Acute care burnout

[Genista, BSN, RN]

I'm feeling burned out from my med/surg floor. Having worked in 3 acute specialties the past 12 years, I am wondering if maybe I should try non acute care nursing. Have others found happiness when changing specialties? How did you find your place? I am feeling done with all the acute care adult medicine medical type floors...med/surg, neuro, tele, etc. They all seem the same to me. I love my job, but I just feel so spread thin. It's exhausting. Patients are so sick, and I cannot keep up with it all. Just would love to hear some happy endings from other nurses who have been in my shoes. Thanks!

[ImThatGuy, BSN, RN]

Hmm. I'd rather have that than some type of chronic care.

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

I am working in a hemodialysis chronic unit I find it interesting but not stressful

[BridgetJones]

Move to the OR! Sure there are stressful days, but you have one patient at a time no matter what. And between the surgeon, resident, anesthesiologist, and scrub tech you have lift help and you're not alone when the $% hits the fan.

[JenMSN11]

I also became burned out in the acute care arena. I went back to LTC and love it. I am really busy, just as acute care, but the stress is lots less. Good luck in finding your place.

[Scarlette Wings]

i'm feeling burned out from my med/surg floor. having worked in 3 acute specialties the past 12 years, i am wondering if maybe i should try non acute care nursing. have others found happiness when changing specialties? how did you find your place? i am feeling done with all the acute care adult medicine medical type floors...med/surg, neuro, tele, etc. they all seem the same to me. i love my job, but i just feel so spread thin. it's exhausting. patients are so sick, and i cannot keep up with it all. just would love to hear some happy endings from other nurses who have been in my shoes. thanks!

hi. i have found that when i get burned out in an area that changing to a different type of nursing care speciality does help. it seems to fire up the neurons in the brain and challenge your learning skills like when nursing was all new and fresh. starting in a different speciality also brings you into contact with a new group of people and that too is refreshing.

i changed from the medical floor to intensive care and then went into home health as a part time job. i found that i loved the home health care in the rural community and the long drives in the country were relaxing and fed my soul. i could turn on the music i liked and just relax enjoying the wildlife i would see on the back roads. i did both icu and home care in tandem for about seven years.

find something that seems interesting or challenging to you and try it. good luck.

[Genista, BSN, RN]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I had not thought of O.R. nursing. I have thought about home health, OB/postpartum (I have never worked on this type of unit), telenursing, public health (not many jobs available in this area due to down economy). I have also thought maybe ambulatory care might be a nice change. I have floated to all the med/surg type floors where I work, and they are all very similar, so I am thinking of areas that I have not worked in. ER and ICU are too intense for my taste, but I am open to other ideas. I don't really want to try LTC, as I had a bad experience working in an inpatient SNF as a new grad. Thanks again!