I do not care anymore

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Do any of you have trouble caring about what patients, residents, or anybody does anymore?

Today the nurse on 3rd shift was telling me that so and so just will not get out of bed anymore. All I could do is look at her and say I do not care.

If she wants to lay in that bed and rot let her. I have talked until I am blue in the face with this A&O X 3 resident and she chooses to not get out of bed. I am sick and tired of teaching people and they do not do a single thing I ask them to do.

I think that the residents, management, and my co-workers have sucked the passion of nursing out of me to the point that I do not think that I will ever care about a whole lot again. The well of compassion is dry and I do not think that it will ever fill up again. Oh, I will give good nursing care to my residents and their needs will be met one way or another, but that little bit extra will not be there. This breaks my heart in a way, but I can no longer get enough energy to do anything about it.

What do the rest of you do when you can no longer give a care anymore?

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I am taking some time off soon. However, I have been feeling this way for about 6 months now, so I am not sure that I will feel better afterwards.

I just do not understand this because when I worked as an aide I did not feel this way. I worked so hard to become a nurse and I just do not have that passion for it anymore. In fact, it is becoming so bad that on my days off I can not stand having to interact with people. Of course, I love my children and husband, they are the only exception to the no people rule. I do not want to be with friends or in the general population due to the effort I have to put forth to tolerate them. Everyone just wants a piece of me and I have nothing else to give. I am so weird.

I am the same way. I have a low tolerance for constant interaction and too much stimulus. Thank God for caller ID! I start my own vacation tomorrow and plan to go to a QUIET place without too much interaction with people.

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Specializes in LTC, Home Health.

Time off is great, and it helps, at least for awhile. But a more permanent change may be something to think about. LTC is not what it used to be years ago, and it can be a very soul sucking experience. You're not wierd, you're human. I wish to God I had gotten out of nursing a long time ago. Don't wait to make a change, like I did, and get to the point where you can't go to work without your anti-anxiety meds. It's not worth it.

Good Luck and Best Wishes,

Auntie

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I understand you are burnt out, and maybe you do need a vacation. But you have worked entirely too hard to get were you are. I am in my prereq going into micro next quarter. you are where i am trying to get. It's hard but if you didnt want it you wouldnt have gotten this far. Your career is more important than trying to please people that dont appreciate your work. Move on, dont put your eggs in one basket with a patient ignorance. I definetly wouldnt let a couple of bad experieces determine weither I quit or proceed in something that I've worked hard for, you've gotten opportunities to get a job in a secure field where there are nurses who havent even worked yet. Dont take it for granted. Becuase there are others out their like me who is willing to lake it from you !

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Specializes in ICU.

Spoil yourself on your day off once in a while. Go shopping, go out for a great meal, get a massage. The heck with the recession.

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Can a soon to be nursing student come to the pool party?!? I'll wait on ya'll hand and foot and give free footie massages!:D I can so relate to feet hurting, being a CNA I'm on my feet constantly it seems, even when I get home....stupid chores!! I'll bring margaritas!

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do any of you have trouble caring about what patients, residents, or anybody does anymore? today the nurse on 3rd shift was telling me that so and so just will not get out of bed anymore. all i could do is look at her and say i do not care. if she wants to lay in that bed and rot let her. i have talked until i am blue in the face with this a&o x 3 resident and she chooses to not get out of bed. i am sick and tired of teaching people and they do not do a single thing i ask them to do. i think that the residents, management, and my co-workers have sucked the passion of nursing out of me to the point that i do not think

hmm....dont know quite where to begin. here goes- take a vacation.....and then get another job. to be good at something...you have to like it. to be great at it...you have to love it. if you feel you are emotionally drained....then take a break please......and then look for something that sparks your interest. bc...patients will sense your lack of interest and empathy.....and it will show. they will be less likely to frankly discuss health concerns....and it will impact them. just showing up....and not being 100% there...available isnt ok. find that area that sparks your interest.......but first.......please take a break and recoup:twocents:;):twocents:

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Specializes in OR.

I just recently took a week off of work ,I work HomeHealth as a NA and my patients can be verbally and emotionly abusive sometimes . I was at the end of my rope and the vacation helped me alot. I was refreshed when I returned and thankful that I even had a decent job in this terrible economy . Good luck to you and I will hope that you take a VACATION and rehab yourself and restore your physical body and soul.

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Specializes in ER OR LTC Code Blue Trauma Dog.
Can a soon to be nursing student come to the pool party?!? I'll wait on ya'll hand and foot and give free footie massages!:D I can so relate to feet hurting, being a CNA I'm on my feet constantly it seems, even when I get home....stupid chores!! I'll bring margaritas!

You bet!.. Heck..come on in, the water is fine!

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I know exactly what you mean. It took me 2 1/2 yrs in a hosp. ER to start feeling burnt out. The clientele we get are medi-cal or no ins., yell at you for the wait time (only one Hosp. in a population of over 250,000) cuss you out for not getting the type of pain meds they want. Not that I have anything against medi-cal, but the type that live here act like we owe them something. Very rude. Never a thank you or kind word in return. Very draining at times. :yldhdbng: Just that one patient that is appreciative of what we do and says Thank You is the life-saver! :yeah:

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If I missed a post where you said something about seeing your Dr. sorry, but please see your Dr. for a complete workup. And be honest with your Dr. about all the changes in yourself as you have posted.

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Specializes in Medical.

from: barbara

i was a rn for 40+ years and i kringe when i hear anyone say they do not care any more!!!

i am sure you would be the first to comment if a family member was tended by someone who didn't care. just ministering to the basics won't do it. your attitude will come through in some way,

i say if you really don't care get out of nursing!! your colleagues and patients will be better off without your attitude.

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It looks like a lot of people have been reading my journal :uhoh3:

I wrote out my 2-week notice from hospital nursing on the day this happened:

Arrived at work 3pm... started my rounds to meet my patients and do the initial nursing assessment.

First patient was a male, around 45 years old, if I remember correctly. I walked into his room, introduced myself and told him I would be his nurse for the next shift. Before I could say anything else, he yelled, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SMILING AT? YOU FIND SOMETHING PLEASANT IN HERE TO SMILE ABOUT?"

I guess it was just the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. One more irritable, cursing patient that ruined the whole shift in the first minutes of it. You can bet your paycheck I DIDN'T CARE at that point.

I made it through the next 2 weeks, but it wasn't easy. I went into teaching, and haven't regretted it one minute.

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