Does anyone feel burnt out who has only been a nurse for 3 years.

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Just wondering if you are feeling at a loss when it comes to nursing politics, nursing guidelines, and the do's/don'ts of nursing? I know I love to take care of patients and provide for their best interests. I have been a nurse for 3 years and feel like around every corner management is out to get you, the patient's get more and more resentful or ungrateful. The patient's would rather try to be mean or hit you in the face than be greatful. What does this mean? Why do I feel this way. I work in telemetry adult.

Specializes in Med-Surg.

I love nursing but there have been times when I've been close to burnout.

One thing that really helps me is vacations. I make sure I take at least two a year. Even if I don't go anywhere. In Sept. I'm taking two weeks off. This helps me to detox and recharge. Having a life outside of work helps as well.

Sometimes knowing when to change and when to hang on is important. I've been fortunate to stay at the same facility for 15 years but have changed job descriptions and units several times.

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Specializes in ortho/neuro/general surgery.

Yeah, been at it 3 years now and do at times feel burnt out.

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i have found i always start feeling this way when i haven't gone on vacation lately. seriously, you really must take a week off about every 6 months. i have only been a nurse for 4 years but i have definitely noticed an increase in pt/family demands beyond reasonable nursing care.

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Specializes in telemetry, oncology, med/surg.

Hello all,

Thank you for the help! I have gone on several mini-vacations throughout the year, butI don't know if that counts. I usually take the vacations and the last few days of vacation are spent worrying about the dreeded work that I must go back to. Managements ideas of customer service, I think, has really added alot of stressors to us as nurses. I agree that it has turned from emphasis on patient's health and well-being emotionally and physically, to "customer service" a kind of motiff you would expect to see in general orientation at "starbucks" or "kohls". I am sorry to say this, but the kind of care that rns provide doesn't come with a money back gartentee where you just bring your reciept back and you get your money back. We are dealing with people both patient's and staff members as a unit, not produce or merchandise. As human's we need to respect each other, management, staff rns, and patient's, to make a difference in the care of patient's, if you want to stay at the Hilton or buy a cup of coffee - go there, not to the hospital for "customer service". Is there anything I can do about my dilemma.

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I just wrote about this very same thing in another post; I have only been nursing just 4 years and I have switched units/specialities and hospitals 3 times. The hospital switches have mostly been because we moved but I changed my nursing specialty because of burnout. I thought maybe I wasnt meant for nursing since I was burnt out so early but now I realize alot of nurses feel this way and either end up grouchy or change their hours or units, etc.

I decided to work on two very different units (postpartum and med/surg) so that I can have a break from one or the other and not get so frustrated. Its working for me so far. Keeping skills up in med/surg and staying current with meds, diseases, etc. and enjoying more time for personal pt. care and teaching on the postpartum unit. Thankfully I work for a hospital that allows me to do this.

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