Leaving the Nursing Profession? Your Craziest Alternatives Revealed

Nurses are possibly the most dedicated professionals in the health care industry. Retirement - what's that? But nurses grow old too! And some may want to move on from the nursing profession sooner to fulfill their life's greatest ambitions. But then again, can you ever leave? We asked our Facebook fans about their plans if ever they decided to quit nursing and we got a thunderous response- some hilarious, some inspirational.

“Become a recluse, lol. Seriously I would take time for myself more, but would love to volunteer in some places (ie; Nursing homes, etc.) and spend quality time doing what I love.”

- Karen Dugger Loar

“I won't leave. I am starting my new life as a school nurse soon, but my three years in home health almost did me in. I did consider leaving nursing while dealing with the greed of for-profit home care. I am so grateful to be returning to my first love - pediatrics. After another 15 years as a school RN I will retire.”

- Deb Mackey Tankersley

“Bounty Hunting.”

- Stephanie Kane

“This profession has made me wonder on a daily basis, 'Why am I so responsible?' I now desire to work in a hut on a beach handing out beach towels.”

- Mandy Reynolds

“My goals are to continue working home health for five more years, then find less demanding nursing position. I have had a great life being a nurse. Wouldn't have it any other way. But I think nurses need to invest time to ourselves.”

- Carmen Lozano

“Retire. But then, nurses never really retire.”

- Natali Patterson

“Go somewhere. They will rub my feet, massage my fingers, let me wear what I want, go barefoot, bring me diet Dr. Pepper or whatever else I want, let me smoke if I want, and, most important, I will never have to sit around a table and answer a question! No more questions. Four-and-a-half years and this could happen. I appreciate people that want to volunteer but not this girl. I do that 24 hours a day now. Home and work. LOL.”

- Jackie Arndt

“Assist Hollywood in writing more accurate scripts!”

- Marie E Caton

“Be a Walmart greeter or any easy thing that does not include getting mandated to stay 16 hours or anything that does not tell me I have to wear red, white or black. Wear finger nail polish and jamies all day. Be appreciated by upper management!”

- Cheryl Haberthur

"I would a. Smile; b. have someone help me do a back flip; and c. push for laws for nurses by nurses who have worked in this recent craziness of customer care vs being a nurse for a patient instead of being a slave to corporate who says I have to do eight hours of work in six hours and must get it all done and I ask did all corporate take the brown acid at Woodstock?”

- Elle Farley

“If money were no issue, I would go back to school for enology, open my own winery, and then become a decent photographer and go out and photograph my land/grapes.”

- Shawna Booth

“I was thinking about medical billing myself.”

- Jacqueline Williams

“Already doing it. I retired. Much stricter budget, but more at peace.”

- Holly Mckenzie

“Retire but I have no plans on leaving the profession.”

- Brenda Pike

Nurses are a restless bunch! But whatever kind of pursuit we decided on, we can't 'really' leave the nursing profession. These only prove that nursing is a way of life! We maybe gone for awhile to achieve that bit of downtime, but we'll come running back to do something we love over and over again.