Burnout: getting through the shift

[jrgcna]

Hi, y'all. First time posting a new topic, and I hope you don't mind a little burnout vent. I'm having a hard time emotionally and I need someone to talk to. I think people here will understand.

I've been a CNA for 8+ years, right out of high school. I work in a nursing home where I've been close to 3 years. I'm looking at short-term job training opportunities so I can leave.

My problem is, I expect it could be a couple months (at least) until I can secure another job. And I'm at the point where it's hard to get through the shift.

My company is fabulous, wonderful staff. I care deeply about my residents and I strain to have a positive attitude. I try to smile a lot and be friendly and attentive, willing to help out and be a team player. I try to be very flexible and willing to accommodate the needs of the facility.

Being responsible for the health of all these people overwhelms me. I know they need quality care, but the stress of it all has gotten to me. Sometimes I "cope" by stuffing my face with junk food, which is unhealthy and immature. I've become distant from my few close relationships because of work.

The thought of going to work fills me with anxiety and dread. It's embarrassing admitting this, but I cry over my job too. I'm angry and irritable on a frequent basis. It can be hard to enjoy days off because I'm anticipating my next shift. Mostly I just feel miserable either at work or thinking about work. This is not a new thing, this has been going on constantly for a few years. I feel selfish, immature, and guilty because I am not really the committed caregiver I have to pretend to be.

The point of my post is this: how do YOU get through a hard shift, even if you may not feel burned out like I do? Are there deeper ways to cultivate a positive attitude? Is there a way I can learn to "fall in love" with the job so I don't have to feel so down all the time? I wasn't always this bad, especially not in my early years in my career.

Oh, and by the way, I don't think I'm suffering from clinical depression. I get great joy from my family, my friends, exercise, and unfortunately from food (as I mentioned....) My job is what makes me feel awful.

[funtimes]

One thing thats changed after doing this job is I tend to tune out what patients say at work if its not some information im supposed to record/pass on. I deal with so many people with psychological problems, altered mentation, and dementia that I just dont even care what they say. I used to try to have legitimate conversations with patients, even after finding out they were the Queen of England or they were accusing me of dumping a jar of spiders into their room.

Last night I had a patient who accused me of burning down his kitchen every time I came into his room. By the end of the night he was trying to choke me when I did vitals. A few years ago I might have found this mildly disturbing. 'Now Im just like oh your kitchen burned down? Thats too bad, nah wasnt me, can I see your arm for a minute so I can take your blood pressure?'

[WannaBNursey, ADN, ASN, RN]

One thing thats changed after doing this job is I tend to tune out what patients say at work if its not some information im supposed to record/pass on. I deal with so many people with psychological problems, altered mentation, and dementia that I just dont even care what they say. I used to try to have legitimate conversations with patients, even after finding out they were the Queen of England or they were accusing me of dumping a jar of spiders into their room.

Last night I had a patient who accused me of burning down his kitchen every time I came into his room. By the end of the night he was trying to choke me when I did vitals. A few years ago I might have found this mildly disturbing. 'Now Im just like oh your kitchen burned down? Thats too bad, nah wasnt me, can I see your arm for a minute so I can take your blood pressure?'

That's happened to me too! I deal with so many patients with altered mental status, I've been hit at, threatened, etc so many times that I just write off what people say now. It does make it easier to keep cool in stressful situations,but at the same time I'm ignoring something that the patient is seeing and becoming upset over. I have to get back to home health and staffing so I can feel like I'm connecting with patients again. Having an actual connection with patients and seeing where they are coming from used to be the main reason why I loved CNA work...and now I feel incapable of doing just that.

[fuzzywuzzy, CNA]

Sometimes I can't even tell if someone has dementia anymore!

[rosey35cna]

I'm having horrible burn out as well. I think a lot of it has to do with being short staffed. I'm always stressed because I'm in a hurry.

[Crazyaid]

Im so glad that im not the only one that feels this way.

[Newbie93017]

Is it bad to say I feel this way and I've only been a CNA for 5 months? Like, I always leave work thinking I forgot something or that I could've done more. I rarely take lunch. Like today, I managed to step away for an actual lunch...well my Hall mate comes and pulls me out of lunchroom because a resident of mine needs toileting. Smh. The nurse said "find someone to help you" meaning someone else, not the person on lunch. She was supposed to be watching my lights. Apparently, I'm not allowed to eat lunch now.

I feel like every assignment I get, has like 80% hoyer lifts and total dependence residents. My facility has unreal expectations. The 3-11 shift expects every resident dry when they come in and don't want to lift a finger. Meanwhile, I've been running around all day. A mess. Just trying to make it through. And they walk in all fresh faced and ******** because one person wasn't laid down during rounds (she only got up at 12 because we were understaffed).

Ugh. I dread going in every day. I spend days off worrying what assignment I may get. Unfortunately I'm PRN full time so I'm always being moved around and having to learn EVERYONE.

It's just so much some times. Today's assignment was non stop call lights and families hitting them more than the actual residents. I wouldn't mind the families so much if we had less residents a piece. I'd actually get to know my residents if I wasn't just focused on rushing from room to room to change and wash and get people up and to therapy or the dining room.

Ugh!