Burnt out on bedside nursing

imintrouble, BSN, RN · Jun 23, 2010

Thank you for relating. I think that once I am done with this contract I stupidly committed to, that I will start to think more clearly and find some clarity.

I could absolutely relate to your original post. Do you think the contract, and the fact you have no choice, makes everything about your job unbearable? I find I tolerate unpleasantness, big understatement, when I think I can leave it at any time. Even when that option is only in my head, having a choice makes me feel less like a victim.

Corrections nursing is big here in my area. The only complaint I've heard is that there's very little real nursing involved. On some days that sounds perfect.

jlbic · Jun 23, 2010

I have been feeling this way for over a year. I have only just signed onto a 6 wk contract at another hospital recently and wish I never would have.

I guess nursing has always felt really stressful to me, but I was hoping I could stick it out and it would get better....not so much.

imintrouble, BSN, RN · Jun 23, 2010

Home health? Hospice? School nursing? Admissions--LTC? Infection control? Risk Management? Just thinking about where I've worked and what options there were. As the other posters said, more education gets you more opportunities.

Doc Lori, R.N. · Jun 23, 2010

From my perspective as an R.N. turned Ph.D. in counseling with a practice full of primarily nurses and other healers who are sadly ravaged with burn out, compassion fatigue, anxiety and depression (like I was) the fact that you recognize your burn out is truly a blessing!!! The next step is to realize that while the work environment will not change, and in all honesty, will probably only get more intense, your response to it can. May I suggest to you the following ideas:

1: Firstly, as yourself if you still enjoy nursing.

2: Ask yourself why you went into nursing. Do you feel as though you were somehow energetically led into "healing"?

3: Do you desire to give compassionate care (truly giving to another out of kindness)?

4: Do you feel as though it is impossible to give compassionate care to your patients?

5: Know that in a traditional healthcare environment, it is impossible to remain unattached to the results of the care you provide. Know that being "forced" to be attached to the results causes burn out. (ahh..you say..herein lies the issue)!

6: Are you able to fully give focus to patients and employ healthy boundaries with the goal of having enough self love and self worth to not allow the toxicity to detrimentally affect you?

7: Please do not allow negativity to penetrate you. You are so valuable! (This topic and the methods employed are core and central as to why you possibly have the desire to be a healer in the first place, and much can be learned about yourself when you dig deep)

8: Hold your head up high and feel what you feel.

9: Hang in There.

10: You Love You.

nicole109 · Jun 24, 2010

You have to take care of yourself...that's the most important thing to do...there are so many avenues in nursing to explore...I have been where you are, and it's a terrible feeling! I did everything that I could to try and preserve my position in the hospital that I was, hoping that I could transfer to another unit (there was a transfer/hiring freeze for over a year and finally I had to leave). I changed shifts, I tried weekend option, I took a short leave of absence...NOTHING helped. Now I work in homecare, and I have to tell you, aside from the paperwork (because there is a lot of it), I absolutely love it! It's an entirely different world of nursing, and it gives me the satisfaction of spending the time with my patients and really giving them the attention and education that I feel like you can't give them in the hospital. The environment is much less stressful than in the hospital, and you can more or less work at your own pace. I do have some very limited knowledge of correctional nursing, and with that, I would say it depends on the facility that you work in...if you are in a maximum security facility vs a county jail...it's going to be totally different. You have to have VERY thick skin, and a very good poker face to be able to work in correctional nursing. IMO it's a very hands off type of nursing, but for some people it gives them the break that they are looking for...best of luck =)

jlbic · Jun 30, 2010

Thank you for your response. The truth is, I don't enjoy bedside nursing. I absolutely hate it at this point. I feel awful that I don't have the compassion I once started out with. I have small glimpses of hope in my day when I help my patients. But mostly, I am on edge, ripping my hair out, and on the verge of tears. I broke my contract today because I feel that I cannot physically, mentally or emotionally handle even one more day. I'm in a lot of pain emotionally because of this. All I want is just some relief and peace of mind and I feel like breaking this contract and starting over in my career may be the only thing I can do at this point to help myself.

baijaan · Jun 30, 2010

Hi. I felt this way too before. I could not continue bedside nursing and I too broke my contract. I absolutely hated my job. I thought, since I have a nursing background, how can I use it for another vocation that I might like. After some Ix, I thought I could use it in Information Technology...and I was right. So I got another HIM degree and the combination has proved very useful indeed.

Nursing could also be used for research into pharmaceuticals, project management, nursing informatics and anything to do with hospitals or clinical care.

You are not alone.

jlbic · Jul 1, 2010

When you broke your contract, what kind of consequences did you face? I broke mine as a 6 week contract through my agency, which the hospital actually changed to a 4 week contract. They are talking about a large fine and me being banned from their hosptial system for life....which being banned from them doesn't bother me much. I just don't want something bad on my record.

baijaan · Jul 1, 2010

I didn't receive a fine, but was informed that the hospital would not look at me favourably next if I applied again. That didn't bother me because I was planning on migrating out of the country.

The nursing skill that you have is actually very precious. Maintain your registration and never let it lapse. Many many jobs now require a combination of skills. With nursing and something else that you like, you will be a very marketable in any health or clinical vocation.