Burned Out and Breaking Down

Bless your heart! It can really take a toll and you can get burned out easily when you're pulling doubles. I used to work doubles and after a year I couldn't do it anymore.

You need to take some time off and rest up. I know how draining it can be and when you're crying more often than not and dreading going to work something has to give...just don't let it be you. If you're emotionally drained it doesn't do anyone any good.

Take some time for yourself. You deserve it. I would call in "sick" if I had to.
Hang in there

Button, it sounds like you're needing a change of scenery. I don't know what your personal situation is, if you're working doubles because you're raising kids or taking care of parents or just need the money for school or are socking cash away for the recession... but if you can shed one of those doubles, do it pronto. You are going to go off the deep end and end up hating yourself and everyone you work with, and resenting the whole situation with every fiber of your being, if you continue to burn the candle at both ends like this. And trust me, waking up with a furrowed brow and a heavy heart is not the way to live. You are knocking years off your life like this.

And it is YOUR life. Don't you forget that. They do not "own" you and you are not their servant who must obey or get the whip. You are providing a professional service in exchange for pay, but part of you providing that service depends on you having certain working conditions. If those conditions aren't met, you can't provide your best service. And the business relationship goes off-kilter. They're not holding up their end of the bargain. Why should you hold yours up, AND theirs? Take a weekend off. Don't you think you deserve to rest? Tell them you can only work 1 double a week now. Or that you can work 4 shifts, but they need to be to where you can go to school. Or something else different. If they let you go, they're asshats. But they pretty much sound like they're asshats anyway.

Even in a recession, you will find a way to pay your bills, even if you have to stop working as a CNA and take a shift at McDonald's, or be a Walmart cashier, or work in a stock room, or deliver newspapers in the morning and do data entry at night. You can tell yourself you're going to be diligent about changing this situation, starting right now.

Good luck - check back in sometime and let us know how it goes.

Button, my hat goes off to you!! I can't imagine doing doubles on weekends..I'm burned out after 8 hrs!

[quote=Button2006;3691168]
I don't know how in the world you do that...

No sleep at all Saturday night? That's crazy.


OMG NO!!! I get to sleep when my patient sleeps, (she has alzheimers and usually gets up several times during the night and I just assist her in what she needs.) So I generally get 3 hours sleep on a bad night and maybe 5 or so on a good night. I guess I'm just a glutton for punishment LOL!!

When I was a CNA I worked weekend doubles to work my way through nursing school. I graduated without any debt, but it nearly did me in.
Please take care of yourself and cut down your hours if you can.

Hugs to you!

I say this now, probably because I'm new. But for whatever reason, working 3 12's or 3 doubles a week sounds ideal to me. The ideal schedule would be Sundays, Tuesdays. & Thursdays. One can only dream..

But since I'm just starting out, I'm going to stick to regular schedule (8Hrs) &+ not get ahead of myself..until I learn the job and get a routine.

I don't think I could do 12 hour shifts, much less a 12 that turns into a 16 (ie, a double), for days in a row. It's not really the physical work that bothers me so much as the emotional stress of it all. I have the greatest respect for those that can juggle all the demands of being a CNA and not turn into a total basket case, or totally shut down.

Good luck! Stay positive! I know its hard dont work to hard to the point u cant function--no matter how much u work ltc will always to beshort staff !!

I agree with you and everyone else. CNA's are definetly underpaid and overworked. No care's about nursing assistant/patient ratios and my facility has a hiring freeze for nursing assistants. This past weekend my unit was understaffed and I was on the brink of going crazy. Being overworked and stressed turns you into a completely different person for the worse. Sometimes you want to put in a few extra hours, for a larger check, but at the end of the day it's not even worth it. Having a well, rested mind and body is more important than money. I used to work three 12's in a row, but I became exhausted from doing that. Now I work 1 12, take a day off, and then work 2 12's. You need to take a day off and gain your strength back.