Hey friends! I remember concluding that it was time for me to bust a move. Lol! Even though many of you may know I used to be an aspiring dancer, I am talking about leaving my job and exploring other career opportunities. Before continuing, I must say, I am profoundly grateful for all the career opportunities I was able to experience because it made me a much more well-rounded nurse. I am such a loyal employee to the point where it is difficult for me to leave a job. Well, previously it was difficult for me to leave. At one point in time, I worked at a preschool during the time of my transition into my nursing career and I cried to my supervisor that I had to leave. I just didn’t like letting people down. During that time in my life, it was hard for me to tell people “NO” or advocate for myself. It’s so funny because my supervisor was totally supportive and happy for me to start my new career. I don’t know why I was so worried. This was the start of me learning how to advocate for myself in the workforce. There’s nothing wrong with growing right?
Once I became a nurse, I quickly learned the importance of being an advocate for myself. Some nursing facilities will take advantage of you, if you let them. Even though I was a novice nurse, I didn’t let this stop me from looking for other opportunities if I was dissatisfied. The question then become, how do you know when it is time to leave a job and explore a new career opportunity?
Here are a few reasons I knew it was time to leave a job, specifically a nursing job:
1. Unhappiness. I felt like I was not able to do my job to the best of my ability due to lack of staff and patient overload. I was feeling burned out.
2. The feeling of not being heard. Even after expressing my concerns, there was nothing done to help or assist with the issue of patient overload or lack of staff. I understood that there is a process for hiring more staff etc. However, there was not any initiative taken to show that my feelings or other staff members feelings mattered.
3. Low pay! After getting a year of experience on a cardiac telemetry/med surg unit, I was able to discover different job opportunities. This is when I learned about the difference in pay. Certain jobs were paying a lot more than my job at the time. I knew there was more out there for me. I have learned to work smarter not harder. Know you value and never underestimate yourself.
4. Not feeling challenged. Although I loved my last nursing job, it was becoming routine form me. I did not feel like I was being challenged. I did not feel like I was learning new information. The nursing profession is lifelong learning. I ended up going back to school to advance my nursing education and that was one of the best choices I ever made. I am now happier! New doors are opening for me.
5. Workers Intuition. You will know when it is time to leave and explore new opportunities. I personally take my time to assess my feelings and talk to God. Try not to act out of emotions and figure out the wise choice.
Thank you Lord for continuing to use me and stretch me beyond what I can imagine!
Always remember, you do not have to stay at a job because you are unhappy. Become an advocate for yourself and seek the opportunities that make you happy. You should always be your biggest advocate.
Xoxo,
Nurse Ish