Stress and Burnout

Jazuta · Sep 20, 2005

what i do to relax: i burn lavender oil and white sage, and have made a committment to myself to include some type of beauty in my life on a weekly basis, last week i went to a film festival, this week i repotted some little plants that i found for $1.00 and arranged them on my front porch. these things are inexpensive or don't cost anything. and they keep my sanity.

:chair:

Aah Chris, does burning lavender oil and white sage help?

Sounds like it would certainly create a relaxing environment.

LowPaidNurse0000 · Sep 20, 2005

I myself have only been in nursing for 6 years, but I find myself getting burnt and stressed already. I can't stand LTC anymore, can't deal with administration, or families, or Doctors that think they can take on the whole faclity, don't like med-surge too scary. I loved home health when I lived in florida, but recently moved back to michigan and am having a hard time finding a home-health agency that hire LPN's so I am not sure which direction I want to go maybe I will go back into bartending. (thats kind of scarey too)

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Sep 20, 2005

Sounds to me like you're experiencing what I was. You're at a point where you've become skilled at all the tasks you need to know for your job and you are craving some new adventures. For me, going back to school helped. Something else you could do at your job to help break up your "boredom" is to focus on something that you feel really needs to be changed in the facility where you work and put some energy toward making that change. It gives you something else to put some thinking and energy into. Another suggestion I would make is to approach the DON about putting you into some sort of a supervision position. It is not unheard of for LPNs to become supervisors in nursing homes. You could also function as a preceptor for new hires. I, myself, took on the job of overseeing the checking of the new MARs and TARs for each month because I got so aggravated with the stuff that got missed and didn't get transferred over to these documents. But, I enjoyed that because I am very anal, organized and have an accounting background. The DON was thrilled to hand the task over to me. I got either extra pay or time off the floor to do these things. As long as it didn't run into overtime everyone was happy.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Sep 20, 2005

I learned with this job to never schedule my annual physical after work. My blood pressure was elevated, HR over 130, but hey my O2 was 99 . Duh!

My family has a history of HTN diagnosis in their early 20's. I do as much as i can to prevent this. I only add salt to food if it's REALLY bland, and even then, i add pepper first to see if that helps. I read something fun, i do yoga, breathing exercises, spend time with pets.

I can only reduce stress so much, but if it can be reduced, i'll reduce it.

Sailingshoes · Sep 20, 2005

I have been a nurse for 7 years and have come and gone twice during that time. Recently I have come back to the profession, back to floor nursing in a hospital. The reason I have come and gone is due to the amount of stress on the job and last night being one of those many times. I need to do this job because of the money - I would like to say because of the desire to help others but that doesn't balance out in relation to the harm of myself. I have worked at non-nursing jobs that are very demanding but still nothing like nursing. Am I just a wimp unable to MULTI-TASK with the possible ramification of killing someone if my tasks aren't done and done correctly? In another life (non-nursing), I would say I like a fast pace, changing and challenging enviroment. I am an athlete in my personal life, climb mountains, cycling, skiing, but on the floor I feel so inept and so overwhelmed. Despite doing things to combat stress, it overtakes me on the floor. How do others do it for 20 plus years? I know I can not and am hoping to find another niche in nursing soon. Don't know that I would advise hospital nursing to anyone but thank goodness there are some better than me that can perservere.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Sep 20, 2005

Honestly, I've thought about people in your dilemma a lot. Why is it you can climb, cycle, ski and work at non-nursing jobs so successfully? I think the answer to that for most people is because you have reached some level of mastery at those things so that you can feel some sense of achievement. Otherwise, you wouldn't keep going back to do them. I truely believe that people who are burning out in nursing and having so much frustration have not achieved a high enough level of mastery of the work. In today's world it is very hard to achieve this mastery in the high paced world of hospital nursing when an employer mostly wants work out of you. Time management and prioritizing are skills and, unfortunately, when you aren't precepted by people who can help you master those things, you will feel highly stressed which only adds a burden to the situation.

Sailingshoes · Sep 20, 2005

Interesting thought Daytonite.......so I wonder what is the answer to my mastering nursing? I probably accomplish as much as most nurses on my shift, which still leaves a lot to be desired. Perhaps it is the nature of the job? It is the level of stress I have while trying to accomplish that is the problem. In sports I strive on that stress. Maybe I am looking for a solution and there is none. I don't want to give up though which is why I keep coming back plus, underneath it all I do want to do something worthwhile, something to help others, contribute a better world. Maybe those goals are misplaced in a hospital corporate based facility?

hipab4hands · Sep 20, 2005

. Something else you could do at your job to help break up your "boredom" is to focus on something that you feel really needs to be changed in the facility where you work and put some energy toward making that change. It gives you something else to put some thinking and energy into.
__________
You have to be careful about doing this. I like to have things done efficeintly and without duplicating services/phone calls, especially when dealing with pt.'s needs.
I'm always looking for ways to tweak policies and procedures to make them even better and efffective. But I have been labeled a "trouble maker, s--- disturber, etc., by upper management, because I've found more effecient means to streamline policies and procedures.
I've made suggestions at upper management's request and then get "labeled", when I can improve on thier ideas.

estrogen · Sep 20, 2005

You were asking about what the last straw was for us...

I didn't come to the point yet where I would realize that nursing is not for me. But I can tell you what the last straw was, that made me quit my last job - at a med-surg unit in a local hospital. Actually there were two last straws:

1. After two years of working my a$$ of for that unit, doing the same exact job as the RNs do (primary nursing that is - my state and this hospital allow LPNs to do IV pushes, assessments etc.) my charge nurse in a friedly conversation let out these words: "I don't know about LPNs but NURSES do it this way..."

2. After saving my patient's life by recognizing that she is headed into cardiac arrest and taking the time at the end of my shift to go through all the motions to get her transfered to ICU asap, I received a "written warning" for having 30 minutes of "unapproved overtime". I could have just as easily not walked into this woman's room 10 minutes before the end of my shift and/or simply "not have noticed" that she doesn't look good...

This second issue, contrary to the first one, I concidered not just insulting to me but also endangerment of patients on part of the management and that actually was the very last straw...

Cheers!

Nursebaby23 · Sep 20, 2005

You were asking about what the last straw was for us...
I didn't come to the point yet where I would realize that nursing is not for me. But I can tell you what the last straw was, that made me quit my last job - at a med-surg unit in a local hospital. Actually there were two last straws:
1. After to years of working my a$$ of for that unit, doing the same exact job as the RNs do (primary nursing that is - my state and this hospital allow LPNs to do IV pushes, assessments etc.) my charge nurse in a friedly conversation let out these words: "I don't know about LPNs but NURSES do it this way..."
2. After saving my patient's life by recognizing that she is headed into cardiac arrest and taking the time at the end of my shift to go through all the motions to get her transfered to ICU asap, I received a "written warning" for having 30 minutes of "unapproved overtime". I could have just as easy not walked into this woman's room 10 minutes before the end of my shift and/or simply "not have noticed" that she doesn't look good...
This second issue, contrary to the first one, I concidered not just insulting to me but also endangerment of patients on part of the management and that actually was the very last straw...
All I have to say about that is::angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :crying2: :crying2:
I've been told that RN stands for "real nurse" and LPN stands for "lil play play nurse". People of have ways of sticking the machetti way in the gut to crush the little sense of pride you had for what you have accomplished. People can be so mean!!!

mattsmom81 · Sep 20, 2005

Honestly, I've thought about people in your dilemma a lot. Why is it you can climb, cycle, ski and work at non-nursing jobs so successfully? I think the answer to that for most people is because you have reached some level of mastery at those things so that you can feel some sense of achievement. Otherwise, you wouldn't keep going back to do them. I truely believe that people who are burning out in nursing and having so much frustration have not achieved a high enough level of mastery of the work. In today's world it is very hard to achieve this mastery in the high paced world of hospital nursing when an employer mostly wants work out of you. Time management and prioritizing are skills and, unfortunately, when you aren't precepted by people who can help you master those things, you will feel highly stressed which only adds a burden to the situation.

I understand what you are trying to say, but IMO the situation nurses are in, in many cases, is not 'masterable'...that is what causes the burnout for the experienced nurse. Perhaps your point holds true in new nurses who burn out, but not seasoned nurses. We simply reach a point of where we cannot 'give' anymore due to the ridiculous demands and frustrations of being PREVENTED in doing our best in an unsupportive environment of care, expecting us to constantly do more with less. At least, the above is true for me and other seasoned nurses I know who have or are in burnout.

estrogen · Sep 21, 2005

I understand what you are trying to say, but IMO the situation nurses are in, in many cases, is not 'masterable'...that is what causes the burnout for the experienced nurse. Perhaps your point holds true in new nurses who burn out, but not seasoned nurses. We simply reach a point of where we cannot 'give' anymore due to the ridiculous demands and frustrations of being PREVENTED in doing our best in an unsupportive environment of care, expecting us to constantly do more with less. At least, the above is true for me and other seasoned nurses I know who have or are in burnout.

Amen to that!!! (comming from a relatively new nurse)