Many nurses can deal with grief better when they’re in their first years, but things start to accumulate after a while. Sometimes, all it takes is one single event to leave them scarred. In this case, you might want to start looking at roles where you will not have to deal with challenging circumstances all the time. Maybe you could move to areas like family practice. You will help patients improve their lives and their health instead of constantly dealing with trauma, or perhaps you could move to an administrative role. There are plenty of functions that don’t require you to be in direct contact with patients, or even in a healthcare facility.

You could work as a nurse health coach, for instance, or maybe you’d like something lighter, like working in a school or summer camps. These are all areas that will allow you to enjoy a change of pace and benefit from your experience.

Read: Returning to Nursing

You Dread Going to Work

If every morning feels like you’re going to war, then this is another sign that you may need a change. It’s normal to feel out of it from time to time, but if you’re second-guessing going through the doors before every shift, then you need to look for something else. Sometimes, it may be the ambience at work; that’s the problem. Yes, you can always try to let HR know, but there is little you can do if you have a clash of personalities with other nurses or supervisors in many cases. Just changing floor, specialization, or even the city could be all that it takes.