Feeling so frustrated at work- is this normal?

Nurses General Nursing

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Oh, what a few weeks I've been having. Everyone at work is burnt to a crisp, myself included. Every day that I work in L&D I feel like it can't get any worse- and then it does!

I truly LOVE bonding with pts and their families, teaching, analyzing, all that good stuff- BUT I feel like I'm being stretched way too thin lately.

Today for example, they started me off by floating my to PP. I had four couplets that were all to be discharged, two of which had social service consults, feeding issues, etc. I'm running around like a chicken with it's head cut off all morning. One Dad has the nerve to say to me when I didn't have he and his wife dc'd by 1100 today, "I think you and the hospital have some kind of conspiracy going here, where you get paid extra for keeping us here past 24 hours" Yep, you're right buddy. I'm cashing in on some fat bonuses over here and it's all for keeping you guys AS LONG AS I CAN. That's right- those extra two hours really padded my pockets!!

So halfway through shift they call me back over to labor, and I"m thrown an active pt, plus an OB check. I tried to cover a really grumpy nurse for break and ended up doing a delivery for her (to which I got reemed- sorry, I couldn't exactly tell the baby to stay put til you got back from the cafeteria and she was 4 cm when you left 5 mins ago!) We literally had 30 pts get off the elevator today. It was horrendous!

Ugh..even my charge nurse was short with everyone today; we were all there an hour past change of shift trying to catch up.

But the worst part is that I'm REALLY doubting myself as a nurse right now. I feel like I'm forgetting to document little silly things and that I'm going to endanger my license if things go on like this. I hate leaving work feeling that way. I'm so fried. My feet have blisters again I'm crying just typing this.

If you've read this far, thanks. Sorry for the long rant. I'm just feeling a little pathetic tonight. I've been working as a nurse in L&D for 1 yr 9 months and this is the first time I've truly felt BURNT I usually try to stay positive, but right now I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks for listening.

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I am getting REALLY REALLY TIRED now but I would love to offer you help/advice. I am an L and D , PP and GYN nurse with 6 years' experience and can relate. PM me and I will give you some real words of encouragement/solid advice from my experiences as to how to handle all this stress. I am just too mentally drained from 3 back-to-back hell shifts on my OWN OB floor to think much right now. But I do care. Hang in there. PM me and I will give you my yahoo/msn messenger/ and AIM names and we can chat back and forth. Take care and good night!

Specializes in L&D, Ambulatory Care.

I am in the same boat: UG!

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

I know exactly what you mean. During those super busy times you wonder, "what did I do?" "what did I miss?" "is my charting good enough" "why am I hear?"

You're an awesome nurse for doing all that you do. Best wishes.

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