Burnt out already???

Nurses General Nursing

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I am aware that many people have posted here about being anxious at a new job, getting depressed because of med errors and so on. My issue is a little different. I am currently in my last practicum and will finish school in December. It is a 4 year program so it is safe to say i am a little tired of school. My problem is, however, that i no longer feel passionate about nursing. I remember the feeling i had when i first helped a patient, how empowering it felt. I no longer feel anything like that. I'm not particularly tired or anxious, I am simply apathetic. Being placed on the medical floor i constantly see how many people do not get better and the flaws in our medical system. That makes me...almost depressed? I just feel really unmotivated all the time, and although i am providing care according to professional standards i feel that the personal component of my nursing practice is just not there anymore. When i talk about it to more senior nurses they just give me weird looks and responses like "You are still a student, you are not supposed to feel this way already". I would appreciate any sort of feed back. Maybe there are individuals who have felt this way as well and can provide some advice.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.

Sweet heart, you sound very young & a bit scared.

You must realise, that you cannot take on all the world's problems, or all of people's problems. No wonder u feel burned out!!

As a nurse, you can only do so much to help others. That is your job, to give the best care u can, in the time u have. You won't always feel that buzz u talk about. Much of nursing is routine, boring work, ie: day shift consists of baths, meds, obs, dressings, etc. Then u do it all again the next day.

I too have got a bit disillusioned when doing psych - it was my absolute passion, now I don't have that buzz anymore. There are so many mentally ill people who fall thru the cracks & I despair over it sometimes. But you can only do so much, and no health system in any country is perfect.

Maybe once you get more experience, you will find that passion once more. You really need to try different areas to see what suits you.

I fear I won't ever find my passion. I thought psych was it, but now I don't know - I like psych but nursing doesn't give me the interaction with patients that I want.

Please, though PLEASE, fin your nursing and get some experience b4 deciding to chuck it in. Once u have experience, u can branch out into other things.

Let us know how u get on.

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Specializes in geriatrics.

Part of the problem is...you're sick of school. That's normal after 4 years. And, you do need to know what your values are. But remember, nursing is a job. Take the good with the bad, and learn to leave work at work, so you don't get burnt out.

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Specializes in Med Surg.

I'm wondering how much of the burnt outedness (hey it's 3 am, I can make up words if I want too) is related to being almost finished with school and coming face to face with the reality that is the working world. I know when I'm afraid/about to start a new chapter in life, I get depressed and a bit apathetic. It's taken me awhile, but I've come to realize that's my way of repressing my fear. I know I felt that way when I graduated in May and started my new job.

Don't give up now or worry too much. Finish strong and start working. Good luck!

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sounds like you need a vacation! you deserve it after 4 years of intense studying! :)

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Give yourself space better work and school if you can..a few weeks..then, after going to work..see how you feel in 6 months to a year. You've been through a rigorous time. That isn't to dismiss your feeling as you do..but it may be temporary. You will now soon enough and can adjust from there.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

Yeah, seeing the state of affairs in our current healthcare system is a bit disillusioning, isn't it?

You sound like you may be suffering from senioritis. I remember that feeling well.

We can't fix all of the problems that we face, but we can pick one issue that we would like to change and start from there. I am sort of taking the viewpoint of "Rome wasn't built in a day."

My wish for you is that you find that one little sliver of sunlight shining through the cracks of apathy. You must be able to see it, because you care enough about your mindset to post your thoughts here on this forum.

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Specializes in wound care.

maybe you'll feel better when you start getting a paycheck!! chill out a little, i no the system isnt great but if there was a better way people would be trying it, really. you could allways go be a waiter or something, tell you wana kill your self from doing that and realize how money of a job nursing is

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Specializes in cardiac.

i felt really burned out when i was finishing school too. you dread going to clinical and just try to get through it. after being in school so long and having your life absorbed with nursing, it makes sense to get burned out.

i recommend a week vacation when you're all done with school. then get your boards done. if you still feel burned out, like i did, take a few months and do stuff you enjoy before finding that job. once you start working it is like being in school all over again. it is a learning curve and its mentally and physically exhausting. i've been at my new job for 3 months now and i'm starting to feel burned out again. the key is balancing your time. when i'm not at work i try not to think about work. spending my days off doing things i enjoy helps refresh me for another day at work.

hope this helps, good luck!

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I have to say that I feel the same way ... every time I am put on the med/surg floor that is. I have always said that I too just feel depressed after spending an extended amount of time there for the same reasons you mentioned. I talked to my instructor about this and was instead placed primarily in the ICU & ED last term and let me tell you that I am IN LOVE with nursing again. She explained that it is the great thing about nursing... you don't have to love every area. I'm not sure that this is what is bothering you, but maybe you just need a change or scenery to make you see the light again? Good luck and congratulations on almost being done ... it will be so sweet in the end!

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Thank you so much for your kind replies. I am definitely not dropping out at this point, just out of principle. I think that it is wonderful that many of you know exactly what your passion is! Its already encouraging to see someone who is so excited about a specific area of nursing. This makes me positive that maybe i will find my passion someday. A vacation sounds like a good idea, i'm just scared that i will lose momentum and will waste some of my efforts that i have put into this final rotation. I did an assignment on this topic and found out about some of the ways to handle the stress and become a little more optimistic again. But again, its wonderful to see how supportive you all are, its is really appreciated. *Hugs*

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Specializes in Aged Care, Midwifery, Palliative Care.

Hi, just wanted to drop in and say 'I know exactly how you feel' I'm half way through my 4th and final year. It is such a long time to study, I don't feel that same excitement that I did in my first year either, I was thinking about that just the other day. I guess its because while we are still students we are not 'new' students anymore. I have nursing student burn out, it will be different once I graduate and find my niche. Hopefully its the same for you... hang in there... we are almost there.

My husband would like to take me out for a huge celebration when its all over, but I told him I think I would just like to sit down and cry for a bit. Its just been so overwhelming and I've held myself together for so long I would love to just let it all out, once its all over.

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