Should I Feel Bad for Wanting to Leave My Nursing Job?

• Are you feeling burnt-out? Emotionally or physically exhausted? You are not alone.
• Nurses throughout the U.S. are contemplating leaving their nursing job due to burnout.
• Check out Nursing CE Central to learn more about nursing burnout and why so many are considering leaving the profession altogether.

With the global nursing shortage at an all-time high, it is evident that more and more nurses are beginning to ditch their nursing jobs, and the professional altogether.  

On top of this, the national nursing turnover rate is at 18%, which is higher than it has ever been. But why?  

Burnout. Burnout. Burnout. 

It stems from various problems within the workplace, but in general, it has the same outcome; nurses leaving their nursing jobs.  

Do you feel burnt out? Are you feeling guilty for wanting to leave your nursing job? 

You’re not alone. Let’s break down some of the main contributors to nursing burnout and see how other nurses around the country feel, too.  

Feeling Overworked?

Of course, we have all seen and heard about the nursing shortage crisis for years, but it is continuing to worsen, and is causing those who are currently working to struggle.  

The COVID-19 pandemic surge of 2020 resulted in thousands leaving their nursing job and never looking back; however, the recent surge of the COVID-19 Delta variant is causing yet another spike that may have similar outcomes. 

In a 2021 Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll addressing the mental health of healthcare professionals, roughly 7% of respondents claimed they felt overworked, resulting in being one of the most difficult conditions to perform in during the pandemic.  

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 
• Gossiping 
• Bullying (“Nurses eat their young”) 
• 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 (July 2021), 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.”

Emotionally or Physically Exhausted?

As healthcare professionals, we always preach the value of rest and relaxation to our patients and its positive benefits on our overall health; we cannot forget that this applies to us.  

Positive outcomes, as well as nurse and patient safety, are at risk when nurse fatigue arises. This can be a result of both physical and emotional exhaustion.  

For example, a 2017 Kronos Incorporated survey evaluating nurses throughout the U.S. determined that over 85% of respondents claimed that their jobs had caused them both physical and mental exhaustion; this number has only continued to rise over the past several years.  
In a more recent July 2021 study by Nursing C.E. Central evaluating thousands of nursing responses across the U.S., 76% of respondents claimed that emotional exhaustion has contributed to their feelings of burnout, and 55% of respondents claimed physical exhaustion as a leading contributor to their burnout.  

I know that it can be difficult to leave a nursing job when you want to continue serving and caring for others, but remember that you must maintain your own health before you can improve someone else’s. 

Remember Why You Started This Journey

You are a nurse because you love to help others. You survived years of schooling, shadowing, clinical rotations, exams, and board certifications to get to where you are today; do not forget this. 

However, if you have weighed out your odds, searched for new jobs, or found a new interest that excites you, do it! 

Life is too short to be unhappy, and there are so many opportunities out there that allow you to continue serving others, just perhaps without all the high stakes and demanding workloads.  

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 doesn’t have to stop at the bedside, and there are so many different career paths to take. 

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