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Discussion

Fortunate

After less than four years in nursing, I am burned out. I have been through one job nightmare after another, and while some have put things in perspective (the worst part of my job at one point was the chaos of self-scheduling? Oy), some have made me realize that yes, things can get worse, and they just did, and it's not okay.

Lately I've been feeling stressed out and burned out. Things went from really good to really bad really fast, and as always, management says "It will do you no good to leave. This is how it is everywhere." That may be true, but I don't believe it is, and I'm about to find out.

But I have been fortunate.

I've never been unable to feed myself or pay my rent or get my car repaired.

I had trouble working up the courage to apply for work after the NCLEX, but I've never been unable to find work. It wasn't always the best work, but I've learned from the experiences and moved on to better ones.

I may not have been able to pick and choose exactly which job I take, but I've never had to move to find work.

I've never been told "We like you, but we need a BSN."

Yes, nursing has its issues. I could tell you firsthand about many of them. But right now, I want to look at the good things, which I've also experienced firsthand. Having a reliable income. Having four days off a week. Seeing a wound heal. Getting a BP out of the toilet. Helping a patient understand a medical concept. Being given a hug and a "Thanks for all that you do."

How have you been fortunate as a nurse?

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    Here's a little bit of background...I spent my growing-up years in a financially-stressed household. My parents lived from paycheck to paycheck. Part of it was due to their precarious situations in the entry-level labor market, whereas another part of it was related to my father's cocaine habit. When someone in the household must feed a drug addiction, lots of money goes up in smoke.

    The refrigerator and cupboards were sometimes empty, so I occasionally missed meals and experienced hunger. The electricity was once disconnected, as was the phone. These experiences caused me to become jaded and reluctant to depend on others to get my needs met. Anyhow...

    Nursing has enabled me to escape the precarious, on-the-edge life that characterized my early years. I have enough money saved to go several years without working if I wished. I do not live from paycheck to paycheck. I can eat what I want whenever I want it. I do not need to contend with the low-paying entry-level labor market like the masses of Americans who are unfortunate to only have a HS diploma or GED.

    Nursing has enabled me to advance my education and achieve some career mobility. For all of these things, I am fortunate to be a nurse.

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