I’m burnt out

[EDNURSE20]

So I’ve been an RN for nearly a year and a half and Im burnt out.

I work on the float pool, working on different floors every day. Sometimes multiple floors a day. I do ten 8 hour shifts a fortnight.

I’m sick of being an ‘outsider’ every where I go.

I’m sick of not being appreciated.

im sick of being so busy that I never get a lunch break

im sick of doing short changes (ie finishing at 2330 and being back at 0700)

I’m sick of being called in everyday, making me feel so bad that I can’t say no

im sick of having to work 7-8-9 days in a row and only having one day off before starting back

I feel like all my life is going to work, coming home and sleeping and then back to work. On my day off (rarely have more than 1 off in a row) I either do house work and meal prep, or sleep for 15 hours.

I moved here for my job, and haven’t really made any friends. I’m single as well. So spend most my time on my own and have no one I can talk to about my frustration or when I’ve had a sh*ty day.

I have a leave in a couple of months, but don’t think I can make it till then. I’m exhausted.

[AFnurse211]

Girl, go get you a Govment-civilian job! They are treated so nice GS positions get great pay and benenfits

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Float nursing is a hard way to start out. I think you got in that rut of being dragged around and accepting it. However, you have caused a lot of your problems. You do not have to double back, and you do not have to work over your required hours.

You can also find a place to land.

You have enough experience to find a better position.

[dianah, ASN]

Agree with others' advice to limit your shifts per week, don't answer their calls for OT shifts, take your breaks, and possibly find a position on a permanent unit.

That said, the first three years after I graduated, I floated between ICUs/DOUs, Med-Surg, Newborn Nursery, PostPartum. I learned a LOT.

Be good to yourself. Take your days off. Go on outings. Treat yourself. Join a club. Take dance lessons. Meet new people. You will get through this.

[zoidberg, BSN, RN]

That sucks. I love float pool. All the units I go to are happy to see me for the shift-they aren’t short due to my being there. I agree, it’s not an easy place to start. I had my feet wet on a really difficult unit before starting to float.

Don’t work extra, try to get 12 hr shifts, and make sure you take time for yourself.

I’m a sociable guy, and like that i know pretty much everyone in the hospital. You make floating what you want. many of my float friends like it as they can keep to themselves.

[EDNURSE20, BSN]

My leave coming up is quite long, 10 weeks. So would be impossible to get a job anywhere and be able to keep my leave.

I also I don’t have a particular floor I want to stay on permanently. There are definitely some I prefer, but none where I feel like yes! This is my speciality. I want to explore a few more floors while I’m still on float pool.

As for not feeling appreciated, that comes from staff. Normally I actually like my pts. I feel like I just get taken advantage of. Ie get the worst load, last to get any sort of breaks ect.

Yet its staff I feel bad for. I’m at a small hospital, where sometimes you really are all they have. Last week I did a shift with 3 other RNs, normally there’s 8 on. The next shift had even less staff on. They literally had no one left to call. When they say they are desperate, they really do mean it.

i know they need to hire more staff, everyone does, but doesn’t matter how many times they are this short staff nothing seems to change.

[RIRudd]

I am a retired RN after working 40 years. I became very burnt out on two separate occasions and, looking back. the real problem was that I was not in a role that best suited my strengths. In your instance, it does seem the best thing you could do is seek a permanent placement on a unit you really like to get some stability and be able to build supportive relationships with co-workers. And, as many others have stated, learn to say NO to those requests for OT. You must take better care of yourself in order to be at your best when on the job. Do something you really enjoy on your off time, even if it is just taking a healthy walk regularly.

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

Then I suggest you take a couple mental health holidays before your 10 weeks to help you cope in the meantime. I never used to call in before I became a nurse, but the stress and short staffing I now need a mental health day once and a while, plus the stress triggers migraines for me. I don't feel guilty either.

It's on them to staff the hospital. They need to hire more nurses. They could use agency or travelers or offer bonuses for new hires, tuition reimbursement as well. They certainly should be offering a good bonus for coming in on your days off as well. Stop letting them guilt trip you into working more than you want. Stop answering the phone. If your manager complains suggest they hire more staff. They definitely won't do that if they can cajole their current nurses to work themselves to death.

Perhaps on your leave you look for another job where you will be happier. Hope you enjoy your time off. Hang in there and take care of yourself. You said you moved for this job and have no friends. Perhaps you can now get a job where you used to live where your friends and family are. You now have experience, remake your resume, all the float pool experience can be your ticket to whatever job or specialty you are interested in.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

On 1/28/2019 at 4:30 AM, Newgradnurse17 said:

My leave coming up is quite long, 10 weeks. So would be impossible to get a job anywhere and be able to keep my leave.

I also I don’t have a particular floor I want to stay on permanently. There are definitely some I prefer, but none where I feel like yes! This is my speciality. I want to explore a few more floors while I’m still on float pool.

As for not feeling appreciated, that comes from staff. Normally I actually like my pts. I feel like I just get taken advantage of. Ie get the worst load, last to get any sort of breaks ect.

Yet its staff I feel bad for. I’m at a small hospital, where sometimes you really are all they have. Last week I did a shift with 3 other RNs, normally there’s 8 on. The next shift had even less staff on. They literally had no one left to call. When they say they are desperate, they really do mean it.

i know they need to hire more staff, everyone does, but doesn’t matter how many times they are this short staff nothing seems to change.

You could use your leave to job search. Appears you are backpedaling on most of your complaints.

It is not your job to "feel bad" for the staff. Administration is sticking it to all of you and leaving the patients unsafe. Float pool is never " all they have". Administration has the option to hire more staff, bring in agency, or continue sticking it to those still willing to suck it up.

Best wishes.

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

I guessed from the language in your post that you are not US based, but gee whiz...10 weeks leave? I'm guessing that is the equivalent of our vacation time. It's taken me over 20 years with one employer to get to my maxed out vacation time which is 6 weeks that I am not able to use all at once by the way. The most I can get approved time off for is 2 weeks at a time unless there are some extenuating circumstances.

That's not to take anything away from your situation though. I'd burn out too with that insane schedule. Short staffing is rough, been there done that. For your own well being either start saying no to the overtime or just stop answering your phone if you find yourself being talked into saying yes every time.