Is Your Nursing Job Killing You?

Does your job weigh on you like a rock around your neck, or a heavy shackle around your ankle? Has your work taken over your life to the point at which you no longer have energy for anything else? If this is the case, isn't it high time to move on?

Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

Nursing jobs come and nursing jobs go, but your life and well-being are paramount. If your job is causing you undue stress, and maybe even causing you damaging physical or emotional symptoms, isn't it time to let it go?

If you've been asking yourself the question, "Should I stay or should I go?", you probably already know the answer. If that job of yours is causing you so much distress that you perpetually have one foot out the door, it's probably time to exit, stage left. 

The Secret to a Long Life....

According to a song by Michelle Shocked, "the secret to a long life is knowing when it's time to go". If you find yourself singing a similar tune, you're on the right track if you acknowledge the simple truth of this statement. 

No job is worth your peace of mind, and no job should ever have the power to destroy your life, make you miserable, or otherwise compromise your well-being, either physical, emotional, spiritual, or psychological.

Yes, the secret to a long life is indeed knowing when it's time to go, and if you feel that your job is pushing you over the edge, then just take the plunge.

There's Always a Reason 

Have you heard a person in an abusive relationship give a dozen reasons why they can't leave their abuser? We all know that there's great fear at work in such circumstances, and I'm in no way trying to belittle the savagery and psychological damage wrought by domestic abuse.

While I'm not comparing domestic abuse to a crummy job (although some nursing jobs do indeed involve real bullying, discrimination, violence, and/or harassment), the need to leave a deleterious job can often be precluded by the many reasons and excuses that the unhappy nurse can conjure up.

"My patients need me."
"I can't abandon my colleagues."
"I'll never find another job."
"My benefits are too good to give up."
 "I'm scared."
"I'll get a bad reference and never get hired anywhere again."

Sound familiar?

There will always be a reason to not leave your horrible job that's destroying your life, just like the abused individual might make excuses for their abuser, and try to hang in there a little longer.

"It'll get better next year/season/quarter."
"It's not really that bad. I'm OK."
"It's just a job."
"It will change. I just know it."

Don't make excuses, folks. If it's that bad, it's time to go.

Value Yourself

Nurses can be so selfless, often to their own detriment. Don't do this to yourself. If your job is killing you, dragging you over the metaphoric coals, or you feel the cold hand of burnout grasping at your throat, it's time to go.

Is your nursing job killing you? Cut the cord, give notice, and value yourself enough to say, "Take this job and shove it."