Bedside burnout

[Nierdo]

I've been a bedside nurse for over 5 years. 1 year endoscopy, 1 year med/surg/tele, 3.5 years acute rehab and just 3 months into iicu AND I HATE BEDSIDE NURSING!

I feel like 3 months is too early to gain any meaningful nursing experience but I feel like a robot at work. I used to love connecting to my patients in rehab but now the critical care environment makes tasks the priority. I feel like I'm treating the disease and not the patient. Im dragging my feet to work everyday and feeling anxious and sad on my days off. I can do the work, I know it's hard, but I JUST DON'T CARE. I know I need to build my floor experience before completely stepping out of bedside. I'm going back to floor nursing on physical rehab but it's a step back for me. Any advice?

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

You hate bedside nursing. Returning to a previous position in bedside nursing will not change that.

You have 5 years of nursing experience. That qualifies you for the MANY opportunities that are not bedside.

Do your research, start here on AN. Search job boards for jobs that you are qualified for.

I work for an insurance company, you might want to start there.

Good luck, it can be done.

[CryssyD]

I notice you worked the longest, and loved the connections you made in rehab nursing; now you're returning to rehab but consider it "a step back." I'm confused--it sounds like you were happiest and most settled in rehab nursing, but now you seem to think it's a downward career move. Why?

I decided a long time ago that, even though I have the ability to serve in a high-stress, high-acuity environment, it's OK to leave the glory of intensive-care nursing to others and do what makes me happy, which is not working in intensive-care. Skilled, sensitive nurses are needed everywhere. If you are happy in rehab nursing, that's more than OK. It sounds like something about it felt right to you--maybe that's where you belong. Rehab can be very rewarding--you actually get to see most of your patients making progress. The technical aspects of ICU nursing can burn some people out really fast--you feel like a highly-skilled but totally replaceable robot instead of a fully-functioning human being. Follow your heart, not your head--and certainly not your pocketbook; higher pay will not make you happier. Finding your niche in a field full of possibilities will.