burned out

[damaskblue]

I have been in nursing for 9 years, the last 3 being in critical care and I have decided that I don't like nursing the type of nursing I am doing anymore. I don't dislike nursing as a profession, I dislike working for hospitals. I don't like critical care; in fact, I HATE critical care. It seems that once you go down a particular path in nursing (critical care for me), it is difficult to do an about face and try something new. The thought of working one more day in an ICU makes me almost physically ill. I want a job where I can make a difference; where i can feel as though I am a part of something that is doing good for people. Not just keeping someone alive by a drip or a ventilator. I am tired of working for institutions that say they 'care for patients' but really its just about making money. Does anyone else feel this way? Does anyone out there have an idea of which direction to take? I thought about holistic nursing but there aren't a lot of places that employ those types of nurses where I live and I can't move. I thought about medical mission work but I have an infant son- that won't work for obvious reasons. HELP!

[enchantmentdis, BSN, RN]

I dunno - I did hospice for 7 years and got burned out doing that. It wasn't the patients, it was the management. There wasn't time to chart during the day, I was too busy putting out fires that inevitably happen in end of life care. I ended up having to do it at home and I worked many, many nights. Without pay. I found that hospice was turning into Home Health plus, with all the associated BS------ and paperwork that went with it. It very much ended up all being about the numbers. (our census is down. Panic! Look for more patients! If you don't find more patients, you're not doing your job! Do some marketing with your contacts at the ALF/SNF etc etc) I worked for two different, non-profit hospices in different states, so it wasn't just a problem with one. I always got excellent reviews from my bosses, but the nonsense got to be too much so I left. They decided that part of our reviews would be based on how many new patients we were able to get. Now working as an elementary school nurse and just love it!!!

mc3

I hear ya. I did hospice for another agency for only 8 months, as a case manager--it was all paper charting and i spent the majority of my time doing admissions and reams and reams of paperwork from home, was on call every other day and every other weekend and was burned out pretty quickly, due to huge amounts of overtime. Fortunately I lost that job after developing a life-threatening illness, got better, and now work for a very large hospice where all i do is work pm shift as an unscheduled visits on call nurse only. The stress is now very minimal, and i only document to the symptom i am treating--and it is all on computer. My stress level is way down and my bosses are so glad i took this position. Mileage reimbursement is great and i am never in the office dealing with management and politics.

[MollNick]

I am and have been burned out on working in critical care, hospital politics. I recently had a back injury b/c of pushing/pulling on pt's. I believe my critical care days are over. I don't know what I will do. I have even considered opening my own homecare/equipment business in the large urban area I live in....don't know, maybe homehealth, or PACU in surgery center, or even jail nursing or psych. Thinking also about going for adult NP or psych NP. Gosh, I just wish I could with the Lottery then I would retire.

[SpEdtacular, MSN, RN, EMT-P]

You'd probably be great at case management or utilization review with your background. Then you can fight to make sure your patients get the best care out there

[skylark, BSN, RN]

Two suggestions

first, are you sure its critical care you don't like, or is it just the particular dept you work in? Would you consider critical care someplace else?

Sometimes its a particular manager, team or even policy that ruins it, and you can find a job that is the same on paper but in reality is completely different working environment.

Second - register with an agency and take shifts at other hospitals, and in other specialities as much as you can. Find out what you are getting into before you take the big step of quitting and moving on.

I always try to do a couple of agency shifts in a dept when I am considering applying to work there. You get insight that you cannot get any other way!

[MollNick]

I really liked the unit I worked in. I liked the people and especially the management. I hurt my back pretty bad and I am not willing to risk hurting it again pulling on any patient. So, I have decided to go into home health and go back to school for adult NP. That way, I know I will not be pulling on any patient unless I find a patient on the floor or they can't get out of bed in the home care area.

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

If you could afford it, would you consider taking some time off and taking a breather? This would allow you to really think of where you wanted to go in your profession? I was out for a very long time, but it was what I needed to do for myself. I don't regret it for one second.

[MollNick]

Tokmom, I have been off for one month now. I wonder how long is too long when trying to find employment again. I wonder if an employer might question why someone took so long off between employers. I am planning on enrolling for the spring 2012 semester adult NP program. I hope the school doesn't look at time off as a negative thing when I apply. I am starting to put a few applications in with home health care companies. No responses yet since the census is low.