Combating burnout in new nurses

Nurses Stress 101

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Specializes in PACU, CCU, Agency Nursing.

Hi Friends,

I have been a nurse for 3 years now. I have worked in a busy Level 1 trauma hospital my entire career. I am lucky enough to specialize in an area I love. I continually found myself tired, unable to recuperate. I recently left my position and I'm looking for something less chaotic. Isn't it too early in my career to feel this way? Any tips, tricks or words of encouragment for a fellow nurse with a heavy heart? We work hard and give so much to others, how do we heal ourselves?

If this has been posted elsewhere, my apologies. I just need someone to speak directly to me and give me encouragment. Thanks :kiss

Learn to say no to working OT, take more vacation days (we earn them), try to move to a different department in your organization, some people feel burnout within a week of where they work. Take a mental health day.

I am also feeling burnt out and it has been less than a year. I think for me it is the stress and in large part, the night shift. Our patient load increased about 3 months ago due to a change in DON and the increased work load is only killing us faster.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

The best way to stave off burnout is to take good care of yourself. Take your breaks, eat your lunch and make sure you pee when you need to. Make sure you eat well, sleep enough and exercise. Have a life outside of work; work is just work. Just say no to overtime. If it's too late and you ARE burned out, a change in shift may help. Change specialties, change hospitals, change cities. Change something. Burnout happens, and I've been through it several times myself. It's usually temporary.

Specializes in PACU, CCU, Agency Nursing.

Thank you to everyone who replied to my question. The advice you gave was very helpful and I will be more aware of circumstances that zap my energy. I definitely need to learn to say no!

Have a safe & happy holiday weekend!

Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.
The best way to stave off burnout is to take good care of yourself. Take your breaks, eat your lunch and make sure you pee when you need to. Make sure you eat well, sleep enough and exercise. Have a life outside of work; work is just work. Just say no to overtime. If it's too late and you ARE burned out, a change in shift may help. Change specialties, change hospitals, change cities. Change something. Burnout happens, and I've been through it several times myself. It's usually temporary.

That is so true. Right now I am changing specialties to combat some burnout. I did Neuro ICU for 6 years. I am now going to try my hand at Rapid Response. I did try changing shifts and did 2 years on days and had enough. Went back to nights and was happier on nights, but still needed a change.

Specializes in retired LTC.

As the others posted, you need to be good to yourself by taking care of yourself because if you don't, nobody else will! But I also found that it helped ME to be good in small ways to other staff as it made my unit/coworkers/subordinate staff happy and the shift would run a little smoother.

As LTC Unit Mgr, shift supervisor, weekend supervisor, etc, I'd bring in DD donuts on paydays, hoagies or pizza on occassion. I coordinated Sunday sundaes and Taco Saturdays where everybody would bring in something - we actually would MAKE the time to take lunch and we'd have so much snacks that the next shifts could partake too. There's nothing open for 11-7 so I'd make pasta salads, sloppy joes, or something once in a while just to have something for everyone.

I believe it to have helped me as my staff seemed to pull together and that made working better for me. Now, I'm an old-timer, but try to start something new for yourself and your coworkers. Try the payday DD donuts or bagels ---- they'll probably be appreciative and you'll feel a little better too.

As the others posted, you need to be good to yourself by taking care of yourself because if you don't, nobody else will! But I also found that it helped ME to be good in small ways to other staff as it made my unit/coworkers/subordinate staff happy and the shift would run a little smoother.

As LTC Unit Mgr, shift supervisor, weekend supervisor, etc, I'd bring in DD donuts on paydays, hoagies or pizza on occassion. I coordinated Sunday sundaes and Taco Saturdays where everybody would bring in something - we actually would MAKE the time to take lunch and we'd have so much snacks that the next shifts could partake too. There's nothing open for 11-7 so I'd make pasta salads, sloppy joes, or something once in a while just to have something for everyone.

I believe it to have helped me as my staff seemed to pull together and that made working better for me. Now, I'm an old-timer, but try to start something new for yourself and your coworkers. Try the payday DD donuts or bagels ---- they'll probably be appreciative and you'll feel a little better too.

This sounds exactly like the job I left 3 months ago ;(

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