I'm back and refreshed!

i've worked on the same unit since i was in nursing school. i loved the unit at first, but after 6 years, it got really stressful. we, as i am aware many facilities are dealing with, were severely short handed, and it always seemed to be the same people getting mandated. i was mandated at least once per pay period! i was putting in about 10-15 hours of overtime per week. i was starting to dread coming to work, and i was becoming very unhappy with my job. :uhoh21: i went to my doctor, and he recommended that i go talk to my therapist to get some stuff off my chest. sooooo, i did. i didn't want to at first. but once i got there and started talking, i started to cry, and then sob. i was so frustrated. i hadn't really realized that i wasn't sleeping, and my whole body was paying the price for it. she recommended me to take a leave of absence for a few weeks, just til i get on some meds to help stablize my moods. i was agreeable to that. but once we started working on the problems, more and more kept coming up. i ended up being off work for 16 weeks all together. i was bored at first, but then i found other little ways to keep myself occupied. i made a careplan book, full of careplans that i can use when i can't seem to think to make a good careplan. i read chicken soup for the nurses soul (wonderful book!) i did little things to keep myself occupied and remind myself why i chose nursing as my profession.

well, since i was off work for more than 12 weeks, they posted my job up for bids. i was upset at first, but then i started to think about it. maybe this was a good thing. my doctor suggested i return to work part time for a few weeks. so i talked to hr about that, and they said if i do that, i have to bid on a part time job and discuss with that manager about changing it into a full time position in time. i did just that. i looked to see what all jobs were open to me, and there were only three to choose from. icu, stepdown, and a med/surg. i thought about it, contemplated, prayed, and talked to my husband about it for a week or so, and chose to talk to the med/surg manager. she was very nice, i can't believe that i really never knew her before or even talked to her. she was willing to work with me and my part time to full time situation.

i started on that unit on monday. i went from a chaotic orthopedic unit where you never got to stand still let alone sit for your shift to a steady medsurg unit. i loved it my first day. i was frazzled at first, only because i was having some anxiety issues. but on my second day, it went a lot smoother. for the first time in ages, i got to punch out on time. and that was with a full patient load. i felt good. i got to talk to my patients, i got to talk with other nurses and staff, i got to help the aides when they needed it. i left work with a smile on my face.

i went from almost burned out, to being refreshed and ready for the job again. i love nursing, i love the rewards it can bring. its good to be back!