Another burnout thread

I haven't started my orientation yet, so I am not there yet. I would like to say to keep your head up. It's suppossed to get better with time. :heartbeat

8pts for a full load? Good lord, that's alot! The full load on med-surg at the local hospital is 6. I think 6 total care pts is alot of work (IMHO). I just want to wish you the best of luck, keep your head up and keep pushing and learning. Don't let what other people "think" you should be doing/handling on your own affect you. You are a new nurse in your first job, there will be many things you don't know. Nursing is a never-ending learning process, and nobody knows everything. Also, you said you are on nights right? Ther is sooooo much less support on nights (especially for a new grad), is there a possibility of switching to days (even for just a little while until you are more comfortable)? I hope everything goes well for you, please keep us updated.

hey there some things that you have written mirror so closely how i feel at end of shift. i hear the same things on this board from other posters too. i wonder am i skewed from reading this board?or is this just how 'new nurses feel'. i too feel depressed and do the why did i ever do this?? through tears on my ride home. if there is less support on nights, why do they insist new grads work nights? i too was thinking to orienting on days but i actually know a few nurses moved to nights b/c days were so stressful.

im beginning to wonder is it the unit or is it me. i too have a full pt. load of 8 and how that just seems like far too many pts esp. sickly medical patients. im dreading each shift.

is it like this everywhere? i know, or at least i feel i have the potential to really be a good nurse but i am having doubts that 'six months down the road ' or a year later, i will laugh at myself for feeling this way.

keep us posted on how your 'day' went. and thanks for sharing. sometimes it just helps t oknow there are a few who feel the same.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it doesn't get any better! I've been a nurse for 15 years and have a lot of extensive training-OR,ICU,floor nursing,etc. I'm usually the charge nurse on my shift and have worked nights and days. It's the same everywhere you go. There's no respect for nurses from above or from below. I've heard doctor's refer to nurses as "idiots" and have had CNA's tell me that the only difference between me and them is the RN behind my name. It took me 6 long yrs. to get my BSN and trust me, that's a real insult. Another 2 yrs. and I could have been a doctor. Oh yea, throw in being a male nurse and it's ten time worse-you don't fit in with any group.

I respectfully disagree with Johnnybravo. I've been a nurse for just over 2 years. You are at the low point--a few weeks off orientation, not fast enough at things to be able to get everything done, not experienced enough to anticipate problems, questioning yourself. I was there a very short time ago. It doesn't help that some experienced nurses don't remember what it was like, or don't care. Even when dealing with some who aren't judging you for being imperfect, you see where you don't measure up to them or at least to where you want to be. Give it time. Find some stress relief. Be good to yourself whenever and however you can. Find other nurses who are fresh off orientation and compare notes. Journal about it. Give it 6 months. Then look back at your journal and see if you feel the same way. I'm not saying definitely don't change jobs--more orientation is a great thing. But if it's at a different hospital, you'll be starting from scratch with how they do things, their charting system, getting to know the personalities involved, who to call for what, etc. Don't underestimate that.

my first night off orientation I found my self in the PIXIS room crying hysterically and wondered if this was the right decision..I work on a post interventional Cardiac floor that is basically a cardiac step down with a very fast paced and heavy pt. load. with alot of information that you are susposed to remember for each pt. My *favorite* CNA, who I just met that night took me aside and said "honey, every new nurse their first night, first week, first month, first year doubts why they became a nurse..you know why you became a nurse to help people..now get you A$$ out there and show all of those people what you can do!"..I will never forget that..and I am 6 months into it..I have my bad nights (all the time), and I get overwhelmed, I cry, I laugh and I rant, but I realize that my patients comments to me at the end of the night is what matters. If my pt's say thank you honey for being so kind to me, I know you are busy but you treated me like a person not like a burden. That is what matters! What the pt. says...you are there to help them. That is the #1 thing I keep close to me heart. as long as your pt. is alive, safe and you feel like you have done your best for that pt. is all that matters and I just came to this realization tonight on my shift. Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me!!! Keep faith don't give up. Remember Nursing is an Art and a Science!! Good luck I know u can make it!

hey there some things that you have written mirror so closely how i feel at end of shift. i hear the same things on this board from other posters too. i wonder am i skewed from reading this board?or is this just how 'new nurses feel'. i too feel depressed and do the why did i ever do this?? through tears on my ride home. if there is less support on nights, why do they insist new grads work nights? i too was thinking to orienting on days but i actually know a few nurses moved to nights b/c days were so stressful.

im beginning to wonder is it the unit or is it me. i too have a full pt. load of 8 and how that just seems like far too many pts esp. sickly medical patients. im dreading each shift.

is it like this everywhere? i know, or at least i feel i have the potential to really be a good nurse but i am having doubts that 'six months down the road ' or a year later, i will laugh at myself for feeling this way.

keep us posted on how your 'day' went. and thanks for sharing. sometimes it just helps t oknow there are a few who feel the same.

I've been orienting in a level 1 SICU unit (didn't even do my practicum there) now for 7 wks and I feel totally inept. I've been told that I'm not progressing like I should by my 1st preceptor and I'm knit picked at everything if not done according to how she would. I've changed preceptor for the last 2 wks but things aren't getting any better because now I'm knit picked for doing things like the first preceptor. I find myself depressed, wondering if I'm just too stupid to do this. I enjoy the nursing work, I just don't enjoy feeling stupid and idiotic all the time. I find myself hating to go to work, waiting for the time they tell me we have to let you go because you're too stupid. I try telling myself I've managed to survive an accelerated RN program so I can handle this. But this is taking a toll on my sanity. It's a relief to hear I'm not the only one.

I love the acuity and have plans to be a ACNP hence the decision to start out in a SICU. But I hate the fact I hate going to work. :o

hey there some things that you have written mirror so closely how i feel at end of shift. i hear the same things on this board from other posters too. i wonder am i skewed from reading this board?or is this just how 'new nurses feel'. i too feel depressed and do the why did i ever do this?? through tears on my ride home. if there is less support on nights, why do they insist new grads work nights? i too was thinking to orienting on days but i actually know a few nurses moved to nights b/c days were so stressful.

im beginning to wonder is it the unit or is it me. i too have a full pt. load of 8 and how that just seems like far too many pts esp. sickly medical patients. im dreading each shift.

is it like this everywhere? i know, or at least i feel i have the potential to really be a good nurse but i am having doubts that 'six months down the road ' or a year later, i will laugh at myself for feeling this way.

keep us posted on how your 'day' went. and thanks for sharing. sometimes it just helps t oknow there are a few who feel the same.

Add me to the list!

I've been precepting for 6 weeks, and I have 2 left - where I will actually be on my own with 6 pts and my preceptor on the other side of the pod with her 6 pts... She will be there for support, but not over-seeing my moves as she has for the past 6 weeks.

In any case... I know every feeling you described! Giving report to experienced nurses is just painful. The change in their faces make me wince. And it's so nerve-wracking when they kinda' just zone out on what I'm saying and just read the chart instead

Different from you both, though, I AM on days, and I WISH I were on nights! Although there is less support on nights (1 CNA for all 3 pods vs. 1 CNA for each pod), I naturally assume they do less work because the pts are sleeping, there are only 2 med passes (vs. 3-5), they do less procedures, the pts don't leave for procedures, there are little to no orders, and there are almost no doctors! (I actually opted for days when they were offered to me because I knew I'd learn more!)

So... I keep reading these posts about nurses reaching the 1 yr mark and looking back with a calm sigh. I can NOT WAIT to reach that place!... :cheers:

Until then... I will remain here in terror! :omy:

my first night off orientation I found my self in the PIXIS room crying hysterically and wondered if this was the right decision..I work on a post interventional Cardiac floor that is basically a cardiac step down with a very fast paced and heavy pt. load. with alot of information that you are susposed to remember for each pt. My *favorite* CNA, who I just met that night took me aside and said "honey, every new nurse their first night, first week, first month, first year doubts why they became a nurse..you know why you became a nurse to help people..now get you A$$ out there and show all of those people what you can do!"..I will never forget that..and I am 6 months into it..I have my bad nights (all the time), and I get overwhelmed, I cry, I laugh and I rant, but I realize that my patients comments to me at the end of the night is what matters. If my pt's say thank you honey for being so kind to me, I know you are busy but you treated me like a person not like a burden. That is what matters! What the pt. says...you are there to help them. That is the #1 thing I keep close to me heart. as long as your pt. is alive, safe and you feel like you have done your best for that pt. is all that matters and I just came to this realization tonight on my shift. Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me!!! Keep faith don't give up. Remember Nursing is an Art and a Science!! Good luck I know u can make it!

OMG, your words are so incredibly helpful. Thank you. :thankya:

I actually cried (and vomitted...) in my bathroom the other morning, not making it to work, in favor of a panic attack... :sasq:

I pay so much attention to what my co-workers and the doctors think that I've actually forgotten WHY I wanted to become a nurse in the first place: the patients! At the end of my shift, my patients feel cared for and they ARE safe. I may have forgotten to get that UA or sputum sample or change that dressing... but I am new... and that's not an excuse... it's a reality!

Now, I just hope I can make it to work on Sunday with this same vibe of self-confidence... :bowingpur

Oh gosh gals and guys, add my name to the sad/mad/upset/depressed/scared/overwhelmed....

I have just relocated a 1000 miles away to make good for my career and realize now how good I had it at my last hospital. Although it was my first job as an RN, out of the gate and extremely difficult to orient to, I did learn a lot.

Now I'm in a total paper system, and have no idea who's who in this place. I was just told to report to work one morning and in 2 weeks' time, I've been placed w/ 6, yes 6 preceptors. What?!?!?!?

Each has her own way of doing things, from charting to patient care in each shift. I have no idea 2 weeks into this new orientation how to go about my days. I don't know how to start, what times my rounds should be completed, who to turn to, who does what, who to call for what....and yet when the CNS or educator or admin person does come to me, it's to tell me to read yet another binder to be filled out for validation on the unit, by such and such a time, or else!!!

I will be 40 years old this spring and I'm suddenly looking like 50. I'm achy, I'm sad, I"m depressed and I continue to wonder if I'm doing the right thing...But I must persevere, because I'm also extremely in debt thanks to the cost of my nursing school and all that I've gone through to relocate.

No guys and gals. You are not alone. But what's the trick to surviving this? I already have the tee shirt that says that which does not kill us only makes us stronger. But I cannot take too much more before they will be sending me to the room w/ the padded walls.

sigh.