Burnt out

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Has anyone successfully dealt with burn out? I still love patient care. The absolute ridiculousness of some of the policies has me jaded. I dread going to work because there is something new every day! The last straw was being written up for not doing hourly rounds during a 5 hour rapid response that turned into a code (no icu beds available to transfer to). I'm seriously ready to leave nursing all together, bagging groceries would be better

My hospital system has become notorious for quick promotion to management. 1-2 years of experience is all you need. Upper management makes these young nurses Patsy's. Once they are promoted, they are told exactly what to do and say to staff. Then, when units have problems, the young nurse is met with and given the option to resign or be fired. Then another young nurse is promoted. We have charge nurses at night with 6months of experience, being left with a staff of less experienced nurses. Then, they wonder why there are so many complications hospital wide. The most ridiculous thing is they are trying to go for magnet status!!!

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Specializes in Adult and Pediatric Vascular Access, Paramedic.

Hi,

I had gotten very burnt out of the ER VERY quickly and ended up briefly leaving nursing to go back to working on the ambulance. Here I am 7 years later still working full time as a medic, and per diem as a nurse.

I will say I did switch to IV nursing from the ER and am feeling much happier going to work as a nurse, MUCH less stress!! So my advice for you is that you may want to consider trying a new area of nursing, that may help! Good luck.

Annie

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Specializes in 15 years in ICU, 22 years in PACU.

We call write ups "Process Improvement" reports. Documentation of what went wrong and suggest remedy. It goes out to 38 e-mail addresses.

Your version of the write up would include "Standard nurse rounding on patients not done. Inadequate staff to manage critical situation. Inadequate response from Nursing Supervisor". Suggest, "Float nurse availability. Partner with Sister Unit to pull staff. Designate all patients as No Code and let 'em die"

Everybody's else's suggestion to leave that Hell Hole is valid too.

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Specializes in 15 years in ICU, 22 years in PACU.
I always said I was going to leave nursing and work in Starbucks.

Yet, here I am.

Nursing or Starbucks?

You have taught me well, Sensei. Is now a good time to mention "Camming"?

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Nursing or Starbucks?

You have taught me well, Sensei. Is now a good time to mention "Camming"?

Nursing -> high pay, high hours of work [requires 2-4 years of education]

Starbucks -> low pay, high hours of work [requires no education]

Camming -> high pay, low hours of work [requires you look good enough to be on cam]

And the winner is...

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Specializes in ER, ICU/CCU, Open Heart OR Recovery, Etc.

Sounds like you need to walk. Or better yet, run.

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Nursing -> high pay, high hours of work [requires 2-4 years of education]

Starbucks -> low pay, high hours of work [requires no education]

Camming -> high pay, low hours of work [requires you look good enough to be on cam]

And the winner is...

Nursing is medium pay. Come ON.

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Nursing is medium pay. Come ON.

Relative to many of my friends who have no more education than I do, nursing pay isn't even medium.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
Our census was really low that night. 2 nurses and a tech for 11 patients

Write that up in response to your reprimand.

Make them aware of the staffing model which puts patient safety in jeopardy and creates a hostile work environment for the nurses who get written up for bad staffing practice.

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The last straw was being written up for not doing hourly rounds during a 5 hour rapid response that turned into a code (no icu beds available to transfer to).
What I don't get is the "5 hour rapid response"? Why did it take so long to stabilize the pt/why did it take 5 hrs for the pt to code once rapid response was called? Was the rapid response not managed properly? That should be brought to management's attention.
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Specializes in critical care.
What I don't get is the "5 hour rapid response"? Why did it take so long to stabilize the pt/why did it take 5 hrs for the pt to code once rapid response was called? Was the rapid response not managed properly? That should be brought to management's attention.

Every now and then, you'll get a person who bounces back and forth from okay, to not okay. Even if an ICU bed is available, these come and go people look like they're totally going to stay okay, but then aren't. It's a cycle that keeps you thinking an ICU bed isn't needed, maybe they just need stepdown. But then until you know how stable you can get the patient to remain, an appropriate unit can't be assigned.

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Walmart greeter?

Dog groomer?

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