I am a new(ish) grad...graduated from nursing school in 2009. I have been working nights as a RN on a surgical floor for a year now. I am feeling so down lately. I am feeling like i don't want to be a nurse anymore... All the demands at work, the workload, nasty patients, lack of sleep because of night shift, never seeing my husband/family/friends, being constantly exhausted, wanting to cry all the time...it all has me dreading each day I have to go back to work again. I am given the "difficult" patients because they seem to think I can handle it better than others...should be a compliment but it drains me! I am starting to really hate people...most people are rude, demanding, and critical. I find that almost every second at work I am screaming inside. The only bonus is that I work with amazing people and they are the only ones that get me through...
What do I do? Do I stick it out a while longer? Do I find a new job? Will anyone even hire me with only 1 year of experience? Are these normal feelings? Do experienced nurses feel this way too? Should I just suck it up? Do you think I just need a vacation, lol? help!
I am at a loss and would really appreciate your comments. :)
So sorry that you're having such a rough time. Even those of us who still love nursing, may have difficulty with a particular type of nursing...Nursing is not for everyone but it can be a wonderful career. You spent all that time and effort becoming a nurse, so spend a little more time becoming the kind of nurse you want to be.
As a future nurse, I was so happy to read your supportive post, with many ideas on tackling a burnout situation.
Reading through the thread, as a person who's been a patient quite a few times, and always tried to be a good patient, it really scares me when I see posts from those that seem to have completely lost their empathy.
When I'm feeling crappy, it'll be people like you who inspire me to push forward.
Within a year, I also hated my nursing job. Fortunately for me though, I took a vacation to Europe for a few days, and when I came back, I was so motivated to work so that I could take another vacation. And then I learned to appreciate the fact that by working nights, I could have 6 days off consecutively, and I would go on trips around the country. Yes, didn't save as much money, but then that led me to travel nursing, and eventually, I ended up in Healthcare IT, and now, I simply love my job. And thank god for my nursing degree!!!
I agree with the others--try a different type of nursing! For example: I don't deal with rude patients because I take care of babies. All they do is cry yes I'll get the "special" parents, but not hardly on night shift!
I love me some babies. I hate to see little ones cry- I cry with them:(
I can't tell you whether or not nursing is for you. It sounds like your current position sucks for you though and I feel for you.
I left my first nursing job when it got to the point that I was crying on the way into work on a daily basis. I then got an agency job for a while, getting varied experience. When the hospital system I did most of my shifts through decided to go agency-free, I was lucky enough to be one of those they recruited to work for them.
Fast forward to now, over seven years later... I love my job. I have enough experience from being at different places to realize that even though there are aspects of it that are difficult, I'm at one of the better hospitals in the area as far as how they treat staff. I love my night shift co-workers, and count several of them as good friends. Although there have been distressing issues that have come up lately, I wouldn't work anywhere else.
If you would have asked me ten years ago if I could see myself in a place with my career like I'm at now, I would probably have told you no. It took a long time to get here, but even with all the frustrations I know I'm darn lucky.
Explore what other possibilities there are in your area, maybe ask around on your state's message board here for what you're looking for. Keep your chin up and know that every day you put in is not only more experience for you, it's also one day closer to the day you'll be able to move on to a better place.
Working nights is a challenge in and of itself, and requires a lot of sacrifice not just on your part but also on those close to you. Be sure to find ways to stay connected as well as treating yourself well. It's a hard balance to find...I'm still working on it after years on nights.
Best wishes for improved employment circumstances.
Seriously consider trying day shift. I know a few nurses who almost quit because they were so miserable, but went to days and found out it wasn't nursing that was the problem, it was working nights. If it really is more than that, then consider some of the other good suggestions here. Look at what you like and don't like about what you are doing and see which jobs will maximize the parts you like. No job in any profession is perfect. There is a reason we get paid so well for what we do, but you needn't be miserable at work.
Maybe try taking a vacation and trying to figure all of this out:) Good luck!
I've had short periods of time where I felt exactly as you do. I've even posted on here how I was going to pursue a different career path. In the end, I always stayed with nursing for this/that reason. Some things that made a difference for me:
1. I recently stopped doing full time nights. The other posters who mentioned that it is not for everyone are right. Full time nights at any job is one of the hardest things to do (for me) and it did not make nursing any better. Definitely start looking for ways to at least split between other shifts, and if something else opens up somewhere that you can do all days/eves...........take it. Nights makes nursing almost unbearable. It did for me anyway. I do more days than nights now and I am a different person completely.
2. Think long term. Don't get trapped into thinking you will have to be on "this unit" doing "this work" for the rest of your life. Lifetime hospital bedside nursing is not for everyone. I'm going back to school this coming Aug. to get my BSN then I'll be going for my Masters in Informatics. But thats my plan. I have other plans in mind too, I bounce from one to the other day to day.
I'm not saying get away from the bedside, just pointing out you probably won't be on this exact unit ten years from now. Think about what direction you'd like to be headed in, where you'd like to be in ten years, and take a few small steps towards it. Want to go more towards Critical Care..........work on your ACLS. Think Case Management looks interesting.........get to know a few in your hospital and see what they think about it.
3. We work hard, put up with a lot of undeserved criticism and expectations placed on us go up and up and UP UP UP. Don't be afraid to take a break at home when you really feel you need one. Find something that relaxes you and create a little corner of the world for yourself there. I've found my little corner of the world in my bedroom reading. Also love going to ballgames. When nursing really starts annoying me......................I often have neglected to read and have not been to a ballgame in a long time.
It been a while since I read what I originally wrote and I just now read through all your posts. I appreciate all of them!
I have a lot to think about! I also have a lot to be thankful for :) I am lucky to have a job, lucky to have a hospital job right out of nursing school, lucky to have gained so much experience, lucky to have such great co-workers and mentors, lucky to be exposed to a world where health is a luxury... lucky to be alive!
I am going to try to focus on the positive from now on.
I think that's just life, and you have to deal with it. You are lucky you have a hospital job, I've been unemployed for 2 months since receiving my NJ license. I'm dying to get a spot in a hospital because it's really hard for me, i'm an international graduate last April 2010.
Do things that will help you relax.
you are right, i am lucky. thanks for helping me see that! :)
As a future nurse, I was so happy to read your supportive post, with many ideas on tackling a burnout situation.
Reading through the thread, as a person who's been a patient quite a few times, and always tried to be a good patient, it really scares me when I see posts from those that seem to have completely lost their empathy.
When I'm feeling crappy, it'll be people like you who inspire me to push forward.
Thank you! :)
Please note: I haven't completely lost my empathy. I actually really, really care for people. You will see what I am feeling when you become a nurse. Actually, I hope you don't! I hope you really love nursing. I want you to know how much I appreciate that you try to be a good patient. It's the people that come though the hospital demanding things, call you 80 times when you have bent over backwards for them, people who don't say "thank you", people that talk over you, micro-manage everything you do... it's very hard to be nice all the time and shrug these people off all the time. I love being a nurse and I am going to try not to take people's personality conflicts to heart as much as I have been. I wish you the best!
I am feeling like i don't want to be a nurse anymore... All the demands at work, the workload, nasty patients, lack of sleep because of night shift, never seeing my husband/family/friends, being constantly exhausted, wanting to cry all the time...it all has me dreading each day I have to go back to work again. I am given the "difficult" patients because they seem to think I can handle it better than others...should be a compliment but it drains me! I am starting to really hate people...most people are rude, demanding, and critical. I find that almost every second at work I am screaming inside. The only bonus is that I work with amazing people and they are the only ones that get me through...
yes I'll get the "special" parents, but not hardly on night shift!
kzimmermann
107 Posts
As a future nurse, I was so happy to read your supportive post, with many ideas on tackling a burnout situation.
Reading through the thread, as a person who's been a patient quite a few times, and always tried to be a good patient, it really scares me when I see posts from those that seem to have completely lost their empathy.
When I'm feeling crappy, it'll be people like you who inspire me to push forward.
Thank you! :)