I was hoping to get some input from others who have been in my shoes before.
So my situation is that after just 3 years of working as a nurse on an oncology/medicine/palliative care unit the sadness of seeing what my patients and families go through has really taken its toll on me. Also the negativity, high work load/stress and lack of care from management adds to it. Just 2 days ago after about 1.5-2 years of dealing with this I finally admitted I was depressed. I am seeking counselling now and have an apt to see my family doc re: meds if he thinks I need them, but am also exploring the idea of changing units or jobs and was looking to get some feedback.
I am wondering from those who have dealt with this before did moving units or changing jobs help relieve your nursing induced depression? I am exploring the option of a cardiac surg unit or possibly clinic work or whatever else comes up. Sometimes I just want to quit nursing and find a simple job, but financially thats not realistic.
I think it's good to switch around specialities for a lot of us. I wish I had stayed in the ICU a few years less than I did, but felt trapped because that is all I knew. I have switched to PACU/pre-op and am really enjoying it. It's much less stressful and I actually see my patients get better. I like the pre-op part especially! I am now even thinking of going back to school or getting out of the clinical setting all together. I still enjoy caring for people and my patients, but am witnessing less death and dying in this setting. I no longer dread going into work.
Point is, it is okay and even beneficial for your career to change specialities as a nurse.
I certainly think that it may be worth you while to change to another unit. At the same time, I gotta 'fess up to being a hospice nurse- did home hospice for about 5 yrs and have been doing Inpt for a little over one year now, and this discussion made me think about a discussion that one of our hospice MD's brought up a couple years ago about 'what is the role of hope in hospice'- to which I said that I thought that it was being realistic about what to hope for- having no pain/ being comfortable/ being with family etc. I imaging being on Oncology is a difficult place- but also a place of immense Hope for more time, a cure, and the hope of seeing a familiar nurse on that unit. Just wanted to put that thought out there.
What do you do for yourself outside of work? What do you do to relax or just to make yourself feel satisfied? Do you engage in a vigorous physical fitness program? Do you enjoy sports, or music, or volunteering with the elderly? Do you spend time with your aged mother? And on, and on. You might find that it helps to lift your spirits if you find something else in life to occupy yourself besides the endless grind of the job.
Thanks everyone for the input. I feel like it would be a wise choice to make a move, just so long as I can find a place to go that will be better off and not just a lateral move to another medicine unit. I applied for a cardiac surg position yesterday within my current hospital and am keeping my eye open on the job boards. I'm kinda kicking myself now because I was offered an outpatient clinic job about 6 months ago at a neighboring hospital, but I turned it down largely for the fact that it offered less hours and thus less pay. The next challenge will be finding something that will help me improve my mental health, but also offer enough hours to pay the bills. If only life was less expensive.
What do you do for yourself outside of work? What do you do to relax or just to make yourself feel satisfied? Do you engage in a vigorous physical fitness program? Do you enjoy sports, or music, or volunteering with the elderly? Do you spend time with your aged mother? And on, and on. You might find that it helps to lift your spirits if you find something else in life to occupy yourself besides the endless grind of the job.
This is the problem with depression is that you lose interest in things you once found enjoyable. I am trying to get back into fitness as it in itself is its own antidepressent and I will put more effort into finding other things to get excited about.
To be blunt, I am sick and tired of the human misery that I witness in my specialty. Thursday was my last day at one workplace, and I'll be starting a non-bedside case management position next week.
I know the grass is not always greener on the other side, but this new job will give me the flexibility that I desperately need in my life. Hopefully it will also be less depressing...
Commuter, I am surprised to see this side of you, given how you describe yourself. :)
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
I certainly hope it doesn't get closed for that reason. For the record I'm just seeking opinions thats all.
Here's my opinion and advice not medical just how I pulled myself out of the mud pit of suicidal depression about 10 years ago. Many years ago my dad gave me a book and told me that if I ever felt really down I should read it and it would change my life. In case you are wondering that book was not a Bible but rather a sort of book of instructions on how to lead a happy, balanced, successful life . It's called the Greatest Salesman in the world by Og Mandino. It's only about 150 pages long but reading it during my darkest hour did in fact change my life. That and practicing the 12 steps of AA made me the Happy grateful person I am today. I learned how to approach each situation I faced with total acceptance and joy in my heart. I also adopted the practice of being truthful in all my affairs and that meant being truthful with myself as well. I also work with lots of hospice, palliative care and dementia patients and know all about compassion fatigue! Still I have come to feel that it is an honor and a privilege to be a past of someone's passing. I plug along at a high stress job while I work towards my MP in Gero-psych. One day my supervisor came to me a said "are you still charting )about 30 minutes OT) you need to get off the clock. " I said are you telling me to leave and finish this tomorrow?" She just said "Ok then Carry on!"
I still suffer from depression at times and I don't that will ever go away completely I take medication when it is warranted and stay calm and carry on.
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
This thread has been moved to our Health and Stress Management 101 forum since the original topic, depression, is a health-related problem. We wish the OP the best of luck.
I am glad you recognize that there is a problem and that you are addressing it. The only area of nursing I know, or care to work in for that matter, is LTC. I work with a geriatric population and while death is common it is also quite often a peaceful end to a long life. It is easier to accept the death part of my job knowing that the person has already lived a long and full life.
I was an ED nurse for a few years and started to "burn out." Just got tired of being a dope man for drug seekers as well as being yelled at, spit on, punched, etc. As well I felt a bit of depression and anxiety related to my career. So, what did I do? Started to work in other clinical areas such as GI, PACU, and Cardiac Diagnostics. That is the beauty of nursing; that we can work in an entirely different area next month if we really want to.
Don't impose guilt on yourself for wanting to get out of a unit where your patients are constantly dying. Unless you're Mother Theresa, get outta dodge. Try another job. Try 5 other jobs. Get an advanced degree. There are 1000's of jobs out there. You've gotta find one that fits. You will. I did!
Here's my opinion and advice not medical just how I pulled myself out of the mud pit of suicidal depression about 10 years ago. Many years ago my dad gave me a book and told me that if I ever felt really down I should read it and it would change my life. In case you are wondering that book was not a Bible but rather a sort of book of instructions on how to lead a happy, balanced, successful life . It's called the Greatest Salesman in the world by Og Mandino. It's only about 150 pages long but reading it during my darkest hour did in fact change my life. That and practicing the 12 steps of AA made me the Happy grateful person I am today. I learned how to approach each situation I faced with total acceptance and joy in my heart. I also adopted the practice of being truthful in all my affairs and that meant being truthful with myself as well. I also work with lots of hospice, palliative care and dementia patients and know all about compassion fatigue! Still I have come to feel that it is an honor and a privilege to be a past of someone's passing. I plug along at a high stress job while I work towards my MP in Gero-psych. One day my supervisor came to me a said "are you still charting )about 30 minutes OT) you need to get off the clock. " I said are you telling me to leave and finish this tomorrow?" She just said "Ok then Carry on!"
I still suffer from depression at times and I don't that will ever go away completely I take medication when it is warranted and stay calm and carry on.
Peace and Namaste
Hppy
I LOVE OG Mandino! Greatest Miracle in the World is also a good read! :-)
I think getting out of bedside nursing is your best option! Probably try clinic nursing or case management. I know people say home care is less stressful, but it would depress me since I don't enjoy wound care and that seems to be a major component, also you are paid by the case, piecemeal vs hourly. If you are staying bedside I think cardiac nursing is a good choice because there are so many possible treatments and advances including VADs etc. Some people like PACU or outpatient. Some people like hospice because it is less stressful, but I think that would depress me too to see so many people dying. Since you are in oncology I would look for something more hopeful.
What especially depresses me are stroke patients and we are seeing too many of them these days! Personally I would rather die than live paralyzed or unable to eat. It is very scary and depressing to deal with stroke patients! So I would stay away from a neuro unit if you have a choice. TPA can be great if a person is a candidate which seems rare and if it works, sometimes it doesn't or worse the patient bleeds and ends up worse than before. The hospitals are pushing stroke certification and marketing this everywhere and then patients come in thinking we have miracles and can fix them and this is rarely the case which leads to angry family that want to blame us that their loved one isn't getting better. Usually it is an act of God, miracle or just luck if someone recovers from a stroke. Then the pressure from management make sure all the charting is done and the SCD's on to placate JCAHO! We used to be a cardiac unit, but we have become more of a neuro unit and this has depressed me. Every stroke patient, every altered mental status patient comes our way because you know they might be a stroke even when they have dementia or simply detoxing. I wish we could go back to just a cardiac floor like the good old days. Sorry I know you were asking for advice, I guess I'm going thru the same struggle as you and find my job depressing as well. I hope they will find a breakthru for cancer patients and for stroke patients so people don't have to suffer as much as they do. It is so sad to see, especially knowing we are really helpless to change things.
Whatever you do don't quit your job before you find another one as that is a black mark that will make it very hard to get an new job. I have a coworker that quit over the stress and now still can't find a job. There is lots of competition from both new grads and experienced workers we are in an urban area with lots of colleges public, private and for profit which doesn't help matters! I agreed to be a reference for her and received an email that was out of the world judge the person on everything how they handle stressful situations, rude patients, on and on. Like two dozen questions to critique and pushing you to be brutally honest don't worry what you say they won't know you can't be sued. Tell me three of their weakness be honest! It's a wonder anyone can find a new job these days. I gave her a stellar review and didn't list any weaknesses. They said the reviews would be averaged by the computer so I don't know what her other references did but she wasn't hired and is still looking. It makes me wonder how I would get a new job if I was trying. It is just crazy! They are looking for angels that walk on water and not real people!
wanderlust99
793 Posts
I think it's good to switch around specialities for a lot of us. I wish I had stayed in the ICU a few years less than I did, but felt trapped because that is all I knew. I have switched to PACU/pre-op and am really enjoying it. It's much less stressful and I actually see my patients get better. I like the pre-op part especially! I am now even thinking of going back to school or getting out of the clinical setting all together. I still enjoy caring for people and my patients, but am witnessing less death and dying in this setting. I no longer dread going into work.
Point is, it is okay and even beneficial for your career to change specialities as a nurse.