I have been an RN since 2009 so I'm going on three years and I feel as though I might want out of healthcare altogether.. My initial desire when I went into nursing was to be able to be a servant to others and to show Christ to all those that I was to come in contact with. I made it through a BSN program and I feel as though clinicals did not give me a good picture of what nursing was all about. For example, the max amount of patients I was given was one and the patients were relatively all 'easy' looking back in hindsight.
There were definitely some red flags as I went through nursing school however, so I can't completely blame the lack of experience from clinicals.
To give some background, I have worked on a surgical unit and then for the past year I have worked on a medical unit that also cares for stroke and cancer patients, both of these being in a busy hospital setting. I have only worked the night shift to this point, as I would not be able to handle the stress of working days with all the many discharges, admissions, doctors and families running around as well. I have come to the conclusion that I may just not be cut out for nursing. I get incredibly stressed before each shift, and the unpredictability I fear may send me to an early grave. I have learned alot about myself from nursing, and I dream of a job/career that is predictable where I don't have to fear what kind of assignment I will be given as I'm driving to the job site.
Working nights has also taken a toll on me and my relationship with my wife. All my friends and family members keep asking when I plan on moving to the day shift and I feel my ego is keeping me from telling them I will never be able to do the day shift working as a nurse because I just can't handle the stress... Thankfully my wife supports me and she agrees that I need to look for a different job. On the floor I work now we take 6-7 patients a night which I feel is completely unsafe as some of them are so incredibly sick and needy. Some friends have recommended doing critical care or working in a clinic. I know I would not be able to handle the stress of doing ICU nursing with those type of patients. Also, I have never seen male nurses working in any clinic that I have been to.
I need some ideas, please. It's gotten so bad that I'm to the point of driving home from work and I see some guy mowing for a lawn service and I am envious of his job.
You might try ICU or ER to begin with. I have worked med/surg, ER and ICU. There is no comparison. Med/surg is possibly the most difficult job in any hospital. I would recommend ER or ICU for you. With your med/surg experience both would be much more relaxed and doable for you. Think how great it would be to take care of only 2 ICU patients instead of 6. There are a lot of nights that I only have one patient and sometimes they aren't even very sick. You would also find ER much easier too. Typically only 4 patients. Most of the time the ER patients aren't even sick. Of course they think they are.
It's good that you started your career in med/surg because it is an excellent skill builder. But now you need to take those skills and go to another department.
I have done both travel nurse and agency nursing. That is not an easy way to go. You can possibly make more money, and pick your own days to work. But you are always walking into an arena where you are the outsider. Staff resents you for the supposedly great money you make. And you typically get no orientation at each new place. In order to work agency you need to be able walk in and start to work with little /no coaching. I did it for 4 years and really got to dilike it even though some places are great to work at.
You have mentioned "ministering" to patients. Have you thought about becoming a preachor, pastor, minister as a new profession? Wishing you all the best and hope you are able to find the right job for you.
Wait...so you got into nursing so that you could convert people to your particular brand of Christianity and now you're upset that you can't do that
because you're too busy?
If you want to bring Christ to people, you've picked the wrong profession. This may be causing you more pain than the rigors of nursing, a secular profession. If I were a patient, I would be very offended if you tried to "bring Christ" to me.
I feel exactly the same way as you did not too long ago. I was depressing..telling myself I wasn't cut out for this but I love many aspects of nursing just not floor nursing. When I was hired I was told we'd get 6 pt max for safe RN : PT ratio but we end up getting 8-9 and if short one nurse then someone always gets stuck with 10. I feel like it's not the bedside that bothers me as much as how much administration seems to "care" about the nurses,and all the documentation we are made to do..it's more and more thrown at us every week. I know documentation is important of course but nursing has been more "cover your ass" then about nursing.
I just took a per diem position in home infusion and it has renewed my love for nursing. I'm learning something new and doing something I like..and I dont have to worry about 9 patients at the same time. I pretty much am going to quit my regular position and focus on infusion. Don't leave nursing..just find your niche..and if you get burnt out again find another niche. Nursing is a a field to grow in.
How about being a prision RN...they need Christ more then anyone? Check out the specialities section..I have been enjoying reading the different types of nursing.
I also wanted to add that my job seems to consist of rapidly giving meds as fast as possible, charting, and checking charts. I don't have time to shoot the breeze with my patients and talk to them for very long. So much for ministering to them, I barely have time to give meds, do a quick assessment, then I have to duck my head and get into the next room while my other 4 patients are hitting their call light for various reasons. I rarely have time to use the restroom much less talk to my patients and heaven's sakes there is never time for a break.
It's gotten so bad that I have considered drinking alcohol - something I never would have dreamed before I got into nursing. I'm just so depressed and burned out..
I can't think of any place in nursing that isn't busy. This seems to be the norm all over.
I'm gonna have to agree with dirtyhippiegirl and subee. If your goal is to "minister" people, nursing may not be the right avenue through which to do that. Have you considered actually being a minister?
I'd also be quite offended if I were a patient and my nurse tried to "bring Christ" to me or anything of the sort.
I was the same way. I only did a year though on a med/tele unit. I quickly learned that I was over worked, under paid and not respected. So I switched states and started in a completely new unit and let me say that fixed it for me. I love my job now and am actually excited to go in every day to work.
I second the parish nurse idea. Did that for a lil while, volunteer...but I didn't want to volunteer doing basically the same thing as my regular job. YMMV.
Staff minister/deacon?
I'm thinking you actually have two separate issues:
nursing being stressful, and wanting to minister to people in a more spiritual way.
Weird thing...I work in the 'hood. Church is a big part of life in the urban African-American culture and people are quite open to the Word. A change of venue might be good for you. It was for me.
Also, a drink after work really can be a good thing. It is relaxing and good for your cardiac risk profile.
First off , I worked night shift for well over a year and now im on the day shift at a different facility but still occasionally work nights. yes , day shift is faster paced, but generally you have less patients and more help, there is a little more down time at nights, but i feel very stressed on nights when i work them...... don't be sure you couldn't hack it. secondly, clinics might be a great options, or as a research coordinator? If spirituality is a strong suit for you hospice nursing might be good. You have enough experience that you could do insurance , case mgt. or case managers in managed care org are becoming big in my area. hope you find you niche.!
Palliative care would be a ministering position. You speak of faith, pain control, anxiety control. Help families come to term with the inevitable it's like the step before hospice.
gonzo1, ASN, RN
1,739 Posts
Frazzled,
You might try ICU or ER to begin with. I have worked med/surg, ER and ICU. There is no comparison. Med/surg is possibly the most difficult job in any hospital. I would recommend ER or ICU for you. With your med/surg experience both would be much more relaxed and doable for you. Think how great it would be to take care of only 2 ICU patients instead of 6. There are a lot of nights that I only have one patient and sometimes they aren't even very sick. You would also find ER much easier too. Typically only 4 patients. Most of the time the ER patients aren't even sick. Of course they think they are.
It's good that you started your career in med/surg because it is an excellent skill builder. But now you need to take those skills and go to another department.
I have done both travel nurse and agency nursing. That is not an easy way to go. You can possibly make more money, and pick your own days to work. But you are always walking into an arena where you are the outsider. Staff resents you for the supposedly great money you make. And you typically get no orientation at each new place. In order to work agency you need to be able walk in and start to work with little /no coaching. I did it for 4 years and really got to dilike it even though some places are great to work at.
You have mentioned "ministering" to patients. Have you thought about becoming a preachor, pastor, minister as a new profession? Wishing you all the best and hope you are able to find the right job for you.