Tired of it all

transducen, BSN, RN · Nov 27, 2012

Yes, what dept. do you work in? Maybe that is the big issue. O hear Hospice is low key, perhaps goinf to school and getting your masters? Maybe you would like to teach?

transducen, BSN, RN · Nov 27, 2012

Sorry for the typos.

Mulan · Nov 27, 2012

Make sure you buy a lottery ticket, it's up to 425 million!

annmariern · Nov 27, 2012

I hear you; 27 years in and I find hospital nursing is no longer what I knew as nursing. Once we were a vital and respected group, whose imput was well regarded. Now we are mere automations, whose function, as a surgeon told me a few weeks ago, was "to take people to the toilet, leave the doctoring to me". That was on asking for an order for a SNF placement. Managers who have no idea what goes on, what challenges we face, patients and families being told to expect a 5 star hotel experience. No time to think, no time to take care of our own physical needs; No its no fun anymore. Theres the odd shift when all goes well, where what I do makes a difference to a patient; but mostly its get through the shift, get out. And feeling guilty that you couldn't do what you are supposed to do well. Sad isn't it?

Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN · Nov 27, 2012

I hear you; 27 years in and I find hospital nursing is no longer what I knew as nursing. Once we were a vital and respected group, whose imput was well regarded. Now we are mere automations, whose function, as a surgeon told me a few weeks ago, was "to take people to the toilet, leave the doctoring to me". That was on asking for an order for a SNF placement. Managers who have no idea what goes on, what challenges we face, patients and families being told to expect a 5 star hotel experience. No time to think, no time to take care of our own physical needs; No its no fun anymore. Theres the odd shift when all goes well, where what I do makes a difference to a patient; but mostly its get through the shift, get out. And feeling guilty that you couldn't do what you are supposed to do well. Sad isn't it?

This is the way acute care/hospital nursing has been since I entered the profession 5 years ago. I can't imagine it any differently, though it is nice to fantasize. This is what really drove me away from the bedside. I want to do direct patient care; it's what I signed up for when I became a nurse. But the way things are now, it's just a set-up for burn-out.

DoeRN · Nov 27, 2012

Theres the odd shift when all goes well, where what I do makes a difference to a patient; but mostly its get through the shift, get out. And feeling guilty that you couldn't do what you are supposed to do well. Sad isn't it?

Very sad and I have run across many nurses who feel this way. Myself included. I worked yesterday on a step down floor and had a good assignment for once. I was actually able to spend time with the patients. Unfortunately I found a lot of things that weren't done. (Had to do an incident on a THREE AND A HALF WEEK central line dressing) But I had time to correct everything and give good care. Two of my patients thanked me profusely. But I know this is the exception and not the norm. I've been in healthcare 11 years and I have seen big changes.

LilgirlRN, ADN, RN · Nov 27, 2012

I feel your pain. I too am 52. Nurse for 25 years. ED is my specialty. I haven't worked as a nurse in 7 months but I have an interview tomorrow afternoon for an ED position. It really makes me wanna cringe. I got canned 7 months ago over something trivial, something that should have never cost me my job. I had some money saved so I thought I will take some time , do some soul searching and see what I really wanna do with my life. Only thing is my bills don't care if I feel lost in this new, stupid tedium of never ending patients seen in the ED for NUTHIN! Seriously I've seen people come by ambulance because they had a cold, told they have to wait, go out the front door, go across the street and call 911 again to be taken somewhere else. Our tax dollars at work! Not only do we have to care for the patient now we have to feed everyone, get them coffee, say the magic words "I'm here for you" when I'm really thinking get up and get out of here, I'm sicker than you are. Saw a thing on facebook recently, shows a man in a gown with his IV pole and a nurse standing beside him and the caption reads "I see you're here again for acute hypodilaudidism" Yep I'm burned slap up even after an almost 8 month hiatus but I gotta pay bills and have health insurance.

joanna73, BSN, RN · Nov 27, 2012

I am just so tired of being a nurse. I feel like I am running on fumes trying to take care of everyone and everything, and it seems nothing ever goes right. I am done, cooked and ready to do something else. Does anyone else feel this way? What do you do to overcome it? I am 52 and blessed to be employed, but just don't know that I want to be a nurse anymore.

I hear you. I've been a nurse only 2 years and I'm considering other career options. It's not that I don't enjoy nursing....it's the system and the politics which can be energy sucking. What about taking a vacation, going PRN or community nursing? Ultimately, we must take care of ourselves in order to properly care for our patients.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Nov 27, 2012

This is the way acute care/hospital nursing has been since I entered the profession 5 years ago. I can't imagine it any differently, though it is nice to fantasize. This is what really drove me away from the bedside. I want to do direct patient care; it's what I signed up for when I became a nurse. But the way things are now, it's just a set-up for burn-out.

It never used to be this way......those of us with some years under our belts know a different kind of nursing and the kind of nursing now is not what we want....hospitals are dumping senior staff at alarming rates to avoid paying their salaries...the nurses are treated terribly, there are no benefits anymore.

We aren't respected anymore.....the changes started about 10 years ago. Patients used to bring gifts and send thank you cards/letters now we are just happy if the ignore us and not complain.

I don't like where all this is headed but I don't think it can be stopped or changed unless it is as a collective whole.

Sigh........

Sparrowhawk · Nov 27, 2012

Been a nurse for almost 5 years an seen a lot of changes just n that time....right now I can't go back to it. Make me work short staffed with only 2 aides for 50+ residents and then let a family blame me for their mom falling cause "I didn't do enough" Sorry...sorry I was doing my job for th other residents across the building...sorry the money gotten from that resident being in your facility is worth more then a good nurse so you "had" to fire me. Yeah..I can't do this crap anymore right now.

somenurse · Nov 27, 2012

Oh sorry to hear you are feeling this way, it's not uncommon.

Some great articles on the internet about things to try to cope with burnout. MIght be worth a google, to see what the experts say about best strategies to cope with this.

If possible, it might help to cut back your hours a bit, or try a new dept/new area of nursing. Maybe homehealth or hospice for a while, if this is an option for you? Many hospitals have their own home health depts, so you could keep whatever seniority you have acquired.

Take as good of care your own self as possible, eat right, for real, eat fruits, veggies, plenty of water, avoid junk foods, etc. Exercise, even if it's just walking. Get enough sleep. Stay as fit as possible, strive for proper body weight, to increase your own energy levels and strength. If you can, maybe get a massage now and then, too. Spend at least half as much energy on your own self, as you do on other's needs.

Indulge in things that you do enjoy, as you are able to, whether it's going to hear a great band, or to a concert, reading an awesome book, having coffee or martini with your pals, whatever bakes YOUR cookies, do that. Force yourself if you have to.

Surround yourself as much as possible, with positive ppl, ppl who actually APPRECIATE you, and avoid whiners, they can bring you back down, even as you struggle to stand back up yourself.

As much as possible, with the energy you do have, try to make sure your various relationships with your family and friends are healthy, not draining you, and are being tended to. Easier to say, than do, but, IF there are other pieces of your life which are a drain, it can really snowball and seem even more overwhelming. Right now, you need all the support you can get, imo.

This last one will sound weird, and it might not work for you,

but, for me, i get a boost from doing volunteer work. I know, i know, most of us nurses count all those unpaid hours we 'donate' each week, as volunteer work,

but, finding an org or cause you truly passionately care about, and hooking up with them, even if you can only donate an hour per week, might give you more of a boost, a feeling of worth, a way to connect with others not involved in nursing, than you might expect. Worth a try. For me, this also helps keep nursing in more perspective, more in balance, than being my entire world. Hard to explain.