Do you think doing this job alone has aged you? I know other things age you as well, but I'm talking re nursing specifically.
I was looking at my now calloused feet, dry hands, unfit, fat body (yes it's my fault entirely, I admit that) - and nearly white and very dry hair. My joints are starting to audibly creak, my back and the arches of my feet are starting to ache and throb after long shifts, and all my eating patterns have been affected. Being on call has ruined my digestion (I take medication for reflux and indigestion now, no H Pylori, waiting for bloods to come back), have a totally messed up sleeping pattern and have very little social life (due to being on call, or being called out at short notice). I can't seem to relax much anymore, I get taxed more than I make, especially when I work my butt off, I have no money left over for anything, and seem to have an underlying constant headache. I'm tired all the time (had the bloods done nothing abnormal as yet), don't have any energy it seems to do the other things I enjoy, and have lost interest in this life as a nurse. I don't feel inspired by it anymore at all, and I think it takes a dastardly toll on your body (couldn't think of another word but dastardly just then!)
God only knows how people do this fulltime as they get older and raise families, and keep it altogether, I take my hat and my shorts and my t-shirt off to you all!
I would honestly say doing nursing has aged me ten years more in the past 2 years I have been a RN.
Do you think nursing alone ages you, and what do you do to combat it? How has it aged you do you think? Do you really think it is worth doing as a job in terms of the stress it puts you under?
I remember watching a video in school about Vietnam nurses. These were beautiful, thin, perky young women. But when you saw them interviewed in their 40s, they were fat, overly wrinkled, and kind of ugly. Beautiful on the inside, but it looked like nursing had let ALL of them age horribly! I see that most of the middle-aged nurses where I work are also unhealthy looking. And their mental health seems cranky, too.
Studies show that stress has a HUGE negative impact on every aspect of our lives. Take time to care for yourself. People who care for others often do so to make up for lack of self-love. It's sort of a downward spiral, because the more you move away from your "ideal" self, the harder it becomes to accept yourself for who you are. Stop trying to be a perfect nurse, stop defining yourself as an overworked nurse, stop trying so hard to please everyone else. Take your lunch breaks and laugh a lot. Don't let the system suck your soul dry.
And to all the nurses who like to hate on their patients about being drug addicts... well, I wish someone would give you a taste of your own medicine, because food addiction is just as destructive (with the exception that it has less stigma attached and thus isn't as detrimental to personal relationships). Addiction to television, the internet (so guilty), validation from men, etc. Addiction is just a way to mask the pain/uneasiness/emptiness that one experiences on a daily basis... Makes sense why nurses turn to unhealthy habits.
Oh my heavens yes, just the stress alone. I can still keep up with the young ones but I'm really sick of building myself up for a 12 hour shift, the continuous battle of keeping on top of everything for 12 hours with no break and going home beat. I can do it but I'm just sick of it after 30 years. Seems it will never end. So..... yes, I don't want to be bothered by people on my day off, my hands look like they belong to an 80 year old, my legs look like a map from spider veins and my brain is on overload.
OP, sounds like you are experiencing serious burn out. You may need to take a break (how are you taxed more than you make-is that really possible?) and either just rest and restore for a year or so, or change fields. There is a whole world of nursing out there that does not involve working in a hospital or LTC setting. I had to have some injections into my neck (yes, nursing induced degenerative disc disease, lol) and in recovery, I was speaking to some nurses who said working in that pain clinic was the best job that they had ever had! No heavy lifting, no 12 hour shifts, no holidays, etc. Another friend of mine who used to work ED has gone to day surgery and prn at a minor emergency clinic. One of my former ICU colleagues switched over to GI lab in a stand alone clinic. My aunt switched over to community health-giving vaccines, counseling new moms, etc. None of those jobs required lifting or rotating shifts or working holidays. And those are just the few off of the top of my head.
Take some time off and consider your options. You aren't stuck where you are unless you let yourself be.
Good luck. You are certainly not alone in your feelings.
I am not a nurse yet, but I recognize a lot of the emotions you are describing. I, too, think you sound like you are experiencing burn out. I am going through a lot of these feelings, and I am a teacher, which is a large reason I am thinking of leaving teaching to become a nurse! I am tired and out of shape, and I have blamed the fact that when I get home from working a long day with kids, I then have to take a few hours to plan my next long day.... I constantly feel like there is work hanging over my head, and I am emotionally drained.
I guess my point is that you can become burnt out in any field, especially if you don't really want to be there. Feeling like you are where you belong can go a long way toward helping things look better. I hope that you can take some time off to rest and consider your feelings toward your job.
Funny timing of your post OP! I went out and bought wrinkle cream yesterday. I was just telling my husband how I think between nursing school and my first year of nursing (on nights) I look and feel so old and broken. My face looks tired all the time, and I need a whole day just to recover after working my three 12's. I feel 10 years older, my hair is more gray and my face looks awful. Most of the weight I actually gained during school & nclex prep but I literally cant drag myself to the gym on my days off. Ive started walking outdoors recently and the fresh air seems to be helping my mood. I miss the sunshine!
Question for all you nurses that agree that nursing ages you. Do you think if staffing levels were up that things would be better?
I personally believe that is the major factor in nurse dissatisfaction. When staffing is adequate and you have a reasonable nurse to patient ratio, you will still be very busy, but you are giving good care, not running around completely stressed out and verging on being unsafe. You feel fulfilled and good about what you are giving to your patients. You're far less likely to get injured, make mistakes, get angry with patients and family, or leave the field entirely. I wish the powers that be could get that. Happy nurses=good nursing care=increased patient/family satisfaction=good word of mouth in the community=more patients choosing your hospital=increased profits. But that takes a long term results philosophy on the part of administration and that seems to be sadly lacking. Immediate bottom line rules in most cases.
I would be willing to give up a little bit in salary in exchange for a decent nurse to patient ratio. I bet a lot of other nurses would be willing to do the same.
I have worked in LTC for 10 years, in the same facility (not for profit). I did the first 7 years on 3-11, a year on 11-7, and have been on 7-3 for the past 2. The year on 11-7 was awful. I felt like I aged 10 years in that one. But it is much better now that I am back on a fairly normal shift. Plus, I hate to brag but my nursing home has stable staff and kick @$$ staffing levels. At least double the state requirements. That is the biggest factor in maintaining my health and sanity.
I am wondering why I do this. I only make 18/hour as a RN after 2 plus years in the field. I can hardly make my bills. I have put on 45 pounds in 2 years of nursing. I do not eat bad. IT is just that I do not eat with my family. I cook great meals for them but I work night shift 7 - 7 but sometimes do not get out until after 9:30 am. We have so many needy patients. Tech jobs are getting cut so we also have to take all the little ladies to the bathroom during heavy med passess. I will be getting out in about a year. I refuse to live my life this way. I think I am also getting some kind of auto immune disease as my body itches and I have neuropathic pain all over. I don't get it!
but my nursing home has stable staff and kick @$$ staffing levels. At least
K1212
1 Post
I remember watching a video in school about Vietnam nurses. These were beautiful, thin, perky young women. But when you saw them interviewed in their 40s, they were fat, overly wrinkled, and kind of ugly. Beautiful on the inside, but it looked like nursing had let ALL of them age horribly! I see that most of the middle-aged nurses where I work are also unhealthy looking. And their mental health seems cranky, too.
Studies show that stress has a HUGE negative impact on every aspect of our lives. Take time to care for yourself. People who care for others often do so to make up for lack of self-love. It's sort of a downward spiral, because the more you move away from your "ideal" self, the harder it becomes to accept yourself for who you are. Stop trying to be a perfect nurse, stop defining yourself as an overworked nurse, stop trying so hard to please everyone else. Take your lunch breaks and laugh a lot. Don't let the system suck your soul dry.
And to all the nurses who like to hate on their patients about being drug addicts... well, I wish someone would give you a taste of your own medicine, because food addiction is just as destructive (with the exception that it has less stigma attached and thus isn't as detrimental to personal relationships). Addiction to television, the internet (so guilty), validation from men, etc. Addiction is just a way to mask the pain/uneasiness/emptiness that one experiences on a daily basis... Makes sense why nurses turn to unhealthy habits.