Bipolar Job Disorder...really!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I don't have Bipolar disorder, at least I don't think...lol. I have a love (no...let's make that like) hate relationship with my job. I've been there for about 7yrs. Some days I can tolerate. Other days are horrible. So horrible that I take it home with me. I obsess over the smallest things. Such as management. They are so worried about cutting our costs, possibly laying off good nurses due to our budgeting issues. Well, we are all short as it is. We work our butts off to provide good patient care, and now management wants to cut some of our nurses and who will suffer in the long run? The patients and the nurses that are left (because they will be working short).

One week I feel okay with my job. Everything's good. I feel like I did a great job helping my patients and the next week...management is chewing us a new one because so and so didn't chart this or failed to do that. Our latest gripe is that all of our schedules have to change. They are either cutting our hours or cutting nurses...and they expect that some nurses will leave. How nice...huh?

I have another job interview this week and now I have regrets. Last week I hated my current job. Worrying about it on my off days. Talking about it to my family and friends to the point of even crying. My DH tells me to tough it out...just to stop worrying. I can't. I wish it was that easy.

This week I'm liking my job, my patients are my heart. I feel more positive...but still...there's that one fear that things will go crazy once they start changing our schedules. Our DON is going to start something new. Self scheduling. I don't know how I feel about that. I wonder if that will cause more kayos because everyone will want the same thing. She stated If that didn't work she was just going to put us where she wants us and if we have another job, a school schedule, kids to attend to...tough. You work or your out. She's really beating us up I feel. It's different with first shift. They get to keep their same nice schedules. It's just 2nd and 3rd and weekends who will have these major changes to their schedules.

I'm at a loss. One week I'm depressed due to my job. The next I like my job. What gives?

To all of those that have read my entire post thank you for letting me vent. I don't know what I should do. I guess I will go to this interview with a positive attitude and just see how they run things.

Do some of you feel this way about your job?

I don't think a love/hate feeling about a job is all that uncommon, esp in nursing. If you find yourself being more and more upset than satisfied it is time to move on. Change is always hard but you have to look out for yourself first. Don't stay so long you leave on bad terms.

Specializes in pulm/cardiology pcu, surgical onc.

Oh yes I feel the same way. I frequently submit transfer requests after a bad week then cancel them the next day. I've worked at enough places though to realize the grass is not greener on the other side.

When I'm having a bad night I try to figure out why and if there's anything I can do to fix it.

Sometimes it's not that simple and sometimes it's as easy as remembering to go to the bathroom lol.

What has helped me the most is taking more time off and not thinking of work and obsessing on my time.

Hope you can find some coping skills to help you destress:)

Specializes in critical care, PACU.

you're so not alone. I go through loving and hating my job multiple times per shift.

Specializes in ER/Ortho.

I think it would be impossible to NOT feel that way at this time. It seems like we are in constant fear of losing our jobs due to budget cutbacks, working short even on a good day, being given tons more to do with less perks and pay for doing it, backed up against the wall, and told to like it or leave.

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