Burning out

[Sweetheart2005, ASN]

I'm a med surg nurse in a small community hospital. I have about 2.5 years RN experience (medical assistant and LPN in a family practice prior) I work the medical side (medical and surgical is divided in my hospital). We occasionally get surgical patients, but not frequently.

My shift is 3am to 3pm. My choice of shifts. I feel I can prep better for.my day and know patients better before families and doctors are asking questions

It's a 43 bed unit. The goal is a 5-1 nurse ratio, but it's consistantly been a 6-1 ratio. (7-1 or even at times 8:1on nights, assignments switch and bump at 7am when traditional dayshift.starts). Our unit is consistantly full, our charge nurse is supposed to be free but often has to.take a full assignment. There are two Ides on the unit. Patient t aquity is getting heavier.

Sadly, I am one of the experienced nurses until 7, depending on which all is working, the next in line may have 6-9 months experience.

Several of us have been working overtime on a regular basis. Time and Half and bonus pay isn't enough anymore..its a nice incentive but jot worth our sanity. (they they can't force anyone to work extra hours).

Some days I want to look for a new job, others I want.to stay. I like med surg nursing. They have hired, jut tends to be they hire one, one or two get ready to leave before that one is off orientation. I love my coworkers and we're a great team, but it's becoming more stressful.

I dont know if I'm looking advice or just venting to nurses who may have been in a similar situation.

[Gypsy Moon]

I have been a med/surg nurse for 10 years. I must say that your nurse to patient ratio sounds really bad if you are in a hospital. I don't work full time anymore because I can't tolerate the pace and stress of nursing. Even with four patients, sometimes the load can be very demanding physically and mentally with no room for error.

I took a job as a per diem worker where I don't get benefits. Often they ask me to work more than I would like - which is about 20 hours (honestly I would rather be in a different department but they are so desperate for med/surg nurses because people don't want to do it). We work 8 hour shifts. The people who work 4 shifts per week are getting benefits. I have clearly stated numerous times that I won't work 4 shifts a week because I took the job to work part time and people who work 4 shifts are getting benefits.

I might consider at some point offering to go to a variable position with 4 shifts a week where I could earn benefits but for now, I just say no to more than 3 shifts in med/surg. So I do think that you are in a bad situation but it is not within your control to hire/fire or change the med/surg world. It has been like this for at least the last 10 years that I have been a nurse.

I sound like I hate my job and sometimes I do hate it. But it is mostly the pace and stress. I do my very best when I am at work, giving 100% of what I have. It often takes me days to recover physically and mentally. It just isn't worth it for me to kill myself so I have to limit my hours and stick to it. I have developed an "I don't care anymore," and an "it's somebody else's problem" attitude.

I also have PTSD and am seeing a therapist for EMDR treatments. The med/surg nursing environment of high stress is not really a good fit for me. But, as I said, I give 100% and they are desperate for people willing to work med/surg so it is real easy to get and keep a job. Not so easy to advance or get that specialty experience.