Fight burnout but pay bills?

Published

Specializes in Neuro.

Hey all,

I'm not a nurse (yet) but I work as a home health aide and am having some major work burnout issues I need to handle ASAP. The good news is I'm quitting my jobs in August when nursing school starts, but I'd prefer to not have a nervous breakdown before then, y'know? Here's my current work situation:

I have a part-time (min 20hr/wk) position at a retirement community 15 miles from home. I work every other weekend. Most shifts are from 7a-11a or 8a-12p because we primarily do AM ADLs, plus one person works 6p-10p for PM ADLs. I do not have much opportunity to work nights lately because my manager tries to accomodate school schedules for people who go to class during the day, so I tend to work 5-7 days a week for 4 hours at a time. While it's nice having afternoons off, I am usually exhausted from waking up at 5:30am every single solitary day, and even if I work 7 days a week (28hr/wk), I don't make enough to pay bills, and my manager can't guarantee me more than 20 hours reliably. If I do work nights, it's usually a split shift from 7a-11a and 6p-10p, which is pretty exhausting in and of itself.

So to alleviate my financial stress, I got a PRN job at another home care agency, where I see patients in my own town. I am required to work every other weekend (so I work there on the weekend I am "off" from the other job), and have a pt MWF afternoons and one TR afternoons, so I am seeing patients with them 7 days a week, even if I'm off at the other job.

My manager at my first job talked to me over the phone this morning and told me we need to sit down and go over my schedule because it's obvious I'm burned out (I burst into tears in a pt's room Thursday morning for no apparent reason), but I don't know how I can fix my schedule so I have time off (which would reduce my stress) but still make enough money to pay my bills (which would also reduce my stress).

I just don't know what to do. Yesterday was my first day off from both jobs in over 3 weeks (both jobs tried to call me into work anyway, but I was strong and said no), and now that I've picked up the MWF afternoon pt, I am working every single day, probably until I quit in mid-August or find some way to reassign my pts. Having two jobs is incredibly stressful, but I can't figure out a way to make enough money with just one without working every day (which I've managed to end up doing anyway).

Any advice, words of encouragement, etc., are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PCU, Critical Care, Observation.

Perhaps you should find a temporary job in something other than healthcare that will allow you to work more than 4 hours at a time while you're in school. It's no wonder that you're burned out if you're working 7 days a week...that's way too much for anyone.

Or maybe you could handle one of those jobs paired up with a non-healthcare job until you figure something else out. I don't think working 7 days a week is healthy. The stress will eat you up alive after awhile.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi! I feel your stress and exhaustion. Have you thought about working agency in your area? I was in the same predicament when I graduated from nursing school and had to start paying back student loans and wanting to live decent. When I would work agency, I would make in one 12-hour shift what I would make in 3 12-hour shifts at my regular job. I eventually ended up going full-time agency and prn staff nurse. Agency usually pays on a daily or weekly basis and you work the shifts you want and the places. You could also work more than just 4 hours at a time. If you don't need the insurance, agency is the way to go or some of them even offer insurance these days. It sounds like you have great experience and are good with the patients. Good luck with whatever you do and congratulations on starting nursing school in August.:)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LDRP.

You could do weekends only at a local hospital or nursing home. Saturday/Sunday for 16 hours each day, if you're brave, or what some do to accomodate school is 3p-11p friday, then 7a-7p sat and sun for a total of 32 hours a week.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neuro.

The only difficulty with getting a new job is that I'm going to have to quit it in August, and most employers don't want to incur the cost of hiring/training me only to have me quit a few months later. I feel it would be dishonest to take a job without revealing that information. My second job I just started in April, and they wouldn't let me be anything other than PRN because they couldn't justify hiring a PT or FT person for 5 months.

I'm glad that y'all agree I'm nuts for trying to maintain this type of schedule.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Education, Administration, Magnet.

When you quit in August, who will take care of the bills? Can you get that help now instead of August?

I have another suggestion for you. A lot of hospitals hire students only for the summer. Maybe you can try to find one in your area that does.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion