I can't take it anymore!

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Hello, I have been working for 7 months at group home as an LPN. It has been very challenging lately. The residents take turn on fixating on something random and then they proceed to come to my little office and ask the same questions 20 to 30 plus times per day. For example: I need to know what my eye prescription is, I think I need glasses. I replied to the same person that he had just been to ophthalmologist 2 weeks ago and he is perfect vision. He will come back 5 minutes later and I have to explain the same thing for 20 plus minutes. The. They get upset and threaten to kill me.

today, my girlfriend kept asking a question multiple times and I snapped at her. Now she is very angry at me. 
I am going to start to work at a nursing home in two weeks as I have my notice. 
has anyone else is utterly burned out of nursing and just miserable?

 

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You think this is bad? Wait until you have kids. 😉

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Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.

It sounds exhausting, but here's a couple of suggestions.

Maybe try gently deflecting or refocusing?

You can also set limits, such as calmly saying, "I know this is important to you, but we've talked about it, and I'm going to help you with something else now."

Taking a timeout or short break is OK when you're overwhelmed.

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Thank you 

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Nurse Beth isn't wrong. You will encounter this practically daily even on a medsurg floor. If the patient isn't AAOx4, just redirect. "What's your favorite meal/holiday?” "Come sit here and look at this video" "Here's a pudding.” "Where was your favorite vacation?” The patient just want attention and to talk, give them the opportunity 

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I have several mentally ill patients as well though I work in a different role and environment. I change the subject when it comes down to perseverating on one topic. Boundaries, as Nurse Beth mentioned, are all important. You are not being rude or disrespectful if you have boundaries and stick to them. 

And yes, it is possible to be burnt out.  Hopefully a change will be for the good. Best wishes.

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Wuzzi, these are not kids and I am a 50 year old retired police officer. It's forensic psychiatry with adults who have committed crimes. They are wards of the state as they are deemed incompetent to stand trial. Anyhow, I left last week when a resident broke the skull of another one. 

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