours for clients to suit your family.

What about moving in to research at the hospital? Core hours with some patient interaction

Did you need extra qualifications for the HSC teaching? X

I’ve looked for these posts and there’s none available in my local area currently x

Good point. Thanks for this x

Work for 111?

There are also research roles in private companies and also part of unis- not just in hospitals. They have various hours, shifts and banks to join if you didn't want a permanent role.

If you live in a larger city, have you considered joining an agency? It will expose you to areas you may have never considered working, and you can often get a line of work, if not permanent job offers.

Companies will be advertising flu vaccine work now, which normally starts end fo Sep. Sometimes, its a block placement within 1 trust, otherwise it might be travelling from a base with the vaccine kit to say a corporate location each day. It generally finished end of Dec, or early Jan, but might be an option whilst you look at other options.

The NHS have a range of apprenticeships ranging from school leavers right up to senior levels. www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/career-planning/study-and-training/nhs-apprenticeships

What about an immunisation nurse?

That’s what I do now 😂

Oh dear, sorry I thought you were trying to escape working on the wards 😅

Working a different environment ?

• gp surgery
• work for ccg (or whatever it’s called nowadays)
• work for a large organisation

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Drugs rep of some kind, I think you can earn good money, but might need to travel.

Sorry you are struggling at the moment OP. I am also a nurse, and this sadly is a common tale amongst my friends and acquaintances.

I think it's great that you are being proactive to try and improve your mental health. I'm not sure what support you are getting through the perinatal team, but don't forget that there is mental health support available through your work and the unions (if you are a member).

Is there something specific that you find stressful in your current role, and what sort of post would you be interested in (e.g something where you are more hands on, a more educational role etc?)

To comment on a previous point- a lot of trusts are currently clamping down on agency and bank work- there is much less available to the extent that a number of our local agency nurses have taken up permanent contracts as there isn't enough work. Essentially, it may be unwise to rely on this as your main income source right now and I would strongly suggest scoping out the situation in your local area. Be warned, the agencies themselves will still claim that they are offering plenty of work. They often are not.

I became a first aid instructor - I work for some Health and Safety companies and I do some freelance work.
I command around £200 a day and only work a couple of days a week ( I have long term health issues).