Anyone Else Feel This Way?

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Hello fellow school nurses,

I've been a school nurse for almost 3 years now. I came right out of BSN school (could not find a job in a hospital). I also work PRN at a pedi home health company. I am 25 years old and have no children. My question is: Is anyone else completely drained after a work day? I never used to be such a tired person. During college I could pull an all nighter and study from 6pm to 2am, go to bed, and wake up for clinicals at 5:30am and be fine, and go out on the weekends with my nursing friends. In college I had a weekend job at a hotel where I worked outside constantly running around in the sun. I feel like back then I had so much more going on and I had so much more energy. Now, when I get home from work (I work elementary so I get home around 4:30) I am completely DRAINED. I am so tired that if I even try to sit down in a chair or lay down, I knock out within 10 minutes. And it feels like someone slipped a sleeping pill in my drink kinda-tired. I try avoiding sitting at all when I get home because of that. I get to work at 7:00am, so I wake up around 5:45am. I try my best to go to sleep by 10:30pm. Some people tell me it's because I sit down all day. I don't sit ALL day. But yes I am at my desk alot, documenting, calling parents, ect. I went to a doctor had all my labs drawn and I am completely healthy. No anemia, no thyroid issues. Everyone always rags on me at home because I always full asleep so early. But I am just so exhausted. I can't help it. My school is pretty demanding of me, but I feel every school nurse jumps through hoops daily at their campuses. I'm just wondering if anyone else experienced this when they got into school nursing?

side note** I am not in any way asking for medical advice, just if anyone else feels this way after work. Please do not delete my post, thanks!

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

"I feel like back then I had so much more going on..." You had a goal set, a purpose, and you arrived at it 3 years ago. What is your goal now? What do you have "going on" now in addition to going to work and coming home?

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Specializes in CEN, CFRN, PHRN, RCIS, EMT-P.

Sounds like you may be experiencing depression, we all go through it at one time or another, also, what's your social life like? Any hobbies? Do you exercise? All these things have an effect on mood and the way you feel physically.

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Every day before work I tell myself I'm going to go to the gym and try to get some exercise, when 4:00 hits.....I am just done. I know I should still go, I always feel energized after. It's getting there that's the problem. lol.

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I see what you mean. I was striving for something that meant so much to me back then....my drive was to finish nursing school, to graduate and become the nurse I worked so hard to be. I guess now....I'm lacking that same drive in life. My life is pretty much wake up, go to work, come home, sleep and repeat. Maybe I should get a hobby lol

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Specializes in CEN, CFRN, PHRN, RCIS, EMT-P.
I see what you mean. I was striving for something that meant so much to me back then....my drive was to finish nursing school, to graduate and become the nurse I worked so hard to be. I guess now....I'm lacking that same drive in life. My life is pretty much wake up, go to work, come home, sleep and repeat. Maybe I should get a hobby lol

Yes a hobby, additional school if you are into that, break the routine, seek a partner perhaps, etc. etc.

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Whoa uthscsa2011 are you my twin? I'm 25...went into school nursing fresh out of college. I'm also doing Pedi home health part-time. I get out of the school at 4:45 and I'm exhausted. I pack a bag to go the gym everyday after work but I never end up going. Although I'm convinced it's my thyroid as my sister was just diagnosed with an underactive thyroid, my numbers are normal (slightly on the high side). I definately agree with Oldude. I'm going to try to find a hobby and hope that helps. I think with school nursing we are constantly changing our focus as new things come flying at us. One minute we are sitting quietly working on paperwork and the next you could be running down the hall for a passed out student. The fact that we constantly have to be alert in the back of our heads is draining in itself. I know this isn't much help, just know that you're not alone!

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Specializes in School nurse.

It sounds like you are out of balance on a couple of levels. Rule out any medical issue (anemia etc), see if you can create some type of harmony at work, and find something meaningful to you outside of work. Hope this helps. Good luck!

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We are in the same boat! I'm also 25, I work in an office and I am walking or standing most of the day. I don't get it.

I wish I had some good advice for us!

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Specializes in CEN, CFRN, PHRN, RCIS, EMT-P.

Diet?

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Specializes in School nursing.

I do theater outside of school nursing. It keeps me very busy! On the nights I go from work to rehearsal/meetings (I work 8-5 at my school), I can keep going no problem, usually until 11 PM. The days I get home right after work (which isn't as often as I should), I crash, lol. But having that hobby and need to do something I love helps me a lot.

How do you feel on the weekends? The week of work can be pretty stressful sometimes for me (especially now when I have been averaging 2 504 meetings a week), but when I wake up on Saturday I am a different person.

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I feel like we are twins also! I'm 24 and work full time as an elementary school nurse and do pedi home health PRN as well. I always feel so drained once I get home around 4:30PM, but I feel like school nursing can do that to you. I try to go to bed around 9:30pm on weekdays since I get up around 5:30am in the morning and I need that 8 hours of sleep. Any less and I'm struggling the whole next day lol. I always thought I had hypothyroidism since my mom does but my levels are WNL. Maybe it will help to go to bed earlier?

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