New Nurse Exhausted from Extremely Long Shifts? Help?

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I just became an LPN and I recently got my first job! It's been great so far, but we are desperately understaffed (a common trend I've learned) and I have been working some very long shifts to help out. I'll be honest, the past couple of weeks have been brutal. I've been coming into work at 5 in the morning, and I haven't been leaving until past midnight almost everyday. I'm completely beat at this point and just tired of being on my feet every waking moment of my life... My coworkers keep asking me to pick up shifts, and I'm too nervous to say no. I'm on my 9th shift straight and I worked over 100 hours last week! My legs actually gave out walking up the stairs the other day and some of the older nurses laughed at me saying I can't handle the pressure...the paychecks have been awesome! But my body just can't keep this up.* Are hours like this normal at hospitals?! I really like and need this job, but I'm not sure I can handle it...

You will get plenty of time off if you get terminated because of a gross error due to your exhaustion. As you have been advised, take some time off. Only you can be the one to say NO.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

OP- this is a problem only you can fix. And the good news is- you can fix it today. The first time you say 'no' will be the hardest. Each successive time it will become a little easier.

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Specializes in Cardiac, Stress testing.

You have to learn how to just say, NO! You obviously, nor could anyone else, keep going at that pace. You are putting your health in danger as well. I get the new nurse eagerness to help out, but you are not going to get fired or disliked because you won't pick up extra time. They all are asking because you keep saying YES! Do your three 12's and enjoy your life! I have been working part-time for 8 years and don't regret a minute of it! I go to the gym, cook meals, and take care of my house and family. There is no greater satisfaction than that! Good luck!

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Is 3 or 4 shifts a week the full - time standard at your work? Pull your 3 or 4. No extra. Nada. Nothing.

They call you at home or ask you at work? "I can't. Thank you for considering me, but I can't." Smile. Proceed.

There is a CNA I know who likes to work 90+ hours a week. Her work is SLOPPY, a large part of it I think is she has to be so exhausted from the sheer amount of hours she is doing.

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You are not responsible to cover the staffing problem. 100 hours in a week is outrageous and in violation of labor laws.

The older nurses are not laughing at you because you can't handle the pressure, they are laughing at you because you are accepting the abuse.

STOP, right now... do not take anything more than 40 hours/ week. Nothing will happen to you if you refuse extra hours.. except you will gain respect from management and your co-workers.

When asked to work extra.. your answer is... 'NO.. I will not do that". No other explanation is required.

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Specializes in Hospice.

It took me quite a while to learn that in order to take the best possible care of my patients, I needed to learn to take care of myself first. (Ok, some days I'm still working on that!)

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Specializes in ER.

Don't answer your phone. If you are asked directly to work an extra, say "no," and then wait 6 hours. If you really want the shift after the wait period, most times it will be there for you. You don't have to accept every shift, you don't even have to answer every call. You can put conditions on the shift, pick your assignment, tell them to call back when they are offering double time. If they never offer double time, you'll never have to do the extra- and being short will be their own fault. Us old nurses know that you will be manipulated in any way management can think of, believe us! Just say no.

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There will always be extra shifts

You, however, only have one body

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The odd thing about saying say 99 times is that you will be hated for saying no JUST ONCE. You will not be appreciated but taken for granted instead. Start like you wish to finish.

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Specializes in Critical Care/Vascular Access.

19 hour shifts? I don't think that's even legal where I live.

Seriously though, just say no to working any more OT than you know you can comfortably handle, or just no to working any more than you even just want to.

I highly recommend you learn to do this ASAP before you hate your job and career choice and have some kind of mental and/or physical breakdown.

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If you are working your contracted scheduled hours (which obviously you are) you should not feel bad for saying no to picking up extra hours. Your work will be better because you feel better for taking a break. And I'm not talking about taking the day you are off to complete errands, etc. I'm talking a real actual day of rest. You need it after working all those hours. You don't even have to give an explanation when they ask. A simple "I can't today" works.

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Wow! I did not expect to get this much help and advise! Thank you everyone! This has helped a ton!

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