Does anyone else get emotionally exhausted from this job?

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I don't find my job too physically tiring at all but I am mentally drained by the end of the day. I find myself counting down to every day off, every holiday break, etc because I need it so bad. I'm sure it doesn't help that we have a higher percentage of kids living in poverty than not. I never seem to have energy to do anything fun either unless we happen to have a 3 day weekend. I spend so much time on the weekends catching up on housework and taking care of my own family and kids I don't have much time left over for anything extra. Does anyone else feel that way?

I definitely do. It always depends on the social/emotional issues I am dealing with with my students. And I haven't mastered the art of "not caring for the kids more than their parents do". I am working on it but it's hard. I am a mother myself and sometimes I just don;t understand the choices parents ,make.

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I was JUST --like 5 minutes ago-- saying to my husband how I walk out of my school so tired every day. I chalked it up to a few things: working 5 days a week after working just 3 days per week, bring a natural introvert and the amount of contact I now have and talking I do with students, and also just trying to make sense of things after having no orientation.

I feel better knowing that others leave feeling the same way as I do.

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Yes. Absolutely yes.

Last week I had a situation which involved a student that was self harming. It was heartbreaking. Having heard the parent say that boys will be boys...and seeing this kids arms... I left a meeting in tears after advising the parent that this was a serious situation. I’m fully backed by staff, but to hear a parent laugh and act as if we were all making a big deal out of nothing...I just felt helpless. I waited until I left the room, and locked my door. I cried until i heard the bell ring.

It does get to you. It’s mentally exhausting. ((Hugs))

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Specializes in School nursing.

YES. When I don't have plans after work I am asleep on my couch by 7 PM. I have nothing left.

But, I have learned to say "no" more in my 6th year - mainly to extra things I get asked to do. Emotional and mental health needs are very high in schools now, especially with older students that never learned great coping skills and are prepping to enter the real world with these "meh" coping skills. School focuses on academics and I find myself drained by the coping skills lack. I can't imagine how my poor counselor feels...

Still, I love this job and I'd rather do than work a shift at the hospital any day of the week.

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Specializes in kids.

Ugh...some days just are more difficult...just had a convo with a kid who is on Doxy and has an upset stomach...they did not eat a the right time to prevent said "vomiting" on the way to school. TC to the mom who agrees she did not see her vomit and I chuckled about #bigfootvomit, mom was not amused....sigh...

"Well, LD has a hx of stomach and other issues"

"Okay so do you want LD to go home? ...silence...My suggestion was crackers and give it an hour, which was agreed upon. 5 min later LD has a phone in hand and stated that mom was calling the front office to dismiss....

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Specializes in Peds.

I was just discussing this with another school nurse last week. I am emotionally drained every year but this year more than usual. It is so difficult to not get "attached" or invested in the students lives. I work at a school in a very low socioeconomical area. Many of our students have no parents, or parents in jail, or have been in abusive situations. My heart breaks for them and when they are not here I worry about what may have happened. A large part of my day is just being supportive and taking on the role of counselor. Some days are much more exhausting than running the floor at the hospital.

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21 hours ago, beachynurse said:

She doesn't want to hear that. When I tell her that she rolls her eyes and tells me how difficult I am. I can't stand it that she just barges into my office and will interrupt wheatever I'm doing to raise her voice at me. She has no experience in the medical field, and has no idea what responsibility we hold in our hands. We have to protect our licenses, the students, and the school. Thats a huge load to carry, and she doesn't get that by tryng to undermine me by trying to make me do soemthing that I simply can't do only makes her look foolish. I am sooooo exhausted just dealing with her...

Maybe she will get so mad she will fire you for standing up for what is right that you can sue her and retire. I would start keeping a record of her behavior, what she says, when, etc. and your response. sounds like a terrible boss. she has issues.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

When they try to demand you go against what is legal, tell them you need it in writing and proceed from there. If they are not willing to put it in writing they know darn good and well its illegal and if they are, you can escalate up the chain of command to get it addressed.

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Specializes in School Nurse.

I attribute my exhaustion to being "ON" - you cannot predict what will come through the door, therefore I feel that my adrenaline may be dispersed at a basal level (I have no idea if this is a real thing). When I get home and feel "OFF," I power down. No wine required.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

Sometimes school nursing is like a night of serious drinking...when you wake up extremely hung over the next morning, having to feel better to die, and swear you'll never drink again...then you feel better and forget about it.

Sometimes when I walk out at the end of a school day I think about getting my burlap sack and start picking up aluminum cans off the side of the highway, or putting in my application as a semen extractor on a turkey farm, or going to work on a crab fishing boat in the Bering Sea like on Deadliest Catch...but then I sleep and go back to school the next day ?

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
On 3/25/2019 at 10:06 AM, beachynurse said:

She doesn't want to hear that. When I tell her that she rolls her eyes and tells me how difficult I am. I can't stand it that she just barges into my office and will interrupt wheatever I'm doing to raise her voice at me. She has no experience in the medical field, and has no idea what responsibility we hold in our hands. We have to protect our licenses, the students, and the school. Thats a huge load to carry, and she doesn't get that by tryng to undermine me by trying to make me do soemthing that I simply can't do only makes her look foolish. I am sooooo exhausted just dealing with her...

She doesn't seem to understand the requirements of her own job. It's extremely low-functioning of her to want to please the parent in the moment while giving no thought to the larger ramifications. She needs to understand why the rules exist and what are the possible legal outcomes from breaking them.

Is there an administrative higher-up you could appeal to, so this person isn't constantly putting you between a rock and a hard place? She needs to start seeing the big picture.

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I feel so much better now that I realize this is pretty normal.

22 hours ago, tining said:

I attribute my exhaustion to being "ON" - you cannot predict what will come through the door, therefore I feel that my adrenaline may be dispersed at a basal level (I have no idea if this is a real thing). When I get home and feel "OFF," I power down. No wine required. 

I think there is something to this for sure!! I also think what Old Dude said is so spot on!?

4 hours ago, OldDude said:

Sometimes school nursing is like a night of serious drinking...when you wake up extremely hung over the next morning, having to feel better to die, and swear you'll never drink again...then you feel better and forget about it.

Sometimes when I walk out at the end of a school day I think about getting my burlap sack and start picking up aluminum cans off the side of the highway, or putting in my application as a semen extractor on a turkey farm, or going to work on a crab fishing boat in the Bering Sea like on Deadliest Catch...but then I sleep and go back to school the next day ?

YES!! I do the same thing. Wonder what else is out there then get home and decompress and enjoy the rest of the eve with the family in a normal way, completely forgetting about my job. Then the alarm goes off the next morning and I think ok here we go again....

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