Nursing is often called a “calling” — a career fueled by compassion, resilience, and an unwavering desire to help others. But for many, sometimes, that “calling” feels more like a curse.

So if you’ve ever thought, “I hate being a nurse,” or found yourself Googling “why nurses quit,” you’re not alone. Of the 3 million employed registered nurses in the U.S., so many are quietly struggling with the exact same thoughts.

Burnout. Overwhelming grief. The weight of putting in your all and still feeling undervalued. These aren’t just buzzwords — they’re daily realities that have left countless nurses wondering if bedside nursing is still the right fit for them.

I know, because I’ve been there too.

I spent 6 years at the bedside in acute care. Every shift left me exhausted after 12-hour shifts that stretched longer than they should (13-14 hours). I became so frustrated by a system that seemed to demand everything while offering nothing in return. I found myself driving home in silence, replaying the day’s chaos, tears streaming down my cheeks, and asking questions I never thought I would: “Is this really worth it?” 😔

For a long time, I felt guilty for even having those thoughts. Nursing had given me purpose and direct access to positively impact people’s lives — so what did it say about me if I wanted to leave? It was a constant battle until I realized something important — it wasn’t about me not being able to “cut it” as a nurse. It was really about a system that was failing me — a system that is failing all of us.

If this sounds familiar, take a deep breath, because I got you. This blog post isn’t about shaming or blaming you for wanting to leave bedside nursing — it’s about recognizing the reality of our current healthcare system, being honest with yourself, and sharing the truths we’re often too scared to admit out loud.

Whether you’re looking for validation, understanding, or inspiration to move forward, you’re in the right place. Let’s unpack why so many are leaving bedside nursing and, more importantly, why you may be ready to move toward a career that feels aligned with the life you truly want.

Nurse striker holding a sign that says, "Overworked, Undervalued, Exploited"

1 | People are Getting Sicker

It’s no secret — people are getting older and sicker, and nurses are feeling the weight of it. Over the past few decades, patient acuity has steadily increased. More people require complex, high-level care, and the pressure on nurses is rising alongside it. It’s no wonder why nurses quit and we’re leaving bedside nursing positions in search of something more sustainable.

Not only are we managing higher acuity patients in overburdened systems, but we’re also witnessing the far-reaching effects of systemic issues like environmental degradation, food, water, and products full of chemicals and microplastics, and the accelerating decline of an aging population. These factors are straining healthcare systems and emphasizing the urgent need for solutions to protect both population and environmental health.

In acute care settings, where stress is already overwhelming, this mounting pressure is driving many nurses to burnout, hate being a nurse, and leave bedside nursing altogether (and I certainly don’t blame them for getting out 😵‍💫).

2 | Unsafe Staffing

Staffing is a trigger word these days. 😵‍💫 It’s one of the most common reasons nurses leave bedside nursing roles, and for good reason. When you’re stretched too thin, it doesn’t just impact your day — it can have devastating consequences for your patients and your license.

Research shows when a nurse is responsible for more than four patients, everyone and everything suffers. Burnout skyrockets, job satisfaction plummets, and the risks of errors, poor patient outcomes, and even patient mortality increase. To put it bluntly, unsafe staffing creates a dangerous domino effect.

And it’s impossible to ignore considering that 36% of hospital nurses and 47% of nursing home nurses report that their workload has caused them to miss critical changes in their patients’ conditions. That’s nearly half of nurses in some settings unable to provide the level of care they’re trained to deliver — not because they’re not skilled, but because they’re running on empty.

Honestly, resigning from a position or facility that doesn’t prioritize patient safety is often for self-preservation purposes — you’re protecting your license, your integrity, and your peace of mind. So choosing to leave bedside nursing for staffing issues isn’t a failure — it’s often the only choice when your workload becomes a threat to yourself and your patients.

3 | Mental & Emotional Burden

Bedside nurses have to learn, pretty quickly, how to compartmentalize and suppress feelings in order to sustain an outward appearance that will allow them to continue doing their jobs, even when they have emotionally taxing experiences. Nurses working in acute care hospital settings and long-term care facilities experience the highest levels of job dissatisfaction, in part due to compassion fatigue, disenfranchisement, lack of fulfillment, and a phenomenon called ‘emotional labor,’ which all takes a toll on the nurse’s overall emotional well-being.

The constant need to “keep it together” can leave nurses feeling like they’re losing pieces of themselves. When your job requires you to show up for everyone else — colleagues, patients, families (not to mention your own family) — there’s often no energy left to show up for yourself. This emotional dissonance, where you’re forced to suppress your feelings to maintain professionalism, doesn’t just hurt in the moment. Over time, it builds up, chipping away at your mental health and leaving you questioning how much longer you can keep going.

For many nurses, the emotional burden isn’t just working through some hard days — it’s really the weight of carrying those days home. Reliving difficult moments, second-guessing decisions, or feeling the heartbreak of loss become a constant, unwelcome companion. Nurses deserve better than working for a system that drains their emotional reserves without offering adequate support in return.

4 | Injury

Nursing is a physically demanding job, and injuries are far too common. In fact, a 2016 report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that 74.1% of all injuries and illnesses experienced by registered nurses happened in hospital settings. Falls, slips, and trips accounted for 25% of these injuries, while violence — yes, violence — made up another 12.2%. And let’s not forget the repetitive motions of bending, twisting, lifting, and pulling that push our bodies to the brink.

Nursing has a higher injury and illness rate than most other professions, even within the healthcare industry. The problem gets even more complicated when you consider that the average age of an employed nurse is about 50. Nurses aged 45 to 54 experience injuries more frequently, which creates a ripple effect on the workforce when experienced nurses can no longer stay at the bedside.

Even if you’re careful, injuries can still happen. It doesn’t matter how strong or capable you are — sometimes, the physical demands of the job are just too much. And when an injury sidelines you, everything changes because, for many nurses, these injuries aren’t just physical — they’re emotional too. The frustration of being unable to do the job you love, the fear of re-injury, and the uncertainty of what comes next can weigh heavy and are all a HUGE reason why nurses are leaving bedside nursing to protect their bodies and their futures.

5 | Workplace Violence

Workplace violence is a grim reality for far too many nurses. 😔 According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), one in four nurses has been assaulted on the job — though the actual number may be higher since incidents go unreported. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics all emphasizes the severity of this issue, revealing that healthcare workers are five times more likely to experience workplace violence than professionals in any other industry.

For nurses, violence in the workplace fosters fear, anxiety, and a sense of vulnerability, making an already demanding job feel unbearable. It’s not shocking that many nurses start thinking to themselves, “I hate nursing” when they start taking physical hits. It’s not just about the physical injuries — it's the erosion of safety, trust, and well-being. Many nurses find themselves questioning whether or not to endure a hostile environment (for reasons like having a steady paycheck or fear of trying something new, etc.) or leave bedside nursing altogether to protect their mental, emotional, and physical health.

When nurses choose to walk away from unsafe environments, it’s not a sign of weakness — it’s a matter of survival. Addressing workplace violence will ultimately create a safer, more sustainable future for the profession as a whole.

6 | Undervalued & Manipulated

There’s a pervasive idea that nurses are “just nurses,” a mindset that completely disregards the complexity of what we handle daily. And this devaluation doesn’t just exist in casual conversation — it’s baked into the healthcare system itself (I know I’ve caught myself many times over the years saying, “Oh, I’m just the nurse” followed by a dismissive shrug 🤷🏽‍♀️).

Unfortunately, systemic undervaluation doesn’t stop at the bedside — it often extends to leadership. Manipulative and unsupportive executives and managers exacerbate the problem. Nurses frequently bear the brunt of staffing shortages, expected to pick up the slack in already overwhelming environments. So when leaders prioritize profits over people, pushing their staff to exhaustion without considering their well-being, it’s no wonder nurses decide they’ve had enough. Demanding, manipulative leadership isn’t just frustrating — it’s unsustainable.

Nurses also often lack the health and retirement benefits they deserve, particularly when compared to other white-collar professions. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) reports the average age of an employed nurse is 50 years old, yet benefits structures are often outdated and designed with younger nurses in mind.

For experienced nurses, this disconnect is glaring. After years of service, many find themselves working under benefit packages that don’t meet their needs or reflect the value they bring to their institutions. To retain skilled nurses at the bedside, healthcare organizations must reevaluate and modernize these packages, aligning them with other professional fields. Without this shift, many nurses will continue to feel undervalued and leave their positions in search of better support and security.

The solution lies in recognizing nurses’ value, not just in words but in tangible actions — better benefits, supportive leadership from the top down, and a commitment to treating nurses as the skilled professionals they are. Without these changes, the exodus of leaving bedside nursing will only continue.

7 | The Scheduling Paradox

One of the biggest benefits of bedside nursing is the promise of flexible schedules. Of course, flexibility depends entirely on your specialty and specific workplace, and it often creates a paradox — many nurses opt for longer shifts to enjoy more personal freedom, yet those same long shifts are a leading cause of job dissatisfaction.

While working just three days a week might sound like a dream, the reality is far less glamorous. Those 12-hour days can leave you physically exhausted, emotionally drained, and struggling to recover before the next shift. Research backs this up, showing that long shifts negatively impact mental health, sleep quality, stress levels, and even physical well-being, with higher rates of musculoskeletal disorders and burnout.

And let’s not forget night shift bedside nursing. For many new grads, it’s a rite of passage before qualifying for coveted day shifts. But studies consistently show that night shift nurses report higher levels of anxiety, emotional exhaustion, sleep disorders, and overall fatigue. These effects can impair critical thinking making a demanding job that much more challenging.

For some nurses, scheduling can be the ultimate dealbreaker, and sometimes, the decision to leave bedside nursing comes down to finding a schedule that fits your life.

8 | Telehealth & Technology

With new technology, comes new healthcare practices — and telehealth is a prime example. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of virtual care, and it’s clear that this trend is here to stay. As technology continues to advance, telehealth is transforming the way nurses deliver care and shaping the future of the profession.

According to HRSA, in 2018 nearly 33% of nurses report having telehealth technologies in their workplace, and in 2022 of the nurses that had telehealth available in their workplace 57% report using it. This rapid adoption signals a significant shift in nursing, offering more opportunities for nurses to leave bedside nursing and focus on different aspects of their career.

Telehealth has the potential to improve access to care, especially for patients in rural or underserved areas, while enhancing patient outcomes through more timely and personalized interventions. For nurses, it opens doors to roles that prioritize flexibility and work-life balance, making it an attractive alternative to the demands of bedside care.

However, this shift also raises important questions. Will the rise of telehealth alleviate the strains on bedside nursing, or will it create new challenges for an already overburdened system? And how will healthcare institutions balance the integration of technology with the need for human connection in patient care?

What’s clear is that telehealth is reshaping the landscape of nursing. For many, it’s a chance to embrace innovation, expand their skills, and redefine what it means to be a nurse in a rapidly evolving field. As the industry adapts, the role of technology in nursing will undoubtedly play a pivotal part in shaping the future of healthcare.

9 | Endless Opportunities Beyond the Bedside

One of the most incredible things about nursing is its sheer variety. If you’re feeling stuck, burned out, or simply ready for a change, you don’t have to feel guilty about leaving bedside nursing. Nursing is a field rich with opportunities, offering countless nontraditional paths for those ready to explore something new.

With over 100 nursing specialties (and likely more), you can pivot to a different role that reignites your passion without necessarily going back to school. Whether it’s moving into case management, informatics, research, or even entrepreneurship, there’s a niche out there that aligns with your skills and interests.

And the beauty of nursing is that it evolves with you. 🤯 So whether you’re chasing a passion, looking for less stress, or seeking a way to grow professionally, the opportunities are endless — and they’re waiting for you.

When Reality Hits Hard and the Only Way Out Is To Leave Bedside Nursing Altogether

For many, leaving bedside nursing — or nursing altogether — feels less like a choice and more like a necessity. The choice usually comes down to self-preservation, and then having the courage to say, “I can’t keep doing this” and seeking a healthier, more sustainable path forward. Because when a workplace fails to offer options that align with personal preferences and well-being, it’s only natural for nurses to look elsewhere for opportunities that better suit the lives they want to lead.

What I’ve learned in the last 10 years is that nursing is a journey, not a destination — and your path can be as unique as you are. 🦋 So if you’re reading this and thinking, “I hate being a nurse,” know that you’re not alone. Your feelings are valid, and your well-being matters. It’s okay to prioritize yourself. Sometimes, walking away is the bravest thing you can do for your health, your career, and your future.