Career advice - Did I mess up?
Hi,
I was hoping to see if anyone could provide me with objective advice because I feel like I’ve messed up with my decision making over these past 2/3 years in regard to my career choices.
Back story:
I graduated in 2024 and I am currently a registered mental health nurse. Prior to graduating, I worked as a bank support worker alongside my studies, so this would mean during placement periods I would be on a ward 7 days a week (moved out at 18, no family contact so had bills that needed to paid). I became pregnant during my third year and was in placement and on the wards during my first trimester. I went on early maternity leave from university a few months after this and continued to bank until I was able to start getting maternity pay.
Had my daughter, then had to get a remote call centre job before she was 6 months as the statutory maternity pay felt unmanageable. I then left this job after 7 months to return to uni to complete my final 3-month placement. After this, I felt burnt out and felt like I could not go into nursing because the thought of it brought back all the stress I experienced from previous years and I didn’t want to feel that as a mum because I was worried I’d have nothing left to give to my daughter emotionally and that the burnout would continue. I still wanted to support people but in a less stressful way, so I applied for a job as a mental health navigator, holding a caseload for those suffering with low-moderate mental health issues ( I do not drive so could not apply for community roles, so I thought my only option would be wards, which I didn’t want to do).
I’ve been in this role for the past 2 years and I definitely underestimated how stressful it would be. At one point I held a caseload of over 60, whilst also facilitating a chronic pain group. I am basically in a place where I feel stuck and I’m questioning all together if I want to stay within the mental health field. I even started seeing a career coaching but this hasn’t worked. I’m questioning if I should’ve just gone into nursing and done a preceptorship and figured things out from there, like CPD in a different area. I’m 26 and feel like I should have my stuff together and have a clear career path but I feel like I’m back to square one and that I have wasted my degree.
Have I been silly? Should I get a job in nursing? Can I even do that, 2 years after graduating without a preceptor? I don’t know what to do, any advice/perspective would be appreciated - I’m very confused and feel very stuck.