I am soooo Stressed at my Job I want to quit!!!!!

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I have been on a med surg floor for almost 2 years. I am a new nurse. I can't tell you how many times I have wanted to quit. And I only work part time. I work nights which messes up my sleep so bad. The patients are horrible, the aides are lazy. I never have any time to just sit and talk to my patients. I hate it. We have 8 patients a night and the acuity level seems to get higher and higher. I feel like all I do is push narcs. The ones you really want to help you can't because the rest are asking for their pain medication, or falling, or making a mess on the floor. And of course your aide is no where to be found. I spend about 1/2 my time doing the aides work. Delegation my butt. I hate that I hate nursing. That is not my personality. I like to care for patients but its to the point I am sooo exhausted that I just want to pass out. MY husband tells me to quit. I am seriously thinking about it. I don't think I have thick skin to work on this floor. You have to be tough. But I have seen seasoned nurses in tears. I made a narc medication error last week and I had to meet with my boss. I was soooo upset. Most nurses would laugh at it and say you better get over it quick. Any advice from a seasoned nurse who still works on med-surg. I was so panicked I just went to the doctor to get on some anxiety medication. COuldn't take it.

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Specializes in Plastics. General Surgery. ITU. Oncology.

I have been qualified for 20 years. When the ward that I had worked on for most of that time got shut down and I had to move to another hospital with just the awful conditions you are experiencing I came very close to quitting.

My advice? choose a specialist area. Consider something like oncology, renal, cardiac, plastics that has only it's own speciality. You get chance to build up your knowledge and become confident in your area.

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Specializes in Army Medic.

Here are a few things I go by to base whether a stressful job is worth it:

1. If I to see a Psychiatrist for medications that I was not previously taking, due to stress on the job. It's time to find a new job.

2. If I feel like I'm going to vomit an hour before heading into work - it's time to quit.

3. If I am having predominately negative thoughts over things that would not bother me in a normal situation, it's time to quit.

There is no shame in looking for other work. It's scary to get out of a job that you've been in for a while - but a week after being able to finally breath again you'll thank yourself for it.

I live in about 1/4 of the pay I used to make at an old job - I struggle to find enough food to eat every day, have worn the same pair of pants and clothes for the past year now. I still would NEVER go back to that old job.

I know people who have literally had to get surgery due to complications as a result from stress in their job.

If you are a resourceful person, you will make life work for you - you do not need to feel stuck in a position because it is your livelihood.

If your husband thinks you should quit, that is probably another good indicator. My spouse wants nothing but the best for me - and having her support when I quit my last job was a life saver.

Trust in those close to you, and in yourself. Listen to that nagging voice in the back of your head.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

What an awful situation for you. But it sounds as though you have already figured out the basic problem... and I don't think you really hate your patients. You are doing the work of the aide as well as yourself. Doing the work of two people is not sustainable over the long term. How can you get the aide to do her/his work?

Have you discussed this with your manager? If she/he is not supportive, you need to discuss it with HR. Your organization has invested in you - and they don't want you to leave.

Is there a way to strengthen your delegation 'muscles' by improving your own assertiveness or setting & enforcing clear expectations for the aides? In my experience, enforcing accountability is the best way to procede. Consistent disciplinary action may not be popular, but it communicates a very clear message. Ignoring the problem - and doing all the work yourself also sends a clear message -- "I'm a doormat, you can walk all over me".

Believe me, this is not the only time in your career you are going to have to deal with this type of issue. Delegation & supervision are very important competencies. Hang in there!

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Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.

2 YEARS?? That is a huge accomplishment! And now that you've done two years on a med-surg floor, you can do virtually anything. What are your interests? Would you like to work in an independent office? Maybe a free-standing surgical clinic? Maybe try a homecare company - one of the ones in which you visit several home clients every day. The freedom would be really nice. Since you already work part-time maybe consider working PRN for 2 or 3 different offices. I do that and I love the freedom of choosing when I work (and when I don't). I love "changing it up" and doing something different here and there. You have put in your time in the trenches - and on nightshift no less - and it sounds like you are more than ready to move on to something really nice - and there are options. Many. You too can work a "normal" day shift job in almost anything. You were so smart to do those 2 years on med-surg. Seriously, you can write your own ticket now.

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health care is a business, nurses have been asked to do more with less for a long time and it's only gonna get worse.

with that said, there are very nice (easy and enjoyable) jobs in nursing. everyone has to find their fit, obviously where you're at isn't for you and you only do it part time, imagine if you did it ft.

many nurses want the "prestige" jobs of working at hospitals on so on, however, whenever a nurse tells me they don't like it and they mention lack of time with patients. i always direct them to things like hospice and home health (laid back with more time with patients).

it sounds like you're actually in a very good position. your husband wants you to quit and it doesn't sound like money is a big need (your working pt). however, i wouldn't just quit the job, i would start looking and hold the job down until you find something else, it's always easier to find a job when you already have a job.

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Sounds like you want to be a Nurse. You want to spend time with your patients. The floor is not an area you are feeling that you are getting what you want. try hospice nursing, or unit nursing. something with a 1:1 patient nurse ratio or at least 3:1. Consider a transfer at the hospital that your at.

jesse

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Nurses are always needed everywhere. If you are really unhappy with the hospital you work for, find another hospital, but if it is just the unit you are on, maybe try another unit. Or try talking to your supervisor or try to join or create some kind of committee to help improve working conditions in the hospital. I'm sure if the conditions are as bad as you say other people must feel the same way.

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Therein lies her problem- she's doing her work plus that of her aides. You're probably being too nice of them- forget being friends or fear of being seen as evil( even with the minimum task, they probably still see you as evil).

1. Delegate and make sure to check behind them for the first couple of times to see that it is done and they would know you mean business.Nursing is not a popularity contest. Your aides need to see that they need to uphold their share of the deal.

You are all parts to a whole- your aides need to see and understand that. Tell them what NEEDS to be done and not if they can do it. And keep pitching in to help as you have been doing, but they need to understand, that that is all it is- you pitching in to help them and not apprenticing for the position!

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Specializes in Operating Room Nursing.

Your not alone. In the past 7 days I have been screamed at for lack of equipment that is not my responsibility to order, called a pedophile by a coworker as a bad joke, told off by CNC for getting upset about this comment, given 3 newbies to teach with no orientation time and screamed at by surgeons for their lack of skills. I'm ready to admit defeat or admit myself to the nearest loony bin.

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I'm a seasoned nurse....I've been a nurse over 15 years.

I'm a very avid, active nurse working in a critical care unit. I've come to the conclusion I'm getting a new job. I'm staying in my current position until I find my new job. I feel better inbetween the days of work knowing not too much longer I'll be in this stressful nursing position.

They've made big cuts in ancillary departments. If we get a 10 minute break in a 12 hour period we're doing well!!!

Someone mentioned feeling nauseated before work. That's me all the way!!!

I'm currently looking for a new job!!! I can't wait to find my new job!!! (even if it's not in nursing) My advice is if you're not happy it's time to move on. My first job was 2 times worse compared to the one I'm in now....I looked back and used to think why did I stay in that situation as long as I did. Now I'm feeling things are getting to the point my jobs affecting me both inside and outside of the hospital. Things at my current job are getting worse and worse as the months go by.

Nursing is awesome because there's so many different positions out there. I'm excited to explore and find a new job!!!

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Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.
I'm a seasoned nurse....I've been a nurse over 15 years.

I'm a very avid, active nurse working in a critical care unit. I've come to the conclusion I'm getting a new job. I'm staying in my current position until I find my new job. I feel better inbetween the days of work knowing not too much longer I'll be in this stressful nursing position.

They've made big cuts in ancillary departments. If we get a 10 minute break in a 12 hour period we're doing well!!!

Someone mentioned feeling nauseated before work. That's me all the way!!!

I'm currently looking for a new job!!! I can't wait to find my new job!!! (even if it's not in nursing) My advice is if you're not happy it's time to move on. My first job was 2 times worse compared to the one I'm in now....I looked back and used to think why did I stay in that situation as long as I did. Now I'm feeling things are getting to the point my jobs affecting me both inside and outside of the hospital. Things at my current job are getting worse and worse as the months go by.

Nursing is awesome because there's so many different positions out there. I'm excited to explore and find a new job!!!

Skater, you are so not alone in your feelings about the way this nation's hospitals are going. I was absolutely overwhelmed with the oppressive feeling of the hospital where I first started in my nursing career. It's safe to say that I was blindsided. I was so disillusioned that I left and refused to work in a hospital again. Now, I'm sure there are some good hospitals out there, but in my opinion hospitals and the huge health care conglomerates who own them see nothing but profits, as opposed to true caring, as the bottom line. This completely negates the whole idea behind nursing and turns nurses into robots to do their bidding - offering the least amount of actual health care for the highest possible profit. And nurses pay big. We end up getting piled on because they are trying to widen their profit margins and they just.don't.care how it is for us. Nursing shortage? H*ll yes there is because hospitals are losing good nurses in huge numbers because they won't allow themselves to be treated like dirt any longer!

I don't know what the answer is, but I know health care in this country is going in a bad direction. And I really don't think a government takeover of health care will do anything except make it ten thousand times worse than it is now.

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