lpn burnout

postmortem_cowboy · Apr 15, 2007

I can say that yes I was there as well, when you do night shift 12 hours a night 6-7 days a week for a while you get burnt out quite quickly... just depends on how much you work where you work and job satisfaction. Could be you just need a change of atmosphere for a while... change floors, go to a different facility. Same thing over and over is never a good thing.

Wayne.

nosyzeke · Apr 15, 2007

I'm really glad to hear that I'm not the only one who has felt this way. I've done LTC, pallative care, post op and am currently doing adult rehab. I got bumped about 3 years ago so took the position in rehab. Don't get me wrong I love being an LPN but these days I don't feel like I have much patience for patients who wear the poor me badge or for those who have decided that they have the right to abuse you because they feel they are paying your wage even though we all pay taxes. Or how about those patients that are very capable of wiping their own ass but refuse too.Know what I mean? I'm sure most of us have had that experience. thx W

postmortem_cowboy · Apr 15, 2007

Yeah unfortunately those patients are everywhere, it's not a service your providing them, it's owed to them. However there are ways around it. For instance, most of my experience is with ER. When i'd have patients that didn't like the pain medications that the doctor would prescribe and stand there and tell me that they're demanding this or that and attempting to abuse me verbally. I'd simply state, the doctor has written the prescription for your pain medications, i will let him/her know you wish to discuss the inadequacy of the medications prescribed and he may or may not come to speak with you. The prescription is yours, you can fill it, or not. I don't take abuse from patients, if they're capable of doing something on their own, they need to do it. When they say it's my job, I tell them no, you see it's not my job to do everything for you, It's my job to get you back to being able to do things for yourself... and your fully capable of doing (insert task), so you need to do it for yourself.

Allowing someone even a patient to abuse you is still a choice that you make, if you let them, they will walk all over you. That doesn't mean you have to be rude mind you, just stern and stand up for yourself. The only place you'll get by allowing someone to walk all over you is footprints all up and down you.

Something else i've learned as well... is dissassociating my own feelings on the matter, doesn't matter how I feel about it, it all comes down to this is the way things are done... if you don't like it, then you can complain to administration about how your stay in the hospital was, and that is the only way things will change. It gets no one nowhere to get all upset and yell or argue back with a patient... all it does is frustrate you, disassociate your own personal feelings on the matter, your a professional, not a doormat.

Wayne.

nosyzeke · Apr 15, 2007

You know, I needed to hear that and you are absolutely right. I'm off to my last 12hr shift shortly and thankfully most of our pts have taken loa's to their homes for the weekend. I'm then off for a couple of days to take an I.M course.I want to thank you for the words of wisdom. tina

postmortem_cowboy · Apr 16, 2007

Not a problem Tina, always glad to help out a fellow nurse. There's just a fine line between rude and stern, watch that line and don't step over it. If you can look at the situation objectively from an outsiders perspective and see that the patient is attempting to drag you into silliness, then you'll see their actions in a whole different light, took me a while to be able to step back out of the situation and be able to look at it that way, but it really works if you use it.

We aren't maids, however alot of patients will think of us in that light, they need to be corrected. We aren't babysitters... nor are we adult babysitters. None of us should be asked to do things outside of our scope of practice, however sometimes we are, and sometimes small gestures for a patient is an okay thing, but it's when the line gets crossed from a nice gesture to being owed that gesture and it goes outside the scope of what it is we do. There's alot of things we aren't, and a punching bag for any patient or relative is definately one of the things we aren't.

Wayne.

nosyzeke · Apr 16, 2007

Thanks again wayne my night shift went very well and I feel better today than when I posted. You're a sweetie.

dcnballmom, ASN, RN · Apr 17, 2007

burn-out? most definitely - i am LTC and up til 2 months ago was responsible for 2 units totaling up to 40 patients a day - supervising medication aides and GNAs on both units - responsible for making sure that over 150 lab results a month were sent to physicians and taking all orders pertaining to both units - if had not been for new owners coming to facility and asking why there wasnt a full time nurse on that unit i may have walked out the door some times - too much responsibilty for one person to handle in a day for me -

postmortem_cowboy · Apr 17, 2007

Thanks again wayne my night shift went very well and I feel better today than when I posted. You're a sweetie.

Not a problem... I think at one point all of us do or will feel the effects of burn out... it's just natural to our profession...

Wayne.

General E. Speaking, RN, RN · Apr 17, 2007

yup. I'm feeling it- burnout. I will be starting a LVN-RN program in May and need to con't working fulltime as long as possible. I am worried that my burnout will escalate while in school, but the bills must be paid so for now I just keep doing one shift at a time. *sigh*

Caring for you · Jun 21, 2010

LPN burnout. I've seen burnout in nurses and aides in nursing facilities and home health. My recommendation is

the following..... First, these people really need you, just like a baby or a little child. They might complain but they really need you. On abuse I've seen on both ways. I've seen aides and nurses not care anymore. When they begin not caring, unless they got into the business just for the money or just for a job instead of really trying to help people, it is probably because of burnout. Try working two different jobs at the same time. Either two different facilities, a facility and home care, etc. Just the difference should help. But seriously when you really care about someone like your family you keep giving and loving and showing up with a smile.:)