ER Burnout

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Specializes in Emergency, neonatal, pediatrics.

So after working two years in the same ER, I feel as though I'm finally reaching burn-out. I've worked every variation of shifts - all day light, all night turn, weekend only - and nothing seems to make any difference. My coworkers, for the most part, are decent people but a lot of them seem to feel the same way I do. Good people who I have looked up to, with years of experience, are leaving. To replace them, we're hiring people with no experience. We're too inadequately staffed to do things correctly. I'm terrified I'm going to make a mistake that will hurt someone. Last night I had two patients come in almost simultaneously, without prior notification by EMS, in flash pulmonary edema. One stabilized with BiPAP and a nitro drip, and the other with just the nitro but things could have gotten a lot worse easily. I feel like my nurse manager portrays the situation less than accurately to the ED director so he in turn thinks things are peachy keen for nursing. The place is a disaster waiting to happen.

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So after working two years in the same ER, I feel as though I'm finally reaching burn-out. I've worked every variation of shifts - all day light, all night turn, weekend only - and nothing seems to make any difference.

My coworkers, for the most part, are decent people but a lot of them seem to feel the same way I do. Good people who I have looked up to, with years of experience, are leaving. To replace them, we're hiring people with no experience. We're too inadequately staffed to do things correctly. I'm terrified I'm going to make a mistake that will hurt someone.

Last night I had two patients come in almost simultaneously, without prior notification by EMS, in flash pulmonary edema. One stabilized with BiPAP and a nitro drip, and the other with just the nitro but things could have gotten a lot worse easily. I feel like my nurse manager portrays the situation less than accurately to the ED director so he in turn thinks things are peachy keen for nursing. The place is a disaster waiting to happen.

This is why nurse's burnout. My unit is also losing every experienced nurse ahead of me (just about) - it's very demoralizing because it's a constant 'brain drain'.

I'm beginning to thing this is nursing today - and it's why the 'nursing shortage' is more like nurses just leaving because they can't take it anymore.

I hang in there but I have my days sometimes ... and I'm scared too lately because we have more inexperienced RNs than those with experience.

Also - many who have left this past year got out of the hospital completely.

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Specializes in Peds ED, Peds Stem Cell Transplant, Peds.

I understand. I had surgery today, taking 4-6 weeks FMLA, hoping that the rest will help with the burnout.

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Burnout is one of the major problems in my ER. We are always short RN's and Techs. We have nurses and techs leaving by the handful. It is nothing to see 25+ patients per RN in a busy shift. The management is not supportive at all, if anything happens it is always the nurses fault.

Where I have been working is always out of supplies, meds you name it. It is a place that is waiting for a disaster to happen and then everyone will go down with it and the administration will be no where around to stand up for thier staff.:angryfire

I worked a shift recently that went to H*** in a handbasket and fast, the charge nurse had been a LPN for 3 years, just got her RN had it for 3 weeks, I was the senior nurse with 1 1/2 yrs experience, had 2 that had 6 months and to top it off had 2 orientees. Was a bad night several traumas, several codes, you name it I think that everyone knew our staffing and came in that night. I swore that I would never be in that position again.:down:

Today is my last shift as an ER nurse at this facility, I can hardly wait for it to end. I am going to start doing travel nursing, hopefully it won't be as bad.:balloons:

I figure that it is possible that my worst day at a different facility will be my best day where I have been at. :lol2::balloons:

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Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.

Sorry your having a rough time, maybe a counselor would help to talk through it

In the great word and example set by me

"You can do only one thing at a time" Or as I hum to myself " One step at a time"

Drives my coworkers a little nutty. But deep down Im speaking the truth. I truly am. Call for help when you need it. Nothing wrong there. We are Human.

Me I get my counseling on a Golf Course

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"You can do only one thing at a time" Or as I hum to myself " One step at a time"

I like that quote. Actually my burnout ended last night or rather this morning when I turned my badge into the nurse manager. Got my farwells said, and walked out the door. It was such a feeling of relief. Now on to the next great adventure.

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Specializes in ER/ medical telemetry.

i think nursing is challenging esp. in a busy er.

there can be some very bad days, and some are not so bad.

i myself would not stay in a place that is dangerous and unreasonable.

it is not worth your health as well as those you are taking care of...

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If you're getting the symptoms of burnout:

Fatigue even though you've slept for a million hours,

Irritablility,

Cynicism,

Impatience,

Indifference,

Numb,

extremely Low stress tolerance.... etc.

TAKE TIME OFF! You'll be back in the game afterwards.

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I feel your pain! The last ER I worked in was just as you describe yours and I'm afraid it's becoming the norm across the country, sad to say.

Every shift I worked, I felt that my license was on the line. One thing I wish I had done before I left was to journal after each shift I worked...I was always too tired and stressed-out to do it, but if you want to present your case to management, it helps to have lots of real examples...maybe jot down just the facts, ratios, assignments...leave the emotions, finger-pointing, etc. out...I hope you can hang in there and not just throw in the towel like I did...I should have fought for things to get better...in hindsight, I may have shot myself in the foot, so to speak.

Best of luck to you....

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Specializes in Psch, Emergency, Diabetes Resource.

Dearest and Best of Nurses,

Maybe you would be happier in a military setting as a contractor. I have found this to be the premium place to practice emergency nursing. As a health conscious woman, as well as someone who enjoys teaching preventive health care to communities, the world of the military offers a pleasant employment. I will never go back to low level care again! There is plenty of help most of the time AND the environment is comprised of healthy young warriors who want to perform. This is totally contrary to the civilian health systems, especially in a rural setting where the obese, smokers/dippers take their breaks hourly and don't give a flip about the other staff. If we are to be nurses, let's be examples of positive living. Don't settle for less!

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Specializes in ER.
So after working two years in the same ER, I feel as though I'm finally reaching burn-out. I've worked every variation of shifts - all day light, all night turn, weekend only - and nothing seems to make any difference. My coworkers, for the most part, are decent people but a lot of them seem to feel the same way I do. Good people who I have looked up to, with years of experience, are leaving. To replace them, we're hiring people with no experience. We're too inadequately staffed to do things correctly. I'm terrified I'm going to make a mistake that will hurt someone. Last night I had two patients come in almost simultaneously, without prior notification by EMS, in flash pulmonary edema. One stabilized with BiPAP and a nitro drip, and the other with just the nitro but things could have gotten a lot worse easily. I feel like my nurse manager portrays the situation less than accurately to the ED director so he in turn thinks things are peachy keen for nursing. The place is a disaster waiting to happen.

find a new ED to work in - it'll help change your attitude and your perspective. I felt that way in my last job - and moving to a new area, with a large ED, with plenty of staff and variety of experienced nurses really changed my perspective. I don't feel like I'm hanging on by a thread with no support, just waiting for something bad to finally happen. Move on, see what's out there - you wouldn't regret it. Plus, all the bad that you have experienced really will make you a better nurse....

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Specializes in ER.
Burnout is one of the major problems in my ER. We are always short RN's and Techs. We have nurses and techs leaving by the handful. It is nothing to see 25+ patients per RN in a busy shift. The management is not supportive at all, if anything happens it is always the nurses fault.

Where I have been working is always out of supplies, meds you name it. It is a place that is waiting for a disaster to happen and then everyone will go down with it and the administration will be no where around to stand up for thier staff.:angryfire

I worked a shift recently that went to H*** in a handbasket and fast, the charge nurse had been a LPN for 3 years, just got her RN had it for 3 weeks, I was the senior nurse with 1 1/2 yrs experience, had 2 that had 6 months and to top it off had 2 orientees. Was a bad night several traumas, several codes, you name it I think that everyone knew our staffing and came in that night. I swore that I would never be in that position again.:down:

Today is my last shift as an ER nurse at this facility, I can hardly wait for it to end. I am going to start doing travel nursing, hopefully it won't be as bad.:balloons:

I figure that it is possible that my worst day at a different facility will be my best day where I have been at. :lol2::balloons:

that's considered experienced nurses in your ER...? wow. That makes me cringe.

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