Does anyone else get emotionally exhausted from this job?

[RatherBHiking]

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?

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

1 hour ago, BiscuitRN said:

I'm so sorry. I can't imagine how difficult that has been. Today marks the 4th anniversary of my first pediatric patient death (I worked home health), and I think about all of those sweet children who have passed so often. Sympathy cards to parents is the card section everyone wishes didn't have to exist.

You have got that right!

[Forest2]

23 hours ago, MrNurse(x2) said:

This is a school nursing forum, 12 hour shifts are not an issue. The second part of your statement is false. I came into nursing in 1987, when 12 hour shifts were starting because nurses did not want to work 5 days, but wanted the income. Twelve hour shifts were much harder to cover for call outs and most places demanded you have a partner to cover the day, you had to mirror each other's schedule.

I was responding to the4ofus.

[Amethya]

I been feeling it more lately. Surprisingly, this is a good year because normally I would get like this before Christmas break, but not this year. I'm feeling a bit more tired but not frustrated and I feel calm.