Do you love nursing and hate your job?

Most nurses will tell you that they love being a nurse, but they don’t like their job. Being a nurse is never easy. No one ever said it was going to be. It can be one of the most rewarding and yet physically and emotionally draining professions.

Then add in the fact that there is shortage of nurses so you’re bound to be overworked and inevitably underpaid. So what can you do if you don’t like your job? Try a new one, or change something about your job that makes it better for you.

Change is never an easy thing to live through. The degree of change will directly affect the degree of difficulty. So sometimes just a little change is all you can handle. However, sometimes a big change is what you really need. Avoiding change is not the answer.

Deciding what and how to change things can be frustrating and all too often, nurses just give up all together and leave the nursing profession. This happens most often when the nurse is completely burned out. S/he has nothing more to give and has no energy to focus on what to do and how to make things better.

Before you get to this point, stop and take care of you! Nurses are great at teaching others how to care for themselves, but they don’t listen to their own advise. You have to put yourself first and take care of you so that you can continue to take care of others.

You must do something everyday to replenish yourself. Take fifteen minutes to do something just for you. If that means locking yourself in the bathroom with a good book, a piece of chocolate cake, some knitting, crochet or other needlework, or just a few minutes of piece and quiet; just do it. Soak in the tub, or give yourself a facial. Or just sit and take deep cleansing breaths.

Men seem to be natural at doing this regularly. They often burn off their frustrations shooting some hoops or lifting weights. Exercise is a great way to leave your frustrations behind you. A run or a brisk walk can do wonders for anyone’s spirit. Whatever you do to make a little time for yourself, do it regularly and look forward to it each day. Reward yourself.

You may find that you like your job after all. If not, you’ll be better able to focus on what you need to do about it. Begin by making a list of the things you like about your job (if anything) and then the things you don’t like.

See if you can focus in on what it is that you need to change. Look at the things on your list. Is it the people you don’t like? Or one person in particular? Is it the days or the hours? Is it the kind of patients? Is it the setting? Is it the money?

All of these things you can change. Some you may be able to change more readily than you think. But do something about it. The longer you stick it out, the more unhappy and frustrated you’re going to be.

The nursing shortage works in your favor because you have options. A transfer to another department may not be easy because your boss will probably try to block it and not lose your warm body. But talk to him/her and explain your frustrations. Perhaps a trade can be made with another unit for someone who’s unhappy there.

If the main problem is your boss, you can always say that you’re burned out and you need a change. You don’t have to point fingers. That’s not going to change things. You are the one who needs a change and you’re asking for his/her help to do it.

Sometimes you may have to quit the job outright and find another. The beauty of the nursing profession is that it offers so many choices. Don’t let yourself believe that you’re stuck! Try something new. Browse choices here.

By Kathy Quan RN BSN
Kathy is the author of The Everything New Nurse Book and author/owner of TheNursingSite.com.