Burnout or Overwhelmed?

icepackstat, BSN, RN · Nov 10, 2021

I don't have any answers, but thank you for sharing! This is a really tough year. I am feeling all of that today too!

Avill, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2021

One good way to find out is to see how you feel after all our breaks (Thanksgiving and Christmas).

Personally, I was feeling very burnt out at the end of last year, mostly COVID stuff, but came back feeling better the new school year.

Side note, it does sound like a normal day to me. I have a school of about 1,400 kids, and staff sometimes think I can read minds or something.

MHDNURSE · Nov 16, 2021

I know for me I have days where I am totally fine and days where I think I am out of here, and it all depends on what is going on. It gets harder and harder when we are getting screamed at by angry parents, chasing people down for civid results, contact tracing, etc., etc. Our teachers are stretched thin and over everything as well, so they are particularly sensitive and I have had some less than pleasant interactions with teachers as a result. I don't think it is burnout or being overwhelmed, I feel like it is more the current climate in general. When we left for Summer break, we were all thinking this year would be back to normal and Covid protocols would be a distant memory. Instead, we hit the ground running in September and we are busier than we have ever been. I do not think we were psychologically prepared for having to do this at this level for this long, as well as do all of our "normal" stuff like screenings, immunization surveys, health classes, etc. It is just a lot.

Glitternurse, LVN · Nov 17, 2021

This year has been horrible. I am definitely overwhelmed and maybe a little burned out. I am just hanging in there, hoping it will get better. I do think about quitting several times a week.

The first month of school I put in 48 hours overtime and was happy to be finished working by 8, I usually worked until 9 or 9:30. My supervisor often worked until 10 or 11. We are passed that now, but I have yet to actually leave on time and I come in early. There are 2 of us with 5 elementary schools and a preschool and after Thanksgiving break a junior high, (it's brand new, but construction was behind so they have been distance learning and will be starting in the new building after Thanksgiving).

We do all the screenings, we do all the first aid stuff, we have a catherization every afternoon, a 4 year newly diagnosed DM1, we have routine meds, plus we contact trace and keep track of COVID test results for all 6 soon to be 7 school sites. Fortunately our district has an outside company do PCR testing once a week and we aren't doing rapid testing, only because we can't keep up with what we already have to do. My supervisor is a brand new school nurse, this is her first year. I feel bad for her and I am doing what I can, but because I am only an LVN there are somethings I can't do and I don't really know about.

I am tired of being yelled at by parents and parents arguing with me about the guidelines. I'm tired of getting pushback from the teachers. I'm tired of all the handholding I have to do. Why don't parents register their kids for the school sponsored COVID testing? Why can't people figure out how to find a COVID test site? I Google it and get page after page of free testing sites. I'm tired of being tired.

"That which does not kill us makes us stronger." -Friedrich Nietzsche

NutmeggeRN, BSN · Nov 18, 2021

I got away for the weekend to the coast and felt so much better upon return. I personally feel overwhelmed.

Flare, ASN, BSN · Nov 19, 2021

Totally there with you. The demands being placed on my office seem to weigh heavier and heavier. The expectation of immediate service is just overwhelming me. I have taken to adding a new phrase as my greeting when my office is busy: "Is this an emergency? " It almost always is, meaning that the student or staff member will say "Yes" to anything whether it's a broken limb or a sour tummy. I have to go back and look, as one of our fabulous e-colleagues on here referenced teachers bringing in a stuffy nose with the same urgency as a gunshot wound. This is probably the essence of school nursing. It's overwhelming, it's exhausting...

Orca, ADN, ASN, RN · Nov 20, 2021

On 11/10/2021 at 11:33 AM, BunnyBunnyBSNRN said:

So, an I overwhelmed or burnt out? And, what do I do about it all?

On the surface of it, it doesn't sound like burnout. You seem to still like what you do and believe that you make a difference - one or both of which would probably be missing if you were burning out. It just sounds like a lot of odds and ends are being thrown your way. Just deal with them one at a time, answer to the best of your ability, and tell people that you will get back to them later if it is something that you need time to digest before answering, or need to do some research on. You don't owe anybody an immediate decision.

RatherBHiking, BSN, RN · Nov 24, 2021

You sound overwhelmed. When I first started back into school nursing after a 10 yr break it kind of freaked me out the amount of responsibility on my shoulders as well. I also had around 800 between 2 schools. What helped me was knowing most of the time the kids are healthy. True life and death emergencies are rare. When you do have them you follow the protocol and call 911 and there’s usually people willing to jump in and help.

Nothing you described above seemed abnormal in a day’s work as a school nurse. All that stuff happens all the time so I’m thinking you are newer to this and worrying about worst case scenarios. They had discharge paperwork which means they were well enough to return to school and will be following up with a specialist to see if there’s some underlying issue. The dizziness I hear that daily at my school. Several times a day (even in the special needs kids) and that doesn’t mean there’s anything seriously wrong. Could just be some fluid behind their ears and they need allergy meds. Finding out about a kid that had surgery over the Summer well they must be OK to be in school. Follow up is appropriate but not something that has to be done right then and there. You have to prioritize. Also teachers can make phone calls home too. They try to dump everything on us.

The county just dumps more and more on our plate. We used to see sick kids, do first aide, give meds, do blood sugar checks, screenings and care plans. Now we do all the above plus contact tracing, teach CPR, give immunizations, be on wellness and safety committees, turn in reports of all sorts weakly, organize food pantries, counsel students, help parents get kids into the Dr, provide kids shoes arnd clothes, have CPS on speed dial… I could go on and on but it’s so much more emotionally and mentally draining than it used to be.

I’m very burned out and it’s not healthy and I’m exploring options because the thought of doing this for several more years is extremely depressing. After hearing 20-40 times a day “ I don’t feel well” I want to pull my hair out and then throw in there 3 positive COVID cases I need to trace for 7 periods each and lunch and get yelled at by numerous parents for quarantining their kids when there is a game this weekend while also having a teacher (who gets a planning period and duty free lunch ) ask me to call home because Johnny stinks I might go off the deep end. Then as soon as I’m ready to just throw the towel in I have a really good day where I feel like I wasn’t used and abused and actually helped a kid it makes me want to stay so I pass on a job offer and then you know what hits the fan again! It’s like an abusive relationship. ?? I’m not sure I even want to be a nurse anymore. It doesn’t seem like anywhere is treating nurses well.

So yes overwhelmed for you and burned out for me! LOL! Remember just because someone is asking something of you does NOT mean it has to be done immediately (unless a kid seems to be in the middle of a concerning health issue) and ask teachers to help reach parents too. Also teachers like to boss us around. You can say things like I’ll get to that when I have a chance, I don’t do that, I don’t have time to head up the Christmas meals for the poor families, or I’m happy to make that call with you but I’m not doing it by myself (things like adhd behavior, stinky kids, etc).

KKEGS, MSN, RN · Nov 30, 2021

I have found myself daydreaming about leaving nursing entirely. This is my 5th year as a school nurse and I have to decide if I am going to renew my license next year or not. I already know that I don't want to go back to a hospital schedule and I don't think I would be happy in a clinic either. It makes me feel like there isn't a place for me in this profession anymore. ?