Burnout!!! What To Do?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi all! I just wanted to get some ideas and advice on what to do. I'm experiencing bigtime burnout. Our department has gone through a big shakeup where we've lost several staff members and hired some new ones to replace those who are gone. I'm one of the only two nurses that have gone through the whole ordeal and am still there. I work in a diagnostic cath lab and it's the perfect job. Great hours, no weekends, no call and no holidays. I couldn't ask for better but I feel absolutely worn out because of the changes and stress that has gone on in the department.

I've been a nurse for 25 yrs and have done lots of things, mainly critical care nursing. I feel I'm at the end of my career since I can't think of anything else to do. I don't want to give up what I have but I sort of feel that I need to look at something OUTSIDE of nursing. I was working on my BSN online but my heart isn't in it for now so I'm taking a break from it.

Anyone have any ideas of other directions I could go?? I've done education, risk management, long term care insurance, etc..... I just need a break from the craziness!

Thanks!

Janie

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Specializes in LTC/hospital, home health (VNA).

Maybe home health. Either visits or shifts. You can have some control over your schedule. Plus, majority of your time is with patients not as much with other staff...thus further away from the "politics" I love it for all of the above reasons...as well as how rewarding I find it! Hope you find your "peace" soon.

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Switching from ER to home health was the best decision I ever made

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Specializes in LTC.

Tazzi and Dhyser took the words out of my mouth. :)

How about hospice care? Or even group home settings such as adult foster homes?

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I've done some home health prn and loved it. I haven't considered doing it full time because of the paperwork. Isn't there lots of paperwork? But all in all, that might be a consideration for me. I may have to look into it!

Thanks,

Janie

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Specializes in LTC/hospital, home health (VNA).

There is a decent amount of paperwork, but if you stay organized it doesn't seem to get too bad. I found if you do a good bit in the patient's home(we use computers) or pull off somewhere safe as soon as you leave and take 10 min or so that you really don't bring a whole lot home..unless you have admissions. But I feel that a little extra paperwork is WELL worth not having the constant stress/chaos of a busy floor all day long and then not having time to chart! It's worth a shot anyway. Good luck!

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

Wow, great minds think alike. When I was suffering a severe case of burnout I switched to Home Health. It's nursing best kept secret. :w00t:

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Hi TNnursejane. I went thru burnout and didn't realize it until it was too late. I worked many years in an intense environment until my mother suffered a debiliating stoke. It was hard to be a caretaker on my days off and then go back into the trenches to work. The decision was made to put my mom on Hospice, and both my husband and I went to work for them. We were both long time ICU, burn nurses and I cannot tell you the wonderful experience we both had during that time. Needless to say it was a big change, but it was one of the most rewarding experiences I have had in my nursing life. It was a tender time for me.

We are both back in a hospital environment, out of the big city into a rural setting. Sadly, there are just as many stressors and problems here as in the powder keg we left. More "politics" and disguntled employees here. Sad, but I just am not going to be part of anything that will "hurt" me again.

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Specializes in ICU, M/S,Nurse Supervisor, CNS.

Can you reduce your hours and work part-time in another area? I'm kinda going through something similar now, and this is what I've chosen to do. I currently work in ICU and love it, but am getting a little burnt out. Plus I'm in school working on a dual master's in nursing and health administration. So, to break up the monotony of bedside nursing and begin working my way up into a leadership position, I am looking for a supervisory type job, like nursing supervisor, charge nurse, or bedflow coordinator to work part-time, while remaining in ICU per-diem to maintain my clinical skills. I just don't want to get to a point of full burn out because I love this profession and intend in remaining in it until retirement. Good luck to you though.

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Maybe you should take some time off to recuperate from the stress, and then figure out what you want to do next.

Good luck

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Hi

Sounds like a difficult time for you. My colleauge and I have an article on Stress and Burnout that is due to be published in the next issue (Thursday) of 'The British Journal of Nursing'. The article is specifically looking at stress and burnout in forensic mental health nursing; however, alot of the reccomendations we have put foward I am sure would be useful for all nurses - it might be worth a quick look.

The referance for the article is:

Dickinson, T., & Wright, K. M. (2008) Stress and burnout in forensic mental health nursing: a literature review. The British Journal of Nursing 17 (2) pp. 82-87

Hope this helps

TD

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I'm taking a week off this month and a week off next month. We have a new supervisor and she would only let me take a week off at a time. I've sent my resume to the local hospital that has some home health and hospice openings. I may just go that direction. We'll see what happens!

Thanks again,

Janie

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