What Can I Do
If you think the decision to leave your nursing job is right for you, there are several things you can do to begin the process and exit on a good note.
1. Research remote nursing job opportunities.
2. Develop a Nursing Resignation Letter. See our Leaving with Grace: How to Write an R.N. Resignation Letter blog for more details!
3. Include time to reconsider. Before making a rash decision to leave the profession altogether, make sure to weigh out your options your nursing job doesnt have to stop at the bedside, and there are so many different career paths to take.
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What Can I Do If I Quit Nursing
Many options are available to you if you decide to quit nursing. You may choose to pursue a different career, go back to school, or take some time off to figure out your next steps. It can be a counselor, therapist, or career coach.
- Do Your Research: If youre considering a new career, take the time to learn about the job requirements and the day-to-day tasks.
- Create a plan: Once youve decided to quit nursing, its important to have a plan. It will help you stay organized and on track as you transition to a new career.
- Update your resume: If youre looking for a new job, update your resume and LinkedIn profile to reflect your nursing experience.
- Network: Talk to friends, family, and other professionals who may be able to help you find a new job.
- Set up informational interviews: This is an opportunity to talk to someone in your desired field and learn more about the job.
- Consider going back to school: If youre interested in following a different career, you may need to go back to school to get the necessary training.
- Take some time off: If youre unsure what you want to do next, its okay to take some time off to figure things out. This can be a helpful way to de-stress and recharge before making any significant decisions.
If Youre A Nurse Who Wants To Get Out Of The Hospital And Shift To A Career Youre Here In This World For To Do Read On
Got caught in the nursing boom of early 2000s, huh?
A promise of working abroad, with dollars to rake, huge houses and several cars to own a total financial security dream, I get you.
I only needed to hear one thing to sign up to a nursing school I get to travel !
Oh the dreamy New York dreams of youth.
I was young, didnt know what to do after college . I took up BS Biology as a premed course but come NMAT review sign-up, I found myself pausing and really contemplating if I really wanted to be a doctor.
You see, hours and hours of microscope work in the laboratory, dissecting specimens didnt really encourage me to proceed to medicine to do more of that.
10 more or so years of study, of social suicide, of missing out on life as it happens only to be a mediocre doctor were enough for me to quit it.
P10,000 for an NMAT review gives you that clarity, I guess :).
After I graduated, you can imagine how even more lost I was. I cant imagine myself being a professor, a researcher, a lab person all those career paths for a Biology graduate.
Those who dont have a clear destination can easily be swayed to follow the crowd.
And the crowd in 2005 was going to nursing schools.
I didnt have a destination, time is ticking, for some archaic reason, taking a gap year isnt an option.
I had to keep moving. My batchmates were either enrolling in their medicine school of choice or sending in resumes to companies.
I cant see myself doing any of the only 2 logical available options.
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Use An Official Letter Of Resignation
Instead of casually saying that you plan to quit , take time to write up an official letter of resignation, and then hand that to your manager when you plan to quit. Ask to meet for a moment in his or her office.
This will not only make you appear professional, but you can include all of the details in the letter so your manager can refer to it. Be sure to do the following in the letter:
- Clearly write the last day you plan to work .
- Thank the manager for the opportunity he or she gave you to grow and work with the team.
- Offer them words of encouragement for the future.
Be friendly when you hand them the letter, and thank them for the opportunity they gave you to work with the team. Youll also want to be prepared to explain why your leaving in case the manager asks . It can help to rehearse this a few times.
Nurses Leaving The Profession: Should I Actually Do It

With more nurses leaving the profession than ever before, Nursing CE Central provides insight as to whether or not this big decision is right for you.
Should I leave the Nursing Profession? If you are stressed and burnt out to the point that you are asking yourself, Should I leave the nursing profession too? The answer is NO! Try to remember why you became a nurse. Was it to help others? Was it to save lives? Was it to make a positive impact on? Was it for the money? I understand your concerns if you are not happy, then the quality of the care you give will not be sufficient. Patients will suffer as a result and that negates the very core purpose of the nursing profession Working in an environment that makes your heart happy is vital for being a great nurse. You should have passion for what you are doing that passion it will shine on every aspect of your life. Taking care of yourself by switching to an easier nursing field does not make you weak it means you are self-aware and strong. If your current nursing role is too stressful or if the bedside is bogging you down, dont swap your entire career, just move to a different field of nursing!
Video advice: I Quit My Job as a Registered Nurse
References:
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Put Trauma Care Front And Center
The COVID-19 pandemic is undoubtedly one of the most trying and difficult things that many of us have had to endure in our lives. Nearly everything we care about was disrupted from child care to going to work to visiting friends and family. Many became socially isolated, even more are dealing with stress and anxiety from the virus. To some degree, all of our economy was impacted, with many businesses still struggling to reopen and many employees cautious about their options moving forward. With all of the crazy things that COVID brought into the lives of everyday people, it can be hard to realize the even more significant toll it has had on health care providers, particularly nurses. Nurses have been on the front lines of the pandemic since the beginning and most have been put into situations that nobody outside of the profession can imagine. Understandably many are dealing with burnout and ready to leave nursing altogether.
Prevalence Of And Factors Associated With Nurse Burnout In The Us
This secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey measures burnout rates and examines factors associated with leaving or considering leaving employment owing to burnout among US nurses.
This secondary analysis used cross-sectional survey data collected from April 30 to October 12, 2018, in the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses in the US. All nurses who responded were included . Data were analyzed from June 5 to October 1, 2020. Exposures.
The weighted sample of 50273 respondents was predominantly female and White the mean age was 48. 7 years. Among nurses who reported leaving their job in 2017 , 31. 5% reported burnout as a reason, with lower proportions of nurses reporting burnout in the West and higher proportions in the Southeast . Compared with working less than 20 h/wk, nurses who worked more than 40 h/wk had a higher likelihood identifying burnout as a reason they left their job . Respondents who reported leaving or considering leaving their job owing to burnout reported a stressful work environment and inadequate staffing .
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Leaving Earlier Could Put You In Limbo
If you leave early, you could find yourself in a weird situation where you’re not a new nurse anymore, but you’re not technically an experienced nurse.
Such a gray area will do nothing but cause you anxiety, and it could make finding your next position a little bit more complicated.
PRO TIPThe weird limbo is primarily a problem if you leave early in your first year working as a nurse. This is one of the reasons I highly recommend if possible, don’t quit your nursing job before you’ve already been hired at another one.
Want To Leave Nursing But What Can I Do Instead 12
Lindor2828 · 07/01/2022 13:28
I’m desperate to leave nursing but I just don’t know what to do instead. Has anyone else left nursing for another career or retrained? I don’t want to take a huge drop in pay, I earn just over £31k before pro rata now. What other roles earn similar? Feel totally stuck in a rut and want to love going to work!
Covidtrap · 07/01/2022 23:40
i am the same its just not what it used to be anymore and morale has definitely dropped. Overworked and understaffed. Maby start a thread asking people what it is they do? Might give some out of the box ideas. I have no idea myself thought of some cash in hand jobs, maybe even childminding. Dont want to have to waste years in university retraining. My partner is a quantity surveyor, no degrees, he got on the job training and makes good money. I guess it depends what it is you enjoy
swizzlestix · 08/01/2022 07:25
I’m in the same boat. It’s so hard to find something with an equivalent pay but less emotionally draining.Keen to hear what others have done.
Workchatter · 08/01/2022 08:43
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Quit A Nursing Job The Right Way By Doing These 5 Things
As a nurse, there will come a time in your career when youll feel called to move to a different area, go back to school, retire, or change nursing specialties. This will often mean that youll have to quit your current nursing job in order to progress to the next level in your career.
But if you plan to quit your nursing job, youll want to do it right. Here are five things youll want to do before you quit your nursing job.
Lack Of Respect Or Toxic Workplace Morale
Career advice experts, Monster, outline a few of the most prominent red flags of a toxic work environment these include:
- Inconsiderate authority figures or upper management
- Lack of effective communication
- Bullying
- Overworking employees, not allowing breaks, under-staffing
If you feel that you are involved in a toxic work environment where no managerial or institutional change has been implemented, it may be time for you to search elsewhere and leave your current nursing job.
In more recent news , what about the current hospital mandates for COVID-19 vaccinations for healthcare professionals?
In some cases, those with a nursing job are being mandated to receive a vaccination or else it will result in termination.
Regardless of your stance or your vaccination status, many nurses are contemplating feeling guilty for wanting to leave their nursing job because they are unsure of if they want to receive the vaccine.
For more information, check out our blog, COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate for Healthcare Workers.
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Covid Has Made It Harder To Be A Health
Frontline health care workers are considering leaving the profession in droves after the pandemic added to existing strains on the system.
Advice for those considering a career move For Audra Williams, intensive care unit nursing was her passion. And for almost eight years, it was her career, leading her to work across four U.S. states including, most recently, New York. But when the coronavirus pandemic broke out last year, and when New York City turned into the virus global epicenter at one point, she was faced with a difficult decision: Should she leave behind the job she loves for the sake of her own health?My mental health suffered more than I had ever experienced, Williams told CNBC Make It. Excessive workload, failed leadership and emotional trauma left Williams facing anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, and in July 2020, she left her nursing job to become an advocate for health-care workers. A mass health-care exodusWilliams is one of many health-care workers rethinking their frontline careers in response to heightened pressure from the Covid-19 crisis. According to recent studies, between 20% and 30% of frontline U.S. health-care workers say they are now considering leaving the profession.
Is It Time To Make A Nursing Career Change

Nursing professionals decide to leave their jobs for many reasons. A study published by the JAMA network asked nurses who had recently left their job about what contributed to their decision. Here are the top five results:
Maybe you are seeing some of the same problems at your job. If so, it’s good to realize that many of the traits that serve you well as a nurse can help you excel at other jobs, as well. Important soft skills, such as communication skills, problem-solving skills, teamwork, professionalism, and empathy, come in handy in a variety of non-nursing jobs.
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What Can You Do With A Nursing Degree Besides Nursing
Professionals with training and experience in nursing can find fulfilling work in a variety of related career paths. In this section, we provide brief overviews of the essential details of each potential new career track, including education requirements, applicable skills, and salary information. We consider jobs located in several industries, such as health and nutrition, social work, public health, education, research, and counseling.
Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
These professionals typically need a postsecondary certification or an associate degree to find entry-level jobs in the field. Professionals who apply for these jobs may need to acquire a certification for consideration, such as the Registered Health Information Technician or Certified Tumor Registrar.
Those with nursing training in these roles put to use their knowledge of medical terminology, health data requirements, and hospital and clinic coding and classification systems. These professionals also need strong communication and interpersonal skills commonly found among nurses who work directly with patients in a hospital or clinical setting. Alternative job titles for this role include medical information clerks.
Salary: $40,350
Pharmaceutical Sales
Salary: $63,000
Nutritionist
Salary: $61,270
Health Educator
Salary: $46,910
Administrative Services Manager
Salary: $96,940
Medical and Health Service Managers
Salary: $100,980
Clinical Social Worker
Salary: $50,470
Salary: $79,120
How To Successfully Leave Nursing
If this question strikes your mind about how to leave nursing successfully, then this post is for you. Though it is not an easy decision to make, having the right guidance you can reach the right decision.
As nurses may come across lots of challenges that shake their physical and mental state. To overcome such hardships one would like to find answers that strike their mind. Read the article below to find out the in-depth details.
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How To Leave A Job Gracefully
I was diligent. I completed my tasks on time. And I took on extra assignments and shifts. My boss was so impressed that he gave me a generous raise after 6 months. The next day, he fired me.Later, I learned that Mr. Boss fired everyone after he gave a raise, so he could hire someone else at a cheaper hourly rate. The experience was difficult for a 16-year-old who still believed life was fair. Mr. Boss had decided to end our working relationship, and he did so without any consideration or class. He created the perfect example of how not to act when youre the one who decides to move on.
Leave a positive impressionWhether youre excited about your new job or just happy that youre days are numbered at your present job, you may be tempted to mentally check out and slack off a bit as the days wind down. But your colleagues will appreciate it if you remain fully engaged as part of the team until your last day. This approach shows your colleagues that you care about them and demonstrates to your supervisor that you remain committed and loyal to the institution.Deciding to quit a job is always stressful, whether you are leaving a job you love or a job you loathe. But with a few thoughtful steps, you can leave any job gracefully. And by doing so you will experience far less stress, leave a positive impression, and feel energized and lighter as you move toward a brighter future.
Dont Tell Others That You Plan To Quit Before Telling Your Manager
While it may seem like a good idea to tell your coworkers that you plan to quit, it can actually lead to problems. Coworkers may begin to gossip about you, or they might tell your manager that youre quitting before you get the chance to tell the manager.
Instead, let your manager know first, and then let your coworkers know, if you feel compelled to do so.
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