How do you manage your anger and frustration at work?

[ok2bme]

I started my first nursing job in January at a psychiatric hospital. It's a great fit, as I have a bachelor's in psychology as well as nursing. I like my job and my coworkers for the most part.

Well my hospital has a lot of meetings, often consuming 1/3 of your day. My preceptor and I both decided that it would be better for me to stay on the floor, to get more experience. The problem is that every other nurse goes to the meetings, leaving me to manage all 23 patients by myself. There are Techs, but they are usually on transports. Today it was chaos while everyone else was in a meeting, just me on the floor, no other nurses, no techs. The lab called me with critical and "panic" lab values, pts impatiently wanted prns, rounding q15 minutes, pt having an acute panic attack, phone ringing off the hook, orders to be verified, etc. When everyone got out of the meeting I was fuming, and started cursing while explaining how hectic it was. This is not the first time they left me alone, but it was the most chaotic.

I know I didn't handle it professionally. How do you handle your anger and frustration? And/or any advice for me?

Thank you!!!!!

[pinkiepie_RN]

As a new grad with 8 months of experience on psychiatry, I would be overwhelmed if I were on day shift and left completely alone with a unit of 23 patients. I think you were right to be fuming. Does this happen every day?

[ok2bme]

Thanks dolce. It usually does happen everyday, but usually there is skeletal staff on the floor, not just me. So while it is still hectic it's not pandemonium. I read on these forums how stressed new nurses are..for better or worse my stress turns into anger. Instead of being stressed over my high pt load, I am ticked at stingy management and their sucky staffing, etc.

Thanks everyone and please add your input!

[pinkiepie_RN]

Thanks dolce. It usually does happen everyday, but usually there is skeletal staff on the floor, not just me. So while it is still hectic it's not pandemonium. I read on these forums how stressed new nurses are..for better or worse my stress turns into anger. Instead of being stressed over my high pt load, I am ticked at stingy management and their sucky staffing, etc.

Thanks everyone and please add your input!

I know how that gets with the hectic environment, even with support staff. I just can't imagine one nurse on a psych floor during the day being responsible for the whole floor. How long are these meetings and what do they entail? Why do all the other staff attend them? What would they do without you to watch the floor?

As for actually managing the anger and frustration, venting here on AN is helpful and I also try to do some deep breathing when things get rough at work. Sitting in on group therapy allows you to pick up some coping skills you might not normally think of too.

[shoegalRN, RN]

I don't work in Psych, but in ER. When I'm feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, I tend to "joke" and try to make light of it. That way, I won't come off looking flustered, although, I feel that way. I do really well at keeping my cool under pressure and working with a poker face.

Last weekend, I was getting killed in the ER, but I kept my smile and I would often joke saying "who in the hell did I p*ss off?" Or "is this karma for something I did in another life?" My favorite line "If you need me, I'll be crying in a pillow in an empty room". My co-workers are great, we all get a laugh out of it, sometimes even the docs and then we hit the grind.

That's how I deal with stress at work.

[Jules A, MSN]

Heck if it weren't for the accepting atmosphere for cursing in psych I'd have to find another speciality. You sound justified but if that is the way they run things you will have to either get used to it, and it will get easier as you get more experienced, or find another job because constant griping even justified won't earn you any brownie points with mgt. Its kind of a shame but if you can't get used to it I'd find another job because it is doubtful that things will change.

[BEDPAN76]

Find a paychiatrist that you think you could talk to. Start seeing him/her in their office and tell what you have told here. If you are lucky you will get a script for a low dose of an SSRI such as Zoloft. and maybe a prn Xanax for work (low dose). Hang in there and try not to let your anger come through as you are bound to **** off someone sooner or later! Afrocentric above had a great coping mechanism-----Laughing and joking your way through it all.

Hang in there and keep on posting to let us know how you are getting along.

[ok2bme]

Thanks everyone! I will definitely try to use humor to manage these feelings. And Dolce I should add that three Techs were with me, but one was on 1:1, one responded to a code on another unit and attended the processing afterwards, and one took some patients to the gym. I talked to my nursing colleagues and today another nurse stayed with me during a meeting. Thanks all for the comments so far! :)

[surferbettycrocker]

i cuss at work. alot. not to anybody just to myself, i try not to cuss out loud just mouth the cuss words. i used to use 'replacement' cuss words with no relief. i realize its not professional but boy it feels good.

imagine u need low dose xanax to get through a shift at work?

thats enough to get me looking into another field!!

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

I don't think this is your problem, and I certainly don't think you need to take meds to get through the day because your employer is using and abusing you. You really need to have a discussion with your preceptor about this, and if nothing is done to give you more support during these meetings then you need to take it to management. It is not only frustrating for you to be left alone when you are so new, but it could potentially be dangerous for your, the other staff, and the patients on the unit. You are not the problem, the way you are being treated is the problem. You really need to stand up for yourself. If these are unit meetings, then presumably as an employer they are talking about things that concern you. Ask that staff members are rotated to remain on the floor during these meetings so that you can start participating as a fully-fledged staff member - which you are by the way! Start owning your position! I think it is a total blow off for your preceptor to suggest that they are dumping this on you because you will "get more experience" staying on the unit. I'm sorry but that's just BS. They really need to start respecting you as a new team member, not treat you like a newbie that they can dump on.