How to get back the love for bedside

[garn12]

I don't know if it's just me but it seems as time progresses I get more and more annoyed with bedside nursing. Everything irritates me and I just don't find it exciting anymore. I dont feel like I once did as a brand new nurse. Most of the time I feel i'm just at a job pushing paper, double charting just to clock out and do it all over again. I'm exhausted from the physical and mental demands. Has anyone been able to regain that passion they had in bedside nursing after it's gone? Even after taking a week or two off I comeback and i'm just tired and over it. I look at my co-workers and they seem to be stress-free or at least are able to mask it well. I dont want to give it up because im not ready for a 9-5 or a pay cut but i'm not really happy anymore.

[anon456, BSN, RN]

I recognized awhile back that I was getting compassion fatigue, anxiety and a touch of PTSD from some of the things I was seeing in the patients, and not enough sleep. And yes, on top of that, the double charting, high work loads and such. I took advantage of our facility's mental health program and go some counseling and it helped a lot. I hope you are able to feel better soon.