Nursing burnout and what to do?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Oncology, Med-Surgical.

Hi everyone,

I'm currently working at a hospital on a Oncology/Med Surg floor. Our patient ratios get pretty high on evenings. Most of the time ranges from 7-9. And with Oncology patients that can get rough. I've been at this hospital for a year now and am burnt out. I was thinking of going registry, cause I have hired somewhere else registry five minutes from my home. It's a smaller hospital and the patient ratios don't go above five. The nurse manager is really hands on and they have a lot of incentives when they need nurses to do overtime. It's just the adjusting to a new place )they have paper charting and I'm so used to computers!) and they don't use Pyxis either, they still do the manual narc counts. And the people are not as friendly--they are nice, but not like my place now. So I'm at a loss as to what to do. If I go registry, I'm afraid I won't get the hours I need to pay my bills and we are saving for a house so I don't want to just be worrying about if I'm going to get my hours.

Do any of you work registry? Does it work out?

I talked to my nurse manager yest and called her this am. Yesterday the charge nurse slammed me with admit after admit. I had three discharges, and I know I had the least amount of patients but I thought it was totally unfair. I only have problems with this one charge nurse. It's like I'm totally overwhelmed when she is on. How do you deal with this?

Please advise!!!!

:eek: :eek: :eek:

Amy

Hi Amy,

I hear you saying alot of things here.

First the burnout. burnout does not mean you have to leave your job, it may mean you need to take a break from the situation, oncology can be stressful in itself, giving so much emotion, in addition to the physical and spiritual aspects. What do you do to take care of you, how do you refuel? Isn't it interesting that with all the training we receive, there is not alot of emphasis on how to empathize properly?

Second. Are you a person that welcomes change? You mentions "things" about the other hospital, charting, etc, are you resisting the change? Sometimes the unknown can be frightening, and no one place, will be everything to everybody.

You simply have to do what is best for you, as the old saying goes, "If you don't take care of yourself, you cannot take care of others"

I don't work registry, but am a senior nurse and have experienced enough. About the nurse you have problems with, can you be specific? What is it that overwhelms you?

Can you name specifically what it is that is burning you out? the patients? the hours? the environment? the co-workers?

I'll help if I can, let me know.

Other than that, hang on, take a deep breath and take one day and one situation at a time. ((( ))) hope to hear from you. keep us updated.

Ursula gave some excellent advice! Just remember there are many who look up to you for power and help. I envy you for being an RN, and just remember how hard that was to achieve. You have come so far so well. Burnout? That is such a cool word. It can mean so much. People don't burn out like matches or candles. People can adapt and keep freshness going.

After working in med/surg for one year now as a CNA, I think about emotions, and illness/death differently now. It can well up in you when you see the nuts and bolts of other people get loose.

I wish I did what you did...have an RN. Give yourself big credit due.

Specializes in MS Home Health.

I cannot respond about the registry but I wanted to commend you for taking care of hem/onc patients. I did it for 6.5 years. Hats off to you!

renerian:D

Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

I could only handle oncology for a year. I went into the inhouse float pool and then to permanent position in ortho. Oncology can burn every bit of you.

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You may try what I did.After 15 years as an ICU nurse,and then a house sup,I got tired of all the BS,families,death,working short,never hearing a kind word,and went into invasive radiology(and I love it).I largely place PICC lines,assist with procedures and conscious sedation.Things change continuously,and you only have to see your patients for a brief period of time.You still get the rewards of patient contact,helping them through the procedure,pt education,as well as the high tech stuff,without a lot of the crap.(you Do have to take call,but it is a small price to pay)There is a former hem-onc nurse who puts in picc lines with me.she misses the patients(but not the VOLUME)

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