Burnout or what

[sunshines66]

i have been in nursing for 18 years. all in critical care or emergency dept. i feel like every ounce of compassion and strength i have has been sapped. every day it seems there is more and more the hospital wants from me. no real break time. calls are forwarded to the break room during my lunch. patients becoming more cruel and demanding. the other day one of my patients felt i needed to be at the bedside all the time. at visiting time i was sitting at a desk outside my pts rooms charting on paper and the computer portion. i talked to the family outside of the pt room updated asked if they had any questions said i would be here if any came up. they talked to the pt. then i am suppose to be cruel and careless for not being with her all the time and just not just "sitting there". i try to be actively doing something (not sitting) when visitors come in but sometimes i have to sit to get charting done to be able to transfer someone out of the unit. my manager told me i need to spend more time helping others. i am trying to get my work done....not eating bon bons.... any one else having these troubles? what has worked to re-energize you in nursing? i have been tired and bummed before this is much different.

[sunshines66, BSN]

I am feeling much better now. I left the unit I was working in. I am currently doing travel nursing. I have gotten my "joy" back. That is I now am happy to see the new day, happy to go to work, enjoy my patients, can enjoy my days off. I didn't realize the effects my previous job was having with every aspect of my life. My dogs were not happy before. They were fast to go to their crate if they heard me move quickly or any loud noise, even if it didn't have anyhting to do with them. Now we are all good. I had developed a depression with it that did not help either. I did not work at all for 6-7 weeks, then I gradually increased back to a full time position. I saw a therapist, got medication, got out of the house more, walked, did relaxation exercises, got massages, cut my hair and got it colored at a salon. In short, I made myself the most important thing/person in the world. Even though I am single with 2 dogs I have never done that before. I am not saying I have become a self-centered &itch, I just am in the mix, much higher up the list of priorities.

I feel I still have the tendency to fall back into that same trap again but now I have several safe-guards in place. I have told my family to let me know whenever they see a change happen. I think we all thought this would get better on its own but it got worse every minute/hour/day.

THanks to everyone who gave me suggestions and hope. If anyone feels like I did, please get help and get out from under that oppressive cloud.

[LouleeRN]

So glad that you're feeling better!

[Diary/Dairy, RN]

So glad to hear that you found something that makes you happier!