Hospice nurse burnout: ER?

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I am an RN with 2 years of nursing experience. My first job was in a nursing home because it was the only available job, but I loved it. The only reason why I left was because I was recruited by a hospice nurse I had interacted with for my first job. She was opening hospice new to the area and other than her I was the only nurse. We have grown in the last year from 3-16 patients. There has been a lot changes within the company (from oru managing branches) during that time. I have been hired, fired (for lack of patients), re-hired (with a 6 mo contract), promoted, demoted, re-promoted, and side stepped. In addition the nurse who hired me (and partial owner) has also had a lot of up and down as far as what the greater company allows her to do. During the whole time, I have been the primary nurse seeing most, if not all, patients, and most of the time managing the other staff of aides, chaplin, and SW. We currently have another nurse who has taken on the role of the nurse-owner, while she goes and attempts to find us more patients so we can grow as a company. At all times on-call has been shared 50/50, so that means I spend half of my time on call. While we only get a few calls a month, it's still exhausting knowing you must keep your phone on you and you might have to stop whatever you are doing and leave at any time.

Basically I'm burned out. I love doing hospice, it's what I've always wanted to do. I love my patients, I love how I get to know them, I love what we offer. However, I'm at a point, where I don't want to hospice anymore. I feel like I need to step away from it for now before I loose all my passion.

I have gotten an offer from another contact to help me get into an ER position. I've known many nurses to go from ER to hospice and say it was the best decision they have ever made. Any suggestions on the other way around Hospice to ER? How do I prove to the person who interviews me that I am worthy?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Wow! I am sure that anyone would be really burnt out due to the instability & constant change in job circumstances that you have experienced. What a mess!

ED is a polar opposite of hospice. Very rapid pace, high-demand and much more emphasis on task proficiency than you're used to. If you're looking for a change, this would be a big one.

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Specializes in Pre-hospital, ER, ICU and PACU.

You say in your post you like to get to know your patients, psyco/social issues, family etc. That does not happen in the ER. Of you will have your regulars but it has been my experience that I have not enjoyed getting to know them. You have very little time to address anything beyond keeping them alive, discharge home vs. getting them off to the floor.

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