Complete Nurse Burnout 6 months in

[kate1997]

Hello,

My name is Kate. I graduated from nursing school in May of 2021. I started my first job as a registered nurse in July in an acute care surgery unit. I had so much hope in this first job. I was promised so many untrue expectations like never more than a 5:1 patient-nurse ratio, good morale, and a great environment for me to blossom into a new nurse. Not a day goes by where I don't feel like I've been completely betrayed and broken. Each day I go into work, I have at a minimum of 7 patients. These patients aren't always just post-op simple patients either. Some of them even come from the ICU because they are out of beds and need to put patients "somewhere" in the hospital. Doctors and surgeons are horrible to the nurses, nurses are horrible to each other, and everyone is only out for themselves. Most days I'm on the verge of a mental breakdown. When I try to reach out for help, there is no one there. Management only cares about statistics. They can see us drowning and all they do is fuss at us when we don't live up to their unrealistic expectations. I am completely broken 6 months in. I regret ever becoming a nurse. I have no compassion left for anyone. Please help. Is it just my job or is nursing this way everywhere?

[Samantha99]

Hi Kate, I am so sorry to hear about your first job experience, it does sound pretty awful!  We are living in very difficult times, especially in nursing.  I work for a recruitment firm and we have "hand picked" our hospital clients for this exact reason.  Please contact me and I will see if we have any locations near you that will role out the red carpet :) Please feel free to reach out.  [email protected]

[NomaRN2021, ASN]

Hey! I completely feel you here! I graduated in May and started a contract PPEC position and left when that contract was fulfilled (3 months), then moved for my dream bed side position (mother/baby). It has been a nightmare, we have ridiculous raitos and an awful nurse manager. I just found out I am pregnant too and they are making pregnant people on our unit take Covid teams with no limits on ratios, this even goes for regular patients too. You have to protect your license. If you feel like it’s unsafe then leave. After I put my two weeks notice in I already got scheduled an interview for a job in a non beside setting getting paid more and working days. Do not settle, but do not make it a habit of quitting after 6 months. If you are counting how long you worked at your job like how I was and counting down the shifts then it’s not for you.