Nursing Burnout...

2006RNCS · May 20, 2008

At some point with the shortage, short staff, low pay etc...burnout comes upon you like a thief in the night...I love nursing but lately its becoming more and more stressful what do you all do to alleviate nursing burnout?
thanks for the replies:redbeathe

Hi! I wish I could tell you what is good to do, because I am in the same boat as you. I have only been a nurse for 2 years, and I am at the end of my rope. I believe I was called to be a nurse, but I am so frustrated with all the same issues as you. It is SO stressful, and a lot of it has to do with co-workers! So many of them are past the point that they should have quit nursing. There are so many backstabbers and miserable people in nursing. But, there are really good hearted, excellent nurses out there, too.

Please someone offer some advice to help us out! Thanks!:heartbeat

GrumpyRN63, ADN, RN · May 21, 2008

I found changing jobs to work. I have worked in the same dept for most of my 20 yrs, finally burnt out last fall, I still stayed at the same dept, love my pts, work and other staff, but couldn't stand the PR, negativity from management, politics anymore. I went perdiem, but because I Need to carry the benefits, took a weekend baylor position. I am happy with the best of both worlds. Get my benies, work min at the hospital. I don't think I can do either anymore on a full time basis, but I have a week off btwn one job to mentally recharge and when I go in perdiem, I'm out of the BS of the politics, good luck

Conqueror+, BSN, RN · May 21, 2008

I burned out after about ten years and took 6 months off. It worked wonders. If you can't do that try a change of shift, facility transfer, or a new specialty. I actually burnout easily but I do travel nursing and work alot of 24 for 36 weekend programs etc.. when on staff and it keeps it all interesting and casual. "Familiarity breeds contempt"

BradleyRN · May 21, 2008

Working PRN is the greatest! If you dont have a family that needs insurance, the pay increase is usually enough to buy your own policy and still have extra money coming in. That way you can work when you want, and be off when you want. That freedom alone makes everything so much better.

Conqueror+, BSN, RN · May 22, 2008

AMEN TO THAT !! :bow:

jodi_cmsrn · May 22, 2008

Sometimes changing shifts can help too. I was pretty stressed last fall, and was asked to help cover some shortages on night shift for a month . . . nine months later and I am going to go back and try days again . . . our unit and patients are a completely different world at night.

TazziRN, RN · May 22, 2008

I burnt out but didn't see it until I was within the throes. My solution was to change specialties, something I should have done a long time ago.

thedeeperwell · May 22, 2008

I have been a nurse for 39 years and during most of these years I have been working hand in hand with burnout. Nursing is hard work no matter what kind of nursing you are practicing.

I have a theory that nursing burnout is an off shoot of the "non-healing" aspects of what we call our health care system. We do not invite our patients to tap into the core healer within themselves, or within ourselves for that matter. We see them as ICD9 codes or room numbers or "that grouchy old man or old woman" or another mess for us to clean up or the patient with 30 pills to swallow a day. We decide what is best for them. We label them as non compliant or trouble makers. We take their power away, we ignore their dignity, and we find our own power and dignity diminished.

We don't touch our patients. We don't give them baths which allows us time to give them some kindness while assessing skin integrity. We don't even touch them to do vital signs anymore, letting machines do it all.

We don't look our patients in the eyes.

We are in one patient's room with our task list to do, while thinking of all the other patients on our list, so we do not actually spend time in the present moment with our patient (not so good on our adrenal glands either.)

We have lost the human spirit element of nursing because we are just too darn busy, short staffed, and exhausted.

And we don't treat each other with kindness..............

So, what to do??? Start with yourself, offer kindness to yourself. Listen to yourself. Give yourself honest feedback. Learn about the essence of service. Don't let yourself get away with meanness or complacency or disrespect or apathy.

Start with small steps and small smiles and slow breaths and change your day one tiny minute at a time.

We nurses are the ones who can change our burnout. As the Hopi elders tell us, "We are the ones we have been waiting for........."

wanderlust99 · May 22, 2008

I feel it too. It usually passes. I go thru a months of hating my job and hating nursing and patients...then I start to like my pts & job again. This is why I plan on trying traveling...I'm just so sick of management & all the other crap...I must leave or I will go crazy and quit nursing for good!

Good luck to you.

Tait, MSN, RN · May 22, 2008

I keep all my compliments/thanks from patients in my work binder and when I get stressed I open it up and read for a quick pick-me-up!