Burnout in less than 2 years

[snortzmom]

I can't believe that I feel this way... I started out with such rose colored glasses, but now (I have been a nurse for just about 2 years) I can absolutely understand why people leave nursing. I am grateful for the fact that I have a job, especially in this economy. I am not stressed out by my job at all in the technical sense. I work ER and love love love the science and interventions. I just can't believe how mean some of the patients are. I am a really, really compassionate person and it took me about 1 year to build that "tough skin." But I feel like people think the role of the nurse is a glorified waitress. I am tired of people yelling at me all the time for something stupid, especially when I have someone crashing in the bed right next to me. I can understand that people don't feel good and therefore might not be warm and fuzzy, but yesterday a 2 year old (yes, you heard me right, a 2 year old) called the nurses "*******" when we were starting an IV (first attempt) while the mother called 911 to report that we were ABUSING HER CHILD. Are you kidding me? The mother almost hit one of the nurses and police were called to the ER. I find myself thinking that I need to find an area where patients are asleep.. I just feel so disrespected by family and I am a great nurse. I just needed to vent. Does this feeling ever go away? The honeymoon phase is over I am afraid.

[mizfradd, CNA]

Good! It does wonders for your mental health to observe the relative mental instability of the general public, up close and personal.

I had a patient's wife throw a bag of laundry at me as a new grad - no, she didn't hit me! I knew I had it coming as soon as I opened my mouth to tell her that I would have changed her husband's wet bed, because it was my job. Should have listened to the still, small voice.........

Had one recently that wanted the O2 CANNULA from her dead relative. Took me a minute to understand what exactly she was requesting ("The oxygen thingie, under her nose"), but I never batted an eye as I sailed into the room, bandage scissors held aloft, and cut the cannula after I had taken it from the deceased (who still lay here, doing the Q-sign thing).

"I have just the place in my house for this!" she cooed, as I presented it to her. (The wackmobile, not the patient).

Go figure............

Worst case of rage? A patient in resraints who threw his ankles over his ears and shot out a stream of Hep-C positive fecal matter at a nurse who was trying to pull him up in bed. I was momentarily stunned.....again, you can't make this stuff up! The general public has no idea of the kooks we see on a daily basis, because they watch shows like "ER" and "Scrubs". Hell, those writers lack imagination! Follow the average ER nurse on any given night, and they'd have WAY better scripts!

Keep smiling...........

:chuckle :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle

[CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN]

I have been extremely lucky not to face the ugly wretched mass of human waist as you're having to on a daily basis. I would recommend you look for something less front lines (marine-frontlines) type of nursing, say hospice. But...I can here you telling me, "Tele, that would be too boring! And no adrenaline rushes of which I'm so used to!"

I admire all of you ED RNs, you earn your keep!

[RNJim22]

Maybe hospice would be a nice area for you to work in for a while. One of the beauties of nursing is the chance to move into different areas when we need. You are clearly a compassionate person and are probably very good at what you do because of it. A change of scenery might do you good. Keep your chin up and continue to be compassionate. The world travels in a big circle and you will get it back to you! Best regards to you and thank you for your work as a nurse! Jim

[meadow85]

I know exactly how you feel ....