ICU Burn Out!!

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I have worked in critical care since I was still in Nursing school. I started off as an intern, and then stayed on as a tech while I finished school. Then after graduating I went right to the ICU and have been there for years. Lately, I cant help but feeling like I just need a change. I love the critical care aspect of the patients- but I am so sick of the demanding and rude families, all the drug abusing patients, and overall lazyness of some of my fellow co workers. I am starting to wonder if I even want to stay in the health care field at all. Any advice or suggestions on what I could do without going back to school or working on a floor or in the OR/ER?!

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Specializes in CGRN.

Cath lab? Stress lab? Endoscopy? Infusion?

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Specializes in critical care ICU.
Cath lab? Stress lab? Endoscopy? Infusion?

Yeah there's a lot of specialties you can go into. If you think it's time for a change, I'd listen to yourself! I don't know many people who have stayed in the exact same specialty since nursing school. People do switch around.

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First question: When was your last vacation? Burnout often lessens after a nice, relaxing vacay.

Second question: Is there another specialty that interests you? If so, your burnout level may be the kick-in-the-pants you need to finally go into the area you really want.

I've jumped around a lot over the last decade--variety is the spice of life, after all. And it's invigorating--you keep yourself on your toes when changing specialties, you have to adjust and learn new things. If you feel you've had enough of ICU, so be it and move on. However, obnoxious families and drug abusers are everywhere in nursing--you really can't get away from them. If those are truly the sources of your unhappiness, what you need is probably more support, encouragement, and opportunities to vent and de-stress, not a new specialty.

Take some time off and take stock of your situation. Nursing is stressful in any multitude of ways no matter what your specialty. You're having, I think, what some call a dark night of the soul--a temporary crisis. See it through if you can, move on to your next challenge if you can't. You have a background in ICU, you can do just about anything you wish. Best of luck, and I hope you find peace and happiness in whatever you decide to do. :)

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Great advice! Thank you :)

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Specializes in ICU.

Travel nursing helped some days as there would be an end in sight. I last worked ICU 9 months ago. I was totally burnt out. Look for an OR nursing internship.

ICU (depending on the level of acuity) will at least land you interviews for EVERYTHING well it should as I have had an interview for just about everything. Cath lab, IR, Pacu, OR (phone screening at least), Peds CICU, L&D, and Endoscopy. I even had two offers to interview for Nurse Practitioner school.

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You are qualified for many opportunities, other than hospital nursing.

You need to start you OWN research. For example, I enjoy working from home in my pajamas for an insurance company.

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