Advice with burnout

Published

Specializes in medsurg, oncology, ortho, neuro, geriatrics.

***I apologize for the lengthy post!***

Okay nurse friends I need some advice... bad... So I graduated from LPN school May of 2018. I began working in a LTC/ SNF and loved it the first year, but bad management took over and my second year was horrible. As most of you know, LPNs can do so much in LTC and the facility runs on LPNs.. So I got accepted into LPN-RN school (it's an online year program) back in August of 2020. I decided to leave LTC beacuse I was getting burnt out on it and for my sake of gaining more experience elsewhere. I applied to a hospital and got hired the beginning of November for night shift float pool. At first the hospital wasn't bad and I somewhat enjoyed it but after about a month I hated it.. (they limit what LPN can/can't do and you have to ask an RN to do most things and they get irritated with helping you)

I started RN school Jan 11th and must I say it's the worst program organizational wise I have ever seen. I also hate the hospital even more and it's very difficult for me to even go into work. Night shift is also taking a toll on me and even though I went down to 2 nights a week, I feel like I miss so much.  I also feel with school I have no interest or desire to be in this profession. I have always had a dream to do interior design growing up but I got into LPN school right out of high school so I didn't give myself much time to consider other options..

I am currently stuck on what I should do. I feel so deep and stuck in nursing and don't want to be a disappointment to anyone for quitting, but I just don't know if I want to be a nurse anymore.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC & Rehab Supervision.

Have you thought about trying to go back to your LTC job? Maybe you could try to get back where you were, where you were happy?

I'm in a similar boat, being a new LPN and being in RN school. But, if it's not your passion, why pursue it?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in medsurg, oncology, ortho, neuro, geriatrics.
Just now, JabuJabule said:

Have you thought about trying to go back to your LTC job? Maybe you could try to get back where you were, where you were happy?

I'm in a similar boat, being a new LPN and being in RN school. But, if it's not your passion, why pursue it?

I have considered going back and I know they would hire me back in a heartbeat. I have heard by current employees that the facility has only gotten worse and with some possible legal actions and I hate to get in the middle of all that. I still just know deep down LTC is not for me either

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC & Rehab Supervision.
3 minutes ago, ajackson said:

I have considered going back and I know they would hire me back in a heartbeat. I have heard by current employees that the facility has only gotten worse and with some possible legal actions and I hate to get in the middle of all that. I still just know deep down LTC is not for me either

Do you know that from concrete evidence, or was it just word of ear? (I think that's the term).

Something you could always do is just drop out of RN school and go to school for interior design while working as an LPN elsewhere. Something tolerable. Maybe a rehab floor somewhere. Lots of nursing homes have them. I want to work on it myself.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in medsurg, oncology, ortho, neuro, geriatrics.
4 minutes ago, JabuJabule said:

Do you know that from concrete evidence, or was it just word of ear? (I think that's the term).

Something you could always do is just drop out of RN school and go to school for interior design while working as an LPN elsewhere. Something tolerable. Maybe a rehab floor somewhere. Lots of nursing homes have them. I want to work on it myself.

I know that APS has been involved and a few people old suspension, it just seems very risky. the management also doesn't care about employees so they wouldn't stick up for anyone, which is sad. 

My college has an interior design program but it doesn't start until august. at that point I'd almost be graduating from RN school.  So I'm stuck on that aspect too. 

I also left out that I actually have an interview tomorrow for an office triage nurse and I feel like I should be more excited for it, but I'm just not. I was hoping a different setting and specialty would help me gain different perspective.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC & Rehab Supervision.
8 minutes ago, ajackson said:

I know that APS has been involved and a few people old suspension, it just seems very risky. the management also doesn't care about employees so they wouldn't stick up for anyone, which is sad. 

My college has an interior design program but it doesn't start until august. at that point I'd almost be graduating from RN school.  So I'm stuck on that aspect too. 

I also left out that I actually have an interview tomorrow for an office triage nurse and I feel like I should be more excited for it, but I'm just not. I was hoping a different setting and specialty would help me gain different perspective.

That's a fair argument. I personally wouldn't go back there.

I mean, you could always graduate with your RN, take the NCLEX and keep it on the backburner while you go to interior design school! I know loans aren't so forgiving, but this is an option.

An office triage nurse? That's interesting! Definitely pursue the interview and the job, maybe you'll love it! There are many branches of nursing you may not even know exist.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in medsurg, oncology, ortho, neuro, geriatrics.
14 minutes ago, JabuJabule said:

That's a fair argument. I personally wouldn't go back there.

I mean, you could always graduate with your RN, take the NCLEX and keep it on the backburner while you go to interior design school! I know loans aren't so forgiving, but this is an option.

An office triage nurse? That's interesting! Definitely pursue the interview and the job, maybe you'll love it! There are many branches of nursing you may not even know exist.

thanks for the advice! that's the route I was thinking as well, if I can to push it through for another year! and on the phone they explained office triage more as an office in the clinic and you take pt calls with questions, refill their prescriptions etc... so needless to say not bedside nursing which is something I really don't think I like

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC & Rehab Supervision.

Honestly, that job sounds nice. Reminds me of my office pharmacy tech job before I became a CNA, then an LPN! Now I'm curious if there's anything in my area like that ?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Mental health, substance abuse, geriatrics, PCU.

Not to be discouraging, but, how are you going to pay for school related to interior design? What are your employment prospects? Will your first year of income in interior design balance out with taking loans to go to school? Will you have to relocate for your position? 

Working LTC and acute care in the hospital are both very challenging in very different ways but they are hardly the only areas of nursing you can work in as a LPN or RN. Home health, hospice, corrections, dialysis, school, occupational, clinic, psych, private home care, the possibilities are practically endless. I would also add that the work conditions in LTC an hospitals can vary from facility to facility with some being worse than others, so maybe trying another facility would be an option for you. It is also possible that feeling like crap on night shift and not liking your job could be making you think you picked the wrong field to be in.

I would advise you to stay in school for your RN, you'll have better pay, even more opportunities and you'll have a way to live more comfortably while pursuing interior design.

If you can put up with the hospital environment for a while longer than do so simply because hospital experience is a really good resume builder.

Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in medsurg, oncology, ortho, neuro, geriatrics.
1 hour ago, TheMoonisMyLantern said:

Not to be discouraging, but, how are you going to pay for school related to interior design? What are your employment prospects? Will your first year of income in interior design balance out with taking loans to go to school? Will you have to relocate for your position? 

Working LTC and acute care in the hospital are both very challenging in very different ways but they are hardly the only areas of nursing you can work in as a LPN or RN. Home health, hospice, corrections, dialysis, school, occupational, clinic, psych, private home care, the possibilities are practically endless. I would also add that the work conditions in LTC an hospitals can vary from facility to facility with some being worse than others, so maybe trying another facility would be an option for you. It is also possible that feeling like crap on night shift and not liking your job could be making you think you picked the wrong field to be in.

I would advise you to stay in school for your RN, you'll have better pay, even more opportunities and you'll have a way to live more comfortably while pursuing interior design.

If you can put up with the hospital environment for a while longer than do so simply because hospital experience is a really good resume builder.

Good luck!

thankfully the school I got too offers very good financial aid making it to where I don't have to take out loans. It would be the same for a designing program and that part of the university is considered a technical college so expenses of classes are a lot more reasonable.. So on the terms on financially I am okay. 

I won't have to relocate because there is actually a wide variety of interior design companies around me. But there is unfortunatley about 2 hospitals close to me and both are ran by the same company. I worked at the other one as an CNA and also was not enjoying it. 

I have worked with hospice patients before and I just have no interest or liking in it. That's why I just feel stuck because no speciality interests me enough to do it. Everything healthcare related just no longer interests me.

And also on the terms of pay.. it's very sucky for nurses where I am at. We don't get paid the greatest here. So looking like it id be making the same if not more as an interior designer.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Mental health, substance abuse, geriatrics, PCU.
3 hours ago, ajackson said:

thankfully the school I got too offers very good financial aid making it to where I don't have to take out loans. It would be the same for a designing program and that part of the university is considered a technical college so expenses of classes are a lot more reasonable.. So on the terms on financially I am okay. 

I won't have to relocate because there is actually a wide variety of interior design companies around me. But there is unfortunatley about 2 hospitals close to me and both are ran by the same company. I worked at the other one as an CNA and also was not enjoying it. 

I have worked with hospice patients before and I just have no interest or liking in it. That's why I just feel stuck because no speciality interests me enough to do it. Everything healthcare related just no longer interests me.

And also on the terms of pay.. it's very sucky for nurses where I am at. We don't get paid the greatest here. So looking like it id be making the same if not more as an interior designer.

That's awesome that you won't have to take out loans and that there are a lot of opportunities for interior design there. Life is too short to be miserable so go for it, you can always work as an LPN to support yourself while in school, nursing will always be here.

You said you initially loved LTC/SNF, what about it did you love? I like having the same residents and getting to know them. Private homecare allows you to sit 1:1 with a patient at home and only care for them there's pediatric cases and adult cases. I know a lot of nurses that love it due to the low stress and getting to know their patient, and it also tends to be a very flexible job. Some of the national companies are Maxim, Interim, Bayada. Just food for thought.

Good luck.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in medsurg, oncology, ortho, neuro, geriatrics.
On 1/29/2021 at 3:35 AM, TheMoonisMyLantern said:

That's awesome that you won't have to take out loans and that there are a lot of opportunities for interior design there. Life is too short to be miserable so go for it, you can always work as an LPN to support yourself while in school, nursing will always be here.

You said you initially loved LTC/SNF, what about it did you love? I like having the same residents and getting to know them. Private homecare allows you to sit 1:1 with a patient at home and only care for them there's pediatric cases and adult cases. I know a lot of nurses that love it due to the low stress and getting to know their patient, and it also tends to be a very flexible job. Some of the national companies are Maxim, Interim, Bayada. Just food for thought.

Good luck.

When I worked in LTC I loved some of me residents but it was extremely heart breaking when they would pass away and it almost felt like I felt colder and colder when going into work because the resident who put a smile on my face were no longer there to do so... They made it worth it.. but like I said in the previous post new people took over and the company turned into a mess and I could easily go back, but I really don't want to go through all of that again..

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion