What jobs would be good to look into for a burned out nurse? I'm really questioning if it's time to leave nursing completely or if I will eventually be able to return.

Following this post because I too am struggling with this right now!

Check out something like interventional radiology, cath lab, or endoscopy. The areas are less about “patient care” and more heavily focused on procedures. Getting them in and out.

I just applied for a job taking pictures for Shutterfly in preschools! Fun! That's a $30/hrs pay cut for some much needed peace and happiness.

HEDIS jobs which are completely remote! That’s the direction I am heading in myself.

I was feeling the same way. I went into travel nursing and all the politics disappeared, I was in control, and I've never been better. It really depends what is troubling you. For me it was the unit politics. If it's the hours, there are lots of jobs that specify 9-5 like school, clinics, and offices. I don't know what your complaint is but, I suggest you distill it down to a specific list. Then look at areas that don't have those parts as a rule. For example, if it's the other jerk nurses, corrections, school, poison control, get your MSN and teach, public health, or whatever. If it's the hours, different strategy. If it's the commute, different strategy. But it really depends what you are trying to escape from. I'm in acute dialysis now. The technical nature and independence of the job are amazing. But again, it really depends what specifically it is you hate about your situation.

Same here! I wonder if its just bedside nursing, working in the same place too long, or the profession altogether.

Following

I am in the exact place right now too. Just been at a stand still now knowing where to go from here.

I am in this same struggle. I am very burned out.
I have been a nurse for 30 years and now leave work most shifts feeling completed depleted and unsatisfied. I want out and feel stuck.

School nursing because it's ten months; no weekends; no holidays; no overtime; no bad weather.

My healing burned out phase is hospice. In this arena of care for the terminally ill patients, you take care of one patient and their entire social support system. The biggest lesson I learned is how to use coping mechanisms in varying pitfalls our profession sling at us. Then I am ready to go back in administrator role with new perspective. Taking a break within the profession gives me a wider area of expertise to draw into. Work part time in your current position and find a per diem you are interested to explore. We are in a profession that has limitless opportunities. Just keep looking.

I I too am following this post. I’ve been an Operating Room RN and worked in Home Health.
The staff in the OR act like Predators and”Mean Girls”!!!!
I’m over it!

Look into home infusions. I work with two companies as an independent contractor and it’s a really low stress job. My companies are Infusion of Care and Wnliven Home Infusion Specialist. Infusion of Care pays well but they do require 5 years of critical care which can be ED, ICU, PACU, Cath Lab, etc.

Try a nurse navigator, case manager, Coordinator- transplant, or utilization review. Many have work from home options. I have done IR, cath lab and procedural.. stepped to insurance utilization review, then case management and now looking at nurse navigator positions.

As a recent NP grad, I have looked into a lot of per diem or part time jobs as a RN to pay tuition. I would say working at assisted living is definitely a lot less stressful and more community focused. Also try flu/covid booster clinics as temp jobs, even though it may only be for a while they pay quite well. Maybe taking a step back from bed side nursing to explore other options in nursing for a while could be something good for a burned-out nurse?

This is so me right now. Following to see if anyone has good answers to this

How about working for an health insurance company, utilization management, education, there are opportunities for you out there. Just do some google searching, etc. Best of luck!!

I work in the operating room and have found it to be very rewarding. It’s not as easy to burnout there because our time with each patient isn’t as drawn out. My patients are typically stable when I drop them off at PACU, so it’s easy to leave work at work. I work three 12 hour shifts weekly, no weekends, and one holiday per year. I also make a pretty fair wage. Some people say you lose skills there, but I do a lot in the OR. I start lots of IVs, insert foleys, positioning, and have the option to scrub. I also work closely with CRNAs who are happy to teach and let me assist with skills!

Following….new management came aboard and too corporate now. Feel like I’m being micromanaged and “stalked” my every move. Might be my time to move on after 4 years here. I don’t want to sit at a computer all day long, I’m interested in hospice but no experience, I need one on one patient experience, and I’ll never go back to working in an institution. I’ll continue to look—only have about 7-8 years til retirement.

Its a good opportunity to explore alternative healing practices. If it applies to your nursing, certificates in Art therapy, Alternative Medicine, Meditation, Yoga, or many other interests can spark your own creativity and that of others.

Try an infusion job. Low stress and patient’s really appreciate you😊

Find a job as a research nurse coordinator. Very rewarding. Good hours. I moved to this 25+ years ago and so happy I did.

I’m adding a second career to my resume. My feet gave up!

Travel Nurse might be a position to consider. You decide how long you stay at the assignment.

Traveling nursing. Take a friend with you or go out there yourself. Some nurses take their kids and it’s like a 3 month vacation and your getting paid. Living in Hawaii for one year was my favorite. I met my lovely second husband on a travel assignment. We have been married for 18 years. Never regret doing traveling nursing.

I reluctantly got hired in home health. Once you kiss a few frogs, meaning crappy corporate or franchise agencies that treat you like a number, i found a great agency in so cal. I loved working my own schedule and got paid very well. Now i moved to the south, the work is very fulfilling but the pay is low. But it beats a 12 hour shift where you drive home hungry, thirsty and frustrated because you had very little time with your patients to feel you made a difference.

Take a “gap year”, “sabbatical” or extended
time away from the bedside if you can afford to; I did for 8 months and had the same thoughts you did. You’re not alone feeling this way. I can empathize. I was a hull of a nurse june 2022. Focus on you. It can get better once you heal your own spirit first.

So how to find something better…

I applied for a flex shift (per diem) position at the rural hospital in my city and started this week. Feels so much better. Energy is palpably better! I also onboarded with careRev (workforce app) and will do orientation next week at another health system. Note that careRev took nearly 5 months to onboard due to a low supply of orientation classes, so start that process early.

You will heal and recover so long as you invest in yourself. You deserve it!

I’m getting certified as a full stack developer and looking for a PRN gig to sustain me until I’m confident enough to interview for a tech job. I hope you find what sparks your interest.

Jobs like out patient dept ,radiology or health education is favourable

Look into hospice. Old school nursing. No call lights, no rushing to see next Pt. Able to sit and talk with pts and/or families. Back to pt care and teaching and so positive on most parts. Not huge bucks but a great healthy mind reset.

Try Home Health or Occupational Health. I've been through burnout 3 times in my 26 years career and those two specialties were the least stressful while still being rewarding and interesting. If you are just looking for something you can do on auto pilot, consider working in a travel med clinic giving travel shots to happy well people.

I want to know the answer to this as well. 27 years and I am wondering the same thing

I would like to follow this thread.

Try research nursing at one of the big university hospitals. Still have patient contact but none of the drudgery. Run clinical trials for a specialized group of patients, like oncology or neurology. Can be very satisfying and no weekends, nights etc.

I went outpatient. It may take you some time to find which specialty you prefer, but the jobs are out there. If you are done with direct patient care, there are more telephone/telecommute jobs available since covid. I know a few nurses who took the huge pay cut in order to find sanity and work-life balance by working in community health (school nurse, public health department). I myself found relief in outpatient pediatric cardiology, first in clinic, and then telephone triage where I could telecommute from anywhere. The jobs are out there, but you may have to compromise a little to get what you want.

GI, endoscopy and Radiology also have private stand alone centers that are not open on weekends. In the hospitals, yes, you have to work weekends, holidays, and take calls. Find an ambulatory surgery center in an area you like, and go for it!

After 10 years of bedside I decided to become a school nurse, it’s been incredibly rewarding. It’s very autonomous- no one looking over your shoulder- you are the trusted medical expert for your building/buildings.

Dialysis is a good change from in patient care. some hours are 4-10's some are 3-12's Most clinics are closed on Sundays.

home health

Here to follow thread

14+ years in a level 1 trauma center ED, then came covid I was fried. Left and went to pediatric PACU ( no call, no weekends, minimal holidays) and it was just what I needed. One of my co workers said "this is the easiest job I've ever had and I've worked at Subway" haha. Love the kiddos, we have lots of frequent procedure kiddos we get to know, the parents are thankful for the most part, a lot of fentanyl and popsicles, the occasional "oh shit" moment to get your adrenaline going to appease that ER nurse background, good co workers and low stress. It may not be my forever job or where I finish my career but just what I needed.

Maybe explore other career options you have been intrigued in before? For me personally becoming a pilot has always been intriguing.

When I got burnt out I got my certification in Legal Nurse consultation. I got a remote job and worked with a law firm out of Cleveland, Ohio. Making good money too. It's growing business. If you're good at it you can start your own business. I spent several years on that then missed nursing and went back. I'm a traveler now.

Occupational health or travel vaccinations. Great cool down from the hustle and bustle.

Look into the career pages for the health insurance companies in your area. Case management, utilization management, IHA (initial health assessment), Quality Improvement, and auditing. Remote or half remote, no weekends, no holidays. If you have no experience in these areas, learn more and inquire with these departments at your hospital. You can volunteer or try applying to those departments first to gain experience.
There's also corrections, home health, and employee health.

The

I was feeling the same way and tried dialysis, they were willing to train me, this however was not at Devita, this clinic paid horribly, but I wanted to learn it. It was so stress free, however, the nurse I was supposed to take over for decided to stay and this clinic couldn’t afford me to stay. I only did 3weeks of the 12 weeks of training they were to give me

I too am burnt, I left floor nursing to try ltc again. And now I'm finding it hard to find a position. I am a lpn, and I feel we are " the middle child" or the " red headed step child" no one wants us. If you are not a aid for $15-19. Or a RN or above, we aren't wanted.or used. Can anyone enlighten me as to why Lpn nurses are irrelevant?

Consider hospice or home health care. I have been doing hospice for the past 16 years and love it. There is autonomy and some flexibility you don't get in the hospital, etc. Also you deal with one patient at a time, so there's a chance to build relationships and give quality care.

I worked in cosmetic/ plastic surgery, it's easy and not very stressful. Not as gratifying as helping a patient with renal failure, or going to hospice but if you're burned out this field is easy and has it's awesome perks of free Botox and Fillers, of course it's not everyone's cup of tea and it can be difficult to get in. Hope this helps someone. I'm going to be moving soon to LA and I am dreading the fact that I have to leave my current position, in Ambulatory Family Medicine. If anyone has any good advise for me? That would be great!

Look into nursing supervisor and patient placement roles. They aren't stress free and require experience and clinical judgement but are a nice change and break from the physical load.

I

I always thought I'd be a L&D nurse. I landed in home heath care working with special needs kids since 2014, and right now I don't foresee changing that anytime soon. It's a 1:1 setting, so you have the time for full patient care without feeling overwhelmed, rushed, or having someone over your shoulder. It has given me experience in care that I might not have had in other areas, such as feeding tubes, trach care, and vents. While the pay is no where near what you make in the hospital setting, for me, it is worth it to be able to provide full care without all the politics. After all, isn't caring for the person, what the nursing profession is supposed to be.

Case management or Utilization review.

Medically Fragile Pediatrics - Home Care
Low stress 1:1, some go to school. All my patients have trach, vents, most NPO so enteral nutrition, some had transition from TPN post surgery. Catheters, seizures, lots of respiratory treatments/suctioning. Some times they are in and out of the hospital.

Allot of patients are in foster system to help better fund the medical needs. Often the mothers are nurses themselves who permanently care and graciously love these kids. I’ve always had someone close to call if needed wether it’s my boss, our team discussion boards and parents are often only minutes away.

Started as a new grad 2021. The idea of working in a COVID hospital environment did not fit for me. Also I currently work under a COVID exemption. Some of the families I attend prefer this because I test weekly

Kids Care pays well - Oregon

Well it sounds like something is really disturbing and needs addressing. I am sure you can return but get a temp job in between to assure yourself of income. Good luck.

Hannah

Stay at home while working on computer and making calls working for medical insurance companies

Because the job are helping to other

Value Analysis

I would recommend UR/ UM work from home.
I am not sure what position you are in now, but it could help with caregiver burnout.