Im so burned out

[penny186, ADN, BSN, CNA, RN]

Hello, Im 25 and have been in LTC since I was 17 starting as a CNA. Im in school for RN to BSN and desire to be a clinical instructor one day. I've done personal care and home health as well. After 7 years, I became a charge RN and supervisor at the facility at which I was a CNA for 7 years prior. I stayed almost a year and had to leave due to a company takeover, poor management, and horrible work ethic among the staff. I just could not watch it anymore and management never follows though with discipline, basically undermining me. I came to the VA but the only job was LTC. My mom has been there 45 years and convinced me that its better and I would be able to get another job soon. I've been there since April and suffering working yet again night shift. It's like a glorified personal care home and the people are just as lazy. I do far less then I did as a supervisor and do paperwork all night. I never even see the managers and they are not knowledgeable or supportive. Any time I make a suggestion for a residents benefit its met with opposition. Everything is on paper and things get missed. Theres very few patients and no workload yet they all complain. I use no skills other than helping the CNAs and LPNs and basic secretarial paperwork. I have horrible migraines and its difficult for me to get through the night no matter how much I sleep. My husband works as a NP and I never see him with his hours. I've put in for multiple med surg jobs since I started that go nowhere. I enjoy the benefits but I want to be a real nurse and use my skills and feel meaningful like the people I went to school with. It took a lot of paperwork to get into the VA but I don't know if I can make it past a year. Is it too soon to quit. I try my very best every day but its so hard when not even the cnas or lpns care to provide basic resident care.

[caliotter3]

You probably have a good solid three choices:  you can plug away, lowering your expectations, and take home a paycheck; you can beat yourself bloody trying to bring about positive change; or you can chuck it all and never work as a nurse again.  Agree that it is quite a shock to the system when one realizes that nursing does not necessarily lead to a meaningful work life.  I can say one thing though, leave the VA and you will be leaving one of the reportedly best work situations in terms of personal benefits.  Yes, there can be better, but it is sort of like chasing that unicorn running through a field of rainbows.  No matter your choice, you probably could benefit from attending to your mental health needs by learning and practicing better coping skills.  Those skills can make a lot of challenges easier to handle.  Good luck.

[Dani_Mila, BSN, RN]

I am so like you my only issue is to have the confidence to freaking apply to hospitals. I have been recruited couple of times but I freak out because it is acute care. However, I have realized lately that I feel unsatisfied with work because I feel like I ma stuck and not progressing with my nursing skills.