Feeling burnt out

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I am lamenting my job these days... I am feeling so fed up with these kids and their arbitrary complaints.

Last week I had a girl in pretending to have visual/auditory hallucinations. Of course I can't say that I think she is faking it, but my experience and the convenient on/off quality of the hallucinations raise enough suspicion that I wanted to tell the girl to quit it and buck up. Meanwhile, I can't do anything else in my office or even really treat other kids because WHAT IF?? What if she isn't faking? What if she is experiencing an episode of psychosis? What if I ignore it? What if she leaves my office and hurts herself? What if.... argg!!!!!

Kid after kid crying about a belly ache and begging to have me call home for something that they never should have even left the classroom for.

I know I will stay because I am not giving up this schedule/pension. But I am so salty about it all for the whole last week. I need a vacation....

Edit to add- I am also fully aware that this is a stressful time in my personal life with holidays, graduate classes, single mom life, etc.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I wish I could give you a hug and a large glass of and a big box of high quality chocolate.

((((hugs))))

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.

The Oscar winning performances of some of these kids makes me really wonder what their home life is like. Sometimes you just want to call their bluff and call 911. That should get them the attention they are craving, especially as they sit in an ER for a few hours past when they would have been home from school. :roflmao: Focus on the kids that really need you, they will be the ones who let you reflect on why you do what you do. Hope that sunny days are coming your way.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Speaking of Oscar worthy performances I have a kid at my middle school with a SERIOUS attendance problem. We are almost at the end of our first quarter and this kid has spent less than 24 hours at school total. Every day it's a new ailment or injury or reason why she can't come to school. The latest is vomiting and diarrhea and fever that has been going on for about 3 weeks now. They doctor hop because their primary care physician is fed up and has told mom and dad that there is nothing wrong with her and that she is faking it. So they found a new doctor who admitted her to the hospital and ordered an upper GI AND colonoscopy. I'm very curious to see if the prospect of these tests suddenly cure her ailment.

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I'm sorry you're having a rough time. I totally get the frustration with the fakers. Because you have to play the what if game and no one else does! It takes a lot out of you. I hope it gets better for you soon.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

I totally feel you! These kids that come in with the litany of complaints can be completely exhausting and caregiver burnout makes you get to a point where you feel like you really could not care less about their vague complaint du jour. Sometimes I will put those kids on a regular call home plan under the premise of "FYI" and "Just wondering if you see this at home". Once the parent realizes that their little darling was in the clinic darned near every day it often ends toot sweet. It also helps if you can track a pattern of time. If you notice a trend (Jacob seems to come mostly at 3rd period or 7th period) the parent may have something to add to that (oh, well he's struggling in reading and science or he has those classes with his ex-girlfriend). I am positive you, dear Kidzcare are already implementing some of these techniques. I just wanted to remind you that it's not YOU. You, i am willing to bet, are doing the right things in your day to day practice. We are challenged by an educational system that is asking more and more of us, children that are being held less and less accountable, PARENTS that are being held less and less accountable and a society that wants to litigate if you do as much say something construed as unkind. I shudder when I think of the future run by these thin skinned snowflakes.

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Specializes in School Nursing, Hospice,Med-Surg.

Oh.my.gosh...I've wondered if anyone else is in the same boat as me.

With the change in leadership we've had it's given me such an attitude change at work (for the worse). Add on top of that serious problems in my marriage that have been building for YEARS. We've moved frequently for years so I really have no close friend here to talk to these things about. And I have a pre-teen daughter that thinks everything I say is basically stupid OR she's needy and crying a minute later. Then these kids ALL DAY LONG that have nothing wrong with them but just constantly want something.....AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!

I think I've reached nurse burn-out. I feel like I give, give, give constantly. If I'm not at work, then I'm at home doing laundry, cooking dinner, cleaning house. Or I'm driving girls to volleyball games, volunteering as line judge, or helping build the set for the upcoming musical, or feeding my neighbor's dog. Someone always wants something from me. But does anyone ever ask what I need?

Who takes care of the nurse? Who takes care of mom?

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Thank you all. I know this is a common complaint for caregivers. It's a job that is so emotionally demanding and while it gives back some personal satisfaction, that little amount does not always sustain us.

I think I've reached nurse burn-out. I feel like I give, give, give constantly. If I'm not at work, then I'm at home doing laundry, cooking dinner, cleaning house. Or I'm driving girls to volleyball games, volunteering as line judge, or helping build the set for the upcoming musical, or feeding my neighbor's dog. Someone always wants something from me. But does anyone ever ask what I need?

YES! THIS! Nurses are known for giving, giving, giving and being that kind of person is what attracts someone to the career in the first place. I know we have some incredible men/fathers who are also nurses and I mean no disrespect for their awesome role in raising kids but the pressure put on mothers to meet an impossible standard is the cherry on top of a stressful sundae. Big hugs to you!

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I am so happy I am not the only one feeling this way. This is my 11th year as a school nurse, mostly at the middle school level and the drama of it all is about to do me in. Out of 1300 kids, I see about 100 of the same faces rotating through weekly (or daily in some cases).

And the parents and the staff baby them so bad that who am I to tell them they can't have ant ice pack for a microscopic scratch??? That mean nurse, she actually thinks we should be in class!

And we have so many that are just too anxious to go to class so they hang out with the counselors all day until they get tired of babysitting and then they send them to me to babysit. Yet, I see them in the hall after school laughing and skipping down the hallway. And here is the deal, if you are anxious about going to class, sitting out for days on end is not going to cure it! Face your fears and get an education people!!!

Not only does it make our jobs so hard but I worry about the future of our society. These kids will be running the country someday. Oh my, the government will have to shut down for every sniffle, sneeze and hangnail!

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Yes to all of the above!!!

:snurse:

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YES!! Year 13 for me, and 90% of the time, what I'm seeing are kids who don't want to be in class. Like a PP said, same kids rotating through every week. I'm tired of seeing everyone bend over backwards to keep them happy, after all, we need to make school fun for them!

There are just enough of those who I can really make a difference for that keeps me there.

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

I can't believe the crap you all have to put up with. I've never been a school nurse (and won't be applying to be one anytime soon). I've never even been to a school that had a school nurse. And we all lived! I did not walk through the halls stepping over dead classmates. I think it's really nice for schools to have nurses but you all need way more support than you're getting.

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